Media release 19 November 2006

Counting The Flowers

2006 Ellerslie International Flower Show Breaks Records

This year’s Ellerslie International Flower Show has exceeded all expectations, says Show Director Dave Mee. The Show, which closed today, has been a bustling village of word class design, breathtaking horticulture and stunning floral art.

Over the last five days the show has attracted more than 66,000 visitors and favourable comment from garden experts, judges and exhibitors.

Chief judge and Head of Shows Development at the world-famous Chelsea Flower Show in London, Bob Sweet says “New Zealand’s premier gardening event is on its way up and is set to hit the world stage, which is really exciting not only for Ellerslie but for New Zealand.”

Some of the record breaking figures from this year’s show include:

• 66,000 visitors through the gates
• 150,000 flowers on display
• 8,000 peony stems sold by NZ Peony Society
• 250 performers at the Manukau Performance Garden
• 20,000 packets of seeds issued by Tower Insurance and 2,000 packets of wildflowers sold
• 3000 number of red lipstick pens sold by official charity Look Good Feel Better
• 2,000 umbrellas sold in a single day to keep off both rain and sun!
• 83,278 steps walked by Show Exhibition Manager, Kate Hillier
• Over 3000 plants on Xanthe White’s award winning 100% Pure Chelsea Garden
• The largest single sale in Ellerslie history for a James Wright sculpture @ $15,000
• 20,000 cups of Twinings tea drunk on site
• The two youngest designers exhibiting in Ellerslie Flower Show history – Matt McIsaac and Mat Ransom at 19 years of age, winner of the People’s Choice Award
• 900 roses planted on site to beautify the site
• 250 Monarch butterflies released at the Show
• 13,200 show bags issued
• A sell out of red pineapples from Northland, NZ Gardener’s White Romance subscription, and Crocs shoes amongst others
• 6,000 of vegetables to build the Mt. Vege display from Auckland Vegetable Growers Association
• 300 people using Invercare wheelchairs and 160 using mobility scooters
“We are delighted with the response to the 2006 Show and plan to be back bigger and better than ever next year”, says Dave Mee. “We have set our sights on ensuring Ellerslie takes centre stage as world class event and we are well on our way to achieving that goal.”

Ends

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