2024 Bay of Plenty Garden & Art Festival: Gardens on Wheels at Jubilee Park

Before and after photos of a disused barbecue turned into a garden on wheels.

The basic concept is the same, but one or two minor tweaks have been made to this month’s Gardens on Wheels event in Te Puke.

Part of the 2024 Bay of Plenty Garden & Art Festival garden trail, Gardens on Wheels on November 17 was originally to be held on Queen St between Oxford St and Boucher Ave.

Now its location has been changed to Jubilee Park.

Creative director Karen Summerhays says because it is a new, untried event, it would be better if it was held in an area where there would not be any disruption of traffic.

A happy side effect is that the expenditure that comes with road closures and traffic management will not be required.

The other change is there is now no fee for the large display category that is designed to attract entries of gardens from businesses.

Gardens on Wheels will be a public display of all sorts of gardens on all sorts of wheels - from toy trucks to the real thing.

Entries don’t have to be mobile, but must have wheels.

“The idea is that you can look around your backyard and find something or put something together, so it’s reasonably accessible for most people to have a go,” says Karen.

She says that while there has been a lot of interest, not all that interest has translated into confirmed entries.

“People love the idea, but may be just a bit nervous about what it actually is. But they don’t need to be, just throw something together, get the kids involved, pop down to In Bloom or Mitre 10 and pick up a few seedlings and it’s as easy as filling your wheelbarrow with some pot plants and putting some mulch over it.”

The garden can be temporary, and can incorporate seating, action scenes, garden art or water features.

Karen is on her fourth creation. She has posted on the Gardens on Wheels Facebook page showing what she has done and also posted pictures she hopes will inspire others.

Categories include small (toys, trikes, small trolleys), medium, (car boots, wheelbarrows, large trolleys), large (trailers, small trucks, backs of utes), and there are categories for community groups and professionals. There will also be a people’s choice award and a best in show prize.

The best in show creating will win a prize with a $500 value.