Club Profile: Innovation Garden Club’s winter challenge

Ladies from Bethlehem Shores win second prize in the Innovation Garden Club challenge.

Every few years the Innovation Garden Club has a winter challenge that participants can “carry along” with them.

The club holds a biennial challenge asking anyone interested — not only members — to kit out a carry-on-size suitcase or bag and create a decorative garden.

The easily transportable gardens are made up of living plants with various textures and can have recycled items and/or ornaments relative to the theme of the garden.

The challenge was open to all, not only club members, and culminated in a grand final this month. There were 13 entries from Bethlehem to Waihī Beach on display at Waihī Beach RSA.

This year the club combined a garden ramble with the competition, with several Waihī Beach gardens open for public viewing.

The group is seven years old. It has speakers at its meetings, which are held at Waihī Beach RSA on the third Tuesday of each month. The group also goes on regular field trips.

Competition winners for this year were Margaret Campbell (first), a group of three ladies from Bethlehem Shores combined to win second prize, and Keith Howarth took third with his entry relating to the various walks in New Zealand.