Housing New Zealand Corporation Garden Awards

28 September 2006

Housing New Zealand Corporation Garden Awards

Housing Minister Chris Carter is launching the search for the best Housing New Zealand garden in the country.

The Garden Awards attract entries from Housing New Zealand tenants throughout New Zealand. They recognise the pride and effort tenants put into developing or maintaining their gardens.

More than 3000 tenants entered the last awards, held in 2004, and even more entries are expected for this years competition.

"The Garden Awards are a great way of showing that we have many tenants who take pride in their properties and put a good deal of effort into their gardens," said Chris Carter.

"It also demonstrates that you don't have to spend a fortune on gardens to make them attractive.

The awards cater for gardens of all shapes and sizes, from patios to pot plants to vegetables. There is also a children's category and a new award for an environmentally friendly garden.

The awards are open to all Housing New Zealand tenants including community groups renting Housing New Zealand properties. Entries open on 1 October and close 8 December. Entry forms are available at all Housing New Zealand neighbourhood units.

The regional winners will go forward to the national finals, to be judged in January 2007. Photographs of all national finalists' gardens will be displayed at the Treehouse Visitor Centre, at the Wellington Botanic Gardens.

What are the Garden Awards?

The Housing New Zealand Garden Awards is a gardening competition that runs all around the country. The aim is to encourage Housing New Zealand tenants to improve and feel proud of their gardens.

The competition was run in 2003 and 2004 and on both occasions it has been a great success. Tenants really enjoyed the challenge, with 1600 - that's three percent - of all Housing New Zealand tenants entering in 2003, jumping to 3,440 (nearly five percent) in 2004.

Who can enter?

The competition is open to all Housing New Zealand tenants (including children and community group housing tenants). Entry is free.

When are the Awards running?

It opens on 1 October 2006 and entries close 5pm, 8 December 2006.

What are the categories?

General - fenced yard, cottage, coastal, floral, ornamental, native, rock, creative, standard, rose

Vege - vegetable or herb gardens for practical purposes

Small Space - unit, patio, balcony, pot plants and indoor gardens

Children's Garden - made by children under 16-years of age

Community Group Housing - general category for community group housing tenants only. Gardens can be any size or style. Entrants must live on the property of the garden they are submitting.

What's the aim?

The Awards are a way for Housing New Zealand to promote the positive effects gardening can have - such as health benefits, and the practical and financial benefits of growing vegetables at home.

It also helps keep Housing New Zealand gardens well maintained and tidy so they are more enjoyable to be in for tenants.

The Awards provide a real benefit for tenants, as well as providing Housing New Zealand with a way to improve some of the images associated with state housing.

Has this happened before?

Yes twice. The first Garden Awards ran over 2002/03 and the second ran over 2004/05.

What can people win?

Everyone who takes part receives a colour certificate in the mail. Winners and runners-up from each category, in each neighbourhood unit, receive Mitre 10 vouchers. National winners also receive Mitre 10 vouchers. Children can win Warehouse vouchers.

Neighbourhood unit category winner: Mitre 10 vouchers worth $120

Neighbourhood unit category runner-up: Mitre 10 vouchers worth $50

National winners of each category (except children): Mitre 10 vouchers worth $500

National runners-up in each category (except children): Mitre 10 vouchers worth $200

Neighbourhood unit Children's category winner: Warehouse vouchers worth $50

Neighbourhood unit Children's category runner-up: Warehouse vouchers worth: $30

National children's' category winner: Warehouse vouchers worth: $200

National children's runner-up: Warehouse vouchers worth: $100

Winners and runners-up also receive special colour certificates with their names on them.

How is the competition judged?

Each entry will be accompanied by three photos of the entrant's garden and the judging panel will use these to decide. They are looking for gardens that are well presented and fit the criteria for that category (see above). Local winners and runners-up will be chosen in mid December. Winning entries from each neighbourhood unit will go into the national judging, which will happen in January 2007. National winners will be notified following the judging, and winners will be announced by the Minister of Housing or the Housing New Zealand Chief Executive in late January.

Who are the judges?

Judges for neighbourhood units are the regional manager and a local journalist or editor with an interest in gardening.

National entries are judged by a panel including the Housing New Zealand Chief Executive and a member of the Housing New Zealand Board.

When will the winners be announced?

Neighbourhood unit place-getters will be notified in December.

National winners and runners-up will be notified in January 2007.

All place-getters will be mentioned in Close to Home early in 2007 and winning entries from neighbourhood unit place-getters' photos will be displayed in the neighbourhood units after Christmas.

Who is responsible for maintaining state house gardens?

Housing New Zealand tenants are responsible for looking after their gardens. Housing New Zealand maintains the gardens of vacant properties, and shared spaces such as around flats.

The competition is open to all Housing New Zealand tenants (including children and community group housing tenants). Entry is free.

When are the Awards running?

It opens on 1 October 2006 and entries close 5pm, 8 December 2006.

What are the categories?

General - fenced yard, cottage, coastal, floral, ornamental, native, rock, creative, standard, rose

Vege - vegetable or herb gardens for practical purposes

Small Space - unit, patio, balcony, pot plants and indoor gardens

Children's Garden - made by children under 16-years of age

Community Group Housing - general category for community group housing tenants only. Gardens can be any size or style. Entrants must live on the property of the garden they are submitting.

What's the aim?

The Awards are a way for Housing New Zealand to promote the positive effects gardening can have - such as health benefits, and the practical and financial benefits of growing vegetables at home.

It also helps keep Housing New Zealand gardens well maintained and tidy so they are more enjoyable to be in for tenants.

The Awards provide a real benefit for tenants, as well as providing Housing New Zealand with a way to improve some of the images associated with state housing.

Has this happened before?

Yes twice. The first Garden Awards ran over 2002/03 and the second ran over 2004/05.

What can people win?

Everyone who takes part receives a colour certificate in the mail. Winners and runners-up from each category, in each neighbourhood unit, receive Mitre 10 vouchers. National winners also receive Mitre 10 vouchers. Children can win Warehouse vouchers.

Neighbourhood unit category winner: Mitre 10 vouchers worth $120

Neighbourhood unit category runner-up: Mitre 10 vouchers worth $50

National winners of each category (except children): Mitre 10 vouchers worth $500

National runners-up in each category (except children): Mitre 10 vouchers worth $200

Neighbourhood unit Children's category winner: Warehouse vouchers worth $50

Neighbourhood unit Children's category runner-up: Warehouse vouchers worth: $30

National children's' category winner: Warehouse vouchers worth: $200

National children's runner-up: Warehouse vouchers worth: $100

Winners and runners-up also receive special colour certificates with their names on them.

How is the competition judged?

Each entry will be accompanied by three photos of the entrant's garden and the judging panel will use these to decide. They are looking for gardens that are well presented and fit the criteria for that category (see above). Local winners and runners-up will be chosen in mid December. Winning entries from each neighbourhood unit will go into the national judging, which will happen in January 2007. National winners will be notified following the judging, and winners will be announced by the Minister of Housing or the Housing New Zealand Chief Executive in late January.

Who are the judges?

Judges for neighbourhood units are the regional manager and a local journalist or editor with an interest in gardening.

National entries are judged by a panel including the Housing New Zealand Chief Executive and a member of the Housing New Zealand Board.

When will the winners be announced?

Neighbourhood unit place-getters will be notified in December.

National winners and runners-up will be notified in January 2007.

All place-getters will be mentioned in Close to Home early in 2007 and winning entries from neighbourhood unit place-getters' photos will be displayed in the neighbourhood units after Christmas.

Who is responsible for maintaining state house gardens?

Housing New Zealand tenants are responsible for looking after their gardens. Housing New Zealand maintains the gardens of vacant properties, and shared spaces such as around flats.

ENDS

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