Search Is On For Gardener Of The Year

Press Release                                                                                                                        25 May 2010

$20,000 in prizes up for grabs in hunt for nation’s horticultural super hero

The hunt is on for New Zealand’s keenest pair of green thumbs as NZ Gardener magazine, in association with Mitre 10, calls for nominations to find 15 regional winners to compete for the national title of 2010 NZ Gardener of the Year.

Each regional winner takes home a prize package of gardening products worth more than $1000, with the supreme winner scooping $5000 worth of Mitre 10 gift cards, along with a luxury trip for two to the 2011 Ellerslie International Flower Show.

“Now in its fourth year, this competition aims to recognise and reward the country’s unsung horticultural heroes,” says NZ Gardener editor Jo McCarroll.

“We’re not looking for gardeners with the most immaculately landscaped garden, perfect box hedges or those who can grow the best vegetables,” says Jo. “We’re looking for enthusiastic grass-roots gardeners who make a contribution to the community by inspiring others to get growing.”

Regional winners will be selected from Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui, Taranaki, Wellington, Nelson, Marlborough, West Coast, Canterbury, Otago and Southland.

Each regional winner takes home over $1000 worth of prizes, including: $100 of Yates Nature’s Way products, $100 of Growing Spectrum plants, $100 of McGregor’s garden products, Atlas Home stainless steel spade, fork and nyglas secateurs, $100 of Incredible Edibles fruiting plants, a box of fabulous Flower Carpet roses, $100 of Tui garden products, $100 of Gardena watering products, $100 of Kings Seeds vouchers, a Bosch cordless power tool, a double pass to the 2011 Ellerslie Flower Show, $100 Mitre 10 gift card, and a 12-month subscription to NZ Gardener magazine.

The 2009 NZ Gardener of the Year was Christchurch single mum Susan Dent, who put in a vege patch to make ends meet and now teaches schoolchildren how to grow their own food.

The 2009 runner-up was eight-year-old Joshua Marshall of Marlborough, who donates his home-grown veges to elderly neighbours.

A year down the track, Susan is guest speaking at expos and conferences around the country, giving both gardening and budgeting advice. Young Joshua has been kept busy too, planting a herb garden at the local hospice and inspiring other school children to get their hands dirty.

Nominations close on 31 July 2010.  For full competition details, see the June issue of NZ Gardener or visit www.nzgardener.co.nz.

How to enter the 2010 NZ Gardener of the Year competition

Send a letter to NZ Gardener to nominate the most passionate gardener in your region. Detail why they’d make a worthy winner and don’t forget to include your name and phone number, plus contact details for the person you’ve nominated. Entries close on 31 July 2010.

Nominations can be sent to NZ Gardener 2010 Gardener of the Year, PO Box 6341, Wellesley St, Auckland 1141, or email: contests@nzgardener.co.nz.

The regional winners will be announced in the magazine’s October issue.

ENDS

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