Top Award For NorthTec Design Student

NorthTec student is inaugural Ellerslie International Flower Show Student Designer of the Year

NorthTec student Katie Hilford has been named Ellerslie International Flower Show Student Designer of the Year presented by Yates.

Katie won the inaugural title and a prize of $5000 for her design of a small courtyard garden for a townhouse using sustainable home and garden practices. Her design maximised the small space with a focus on culinary sustainability and re-use of the natural environment.

Two gold medals were awarded in the competition, one to Katie and the second to Pete Hodge from Christchurch’s CPIT.

“Both gardens displayed a high level of innovative and creativity, with extremely good three-dimensional thinking, great use of materials and the creation of a fun children’s environments,” said Lead Judge Penny Cliffin.
She said Katie was named Student Designer of the Year presented by Yates because of her risk taking and level of innovation. “Katie pushed the boundaries; we have not seen a garden like it – multi-level and interactive with great use of new technology.”

The Convenor of Judges Robert Hillier said the two Gold award-winning gardens were outstanding. “The use of space was brilliant; the overall design of Katie’s The Labyrinth was super.”

Katie’s garden emphasises the ability to create functional and intimate spaces which are closely linked but also separated to allow areas for entertaining, fruit and vegetable growing, relaxing and most importantly an area for children’s play. An adobe pizza oven, fruit and vegetable garden and worm farm/compost are all part of the multi-level design.

Katie said that she is thrilled to have been named Student Designer of the Year at the prestigious show and that all the hard worked involved has been worth it. “Lots of people helped me and I’d like to thank them and my sponsors – in particular Northland Plants, GreenGables, Hirepool, Woodfire Pizza Ovens, and the Interislander.” NorthTec tutor Angela Marinkovic also provided support.
Reaction from visitors to the show has been very positive. “Everyone loves it. People have said ‘my kids would love to play in there’ or ‘I’d love to have that in my back garden’ - which is great.”

With her studies at NorthTec now completed Katie is looking for opportunities to apply her skills. Whatever she does it will in the Whangarei area. “I’ll definitely be staying there. That’s home.”

NorthTec is the Tai Tokerau (Northland) region's largest provider of tertiary education, with campuses and learning centres in Whangarei, Kerikeri, Rāwene, Dargaville, Kaikohe and Kaitaia. NorthTec also has over 60 community-based delivery points from Coatesville in rural Rodney to Ngataki in the Far North.

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