Three exhibition gardens win Gold at Ellerslie

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Three exhibition gardens have won gold at this year’s Ellerslie International Flower Show.

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Ellerslie’s two 2010 international gardens by multi Gold award-winning Chelsea Flower Show designer Chris Beardshaw (pictured top) and award-winning Japanese designer Koji Ninomiya (middle) have both been awarded Gold, and joining this year’s two international designers as Gold medal winners is the design duo of All Black halfback Andy Ellis and his mate Danny Kamo from John Marsh Landscape Architects (bottom).

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The Convenor of Judges Robert Hillier from England said the 2010 Ellerslie Show was “brilliant”.

“The overall standard is very high making it a tough competition for the medals.”

Mr Hillier said there was an extreme diversity of gardens, making it interesting but also difficult for the judges.

He praised Andy Ellis and Danny Kamo for The Last Laugh, a serious statement about the impact humans are having on the environment and the planet’s natural resources. “The concept and delivery of this garden is amazing,” he said.

“Koji’s western Japanese garden is the best garden I have seen him design – it is simply great. And third Gold medal winner, Chris Beardshaw’s An Englishman’s Retreat is perfection in terms of detail and finish,” he says.

“To win gold you need attention to detail and finish, innovative ideas – well delivered, and that is exactly what these Gold medal winners have done.”

Mr Hiller said the “quality and standard of exhibition gardens at Ellerslie would be well received at Chelsea”.

Jim Fogarty from Australia, who has judged at Ellerslie for the last eight years, said the standard of gardens had definitely improved this year as was evident in every exhibition garden getting an award. “The standard is very high.”

He said having multi award-winning Chelsea Flower Show designer Chris Beardshaw at the Show had set a strong international benchmark for any award winner and it was a “big step up for Ellerslie”.

“Chris’s garden is fantastic. It has heaps of plants and is beautifully executed; Chris is a true plantsman and the quality of his plants from Trents is outstanding.”

Mr Fogarty says with Koji’s Japanese garden, “the closer you get the more drawn in you get – the mountains, the rivers, the valleys and the ocean – it is an amazing garden.”

Starlight exhibit steals the Show
Meanwhile, the Christchurch Botanic Gardens has “stolen the Show” with its “extraordinary” exhibit in the Starlight Marquee which has won Gold.

Lead Judge Penny Cliffin said the garden had “extraordinary lighting and sound effects and an interesting commentary on decomposition as a basis of life under the ground”.

“The garden also has an extraordinary selection of fungi; it is truly amazing.”

Mr Hillier says he was “bowled over by the exhibit”.

“The Starlight Marquee is unique to Ellerslie and is such a fantastic use of space.

“The Botanic Gardens exhibit is outstanding. They have kept the garden very focussed and not over complicated it – the public will be blown away by it.”

Awards:

Exhibition Gardens
Gold An Englishman’s Retreat – Chris Beardshaw
Sei Sei Tei II - Koji Ninomiya
The Last Laugh – Andy Ellis and Danny Kamo

Silver Distinction Incredible Edibles – Sandi MacRae
Sustainability with Style - Soil and Health Canterbury and The Good Gardeners’ Association Christchurch
Peace by Piece – Carl Pickens

Silver Finding Solace in the Sky – Cameron Cameron McLean, Desmond Stock and Gareth Ford
Four Play – Emily Kelly, Joshua Hunt, Myles Rabbidge and Megan Inder

Bronze My Little Corner of the World - Mat Ransom and Matt McIsaac
Jungle Fever – Scotty Fletcher, Zisk Design
Tohunga’s Garden – Malcolm McBride, Letz Go Native
Te Waipounamu Garden – Nik Kneale, Huia Reriti and Nathan Pohio

Merit 0800 Pool Hire – Craig Pocock Design
Ellegance – Mark Hutching, Allwood Trees

Retail Garden
Bronze Play Matters – Christchurch City Council

Merit Kinetics of Stone – Timothy Mark

Starlight Marquee
Gold Christchurch Botanic Gardens

Bronze Bush Telly
An Icy Oasis – Dan Rutherford

Hort Galore Marquee
Gold Stratford Garden Club
NZ Alpine Garden Society

Silver Christchurch Bird Club
Cashmere Garden Club

Bronze Christchurch Beautifying Society
Fendalton and Mount Pleasant Garden Club
Forest and Bird

Merit Christchurch Chrysanthemum Circle
Avonhead Garden Club

Floral Art Marquee
Gold Ikebana International Ikenobo School
Avon Floral Art
Jenny Harris

Silver Distinction Ikebana International Ichiyo School
Ikebana International Sogetsu School
North Otago Floral Art Group
Heather Sibley
Erin Brown

Silver Gislinde Folkerts
Blooming Fabulous
Jan Nuttall

Bronze Patricia Proctor Design
Joy Flora Florist for Christchurch Garden Trust
Timaru Floral Art Group
Carousel Floral
MK Design Ltd
Marion Mercer
Annette Waller

Merit Floral Art North Canterbury

• Ellerslie International Flower Show is New Zealand’s premier week-long Garden Party in Christchurch’s North Hagley Park from 10 to 14 March 2010. The Show celebrates Christchurch’s Garden City heritage and the best of national and international garden design. Check out the website for further information www.ellerslieflowershow.co.nz

ENDS

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