Owhata Central Kids Kindergarten in Rotorua has been named the winner of the Daltons Late Bloomers Awards today. This marked the final phase of the much-loved Daltons Sunflowers in Kindergartens Project which saw 13,795 kindy children across the country turn their hands to gardening.

The Late Bloomers Awards ran from December 2023 to February 2024 and recognise those kindergartens or regions that struggled with lower temperatures or were impacted by weather or other issues, ensuring everyone had a fair chance for their sunflowers to bloom and be recognised.

First-time winners Owhata Central Kids Kindergarten from Central Kids Kindergarten Association won both the Late Bloomers Widest Sunflower Head Award and Tallest Sunflower Awards. Their sunflower was 210cm high and the sunflower head measured in at a whopping 40cm wide, the widest grown in the Project’s history!

Teacher, Moepera Akuhata-Brown, commented; “At Owhata Kindergarten Whaea Moepera and the tamariki enjoyed growing Dalton’s Raputiputi. Watching as Ranginui waters from above, Tama nui te Ra shining glow, and Papatūanuku nurturing from below to help grow our Raputiputi to be big and tall. Our tamariki have become kaitiaki of their whenua or natural environment. A big mihi to Dalton’s for providing us with this amazing learning opportunity.”

Daltons General Manager, Colin Parker, says; “Congratulations to our Late Bloomers Award winner Owhata Kindergarten, who have grown some seriously impressive sunflowers. These awards allow all tamariki to have their hard work recognised. A big thank you to all the kindergartens and teachers that bring the Project to life, it is an absolute delight to watch the pride and joy on everyone’s faces as their sunflowers bloom.”

The winning kindergarten will receive a prize pack from Daltons, The Warehouse and GARDENA for the Late Bloomers Tallest Sunflower and Widest Sunflower Head Awards.

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