Clive Armstrong and Angela McKenzie's garden and studios are part of the 2024 Bay of Plenty Garden and Art Festival.
Clive Armstrong and Angela McKenzie's garden and studios are part of the 2024 Bay of Plenty Garden and Art Festival.
Clive Armstrong and Angela McKenzie have a better reason than many to know exactly when the Bay of PlentyGarden and Art Festival starts.
The couple’s country garden will be included, as will their separate art studios on their property at Ōtamarākau, so it’s all go in preparation for the November 14-17 event.
Those enjoying the biennial festival’s garden and art trail will get to travel down their winding garden path to enjoy specimen trees, ferns and other shade-loving treasures, perennials, cottage gardens brimming with tumbling roses, and vegetable plots.
Among it all is what Clive and Angela describe as a “den of antiquities” jammed with interesting collectibles.
As for the studios, Angela is an abstract artist whose mediums are many. Resin works, 3D sculptures of paper and wire, and contemporary batik creations are all within her artistic repertoire.
Clive, meanwhile, is known for creating distinctive sculptures crafted from recycled and panel steel. His creations are most often quirky with their humorous elements exploring many themes.
Clive Armstrong is known for creating distinctive sculptures crafted from recycled and panel steel.
Their Grey Warbler Gallery and Garden on Ohinepanea Road will also feature live music and a classic car display during the festival.
The two are seasoned Bay of Plenty Garden and Art festival participants.
Angela’s work featured in one of the first festivals and she’s missed very few since then. Clive’s involvement spans about 15 years.
Initially, they were artists featured in others’ gardens. At the last festival they were an art stop. This time they’ve taken a step further to be both a garden and an art destination.
BoP Garden and Art Festival director Marc Anderson says the hugely popular biennial festival, with Bayleys as the festival’s principal sponsor, promises to be a pleaser.
There will be more than 60 gardens in a trail of 79 garden and art stops, and about 80 artists taking part in the festival. Artists will be displaying their works throughout various gardens and galleries. What is guaranteed is a lot of the “wow” factor for art and garden lovers alike, Marc says.
He says a mix of planting themes will be showcased, with gardens ranging from rural and rambling to urban and compact, producing both edibles and non-edibles. Old favourites will return, as well as a healthy number of gardens new to the festival.
There’s set to be something to please everyone, from gardens incorporating a maple walk, hornbeam hedging, kōwhai grove and redwood forest to a flower and food farm, a subtropical hideaway, community garden, seaside plot, chef’s garden, and many where blooms are the focus.
Putting their best face forward at festival time will be herbaceous borders, wildflowers, perennials, rose gardens, native and exotic planting and veggie plots.
Some have embraced geographical/period themes too, such as the Japanese and Italian Renaissance gardens.
Angela McKenzie is an abstract artist whose mediums are many.
There are gardens with specific details to look out for, such as one with a waterfall, another with a winery, and one with a century-old oak tree.
Marc assures that some are as enchanting as they sound, with examples including a garden named Tūī Hideaway, one called the Owlery, and one that delivers on its Pīwakawaka Paradise name, thanks to its freshwater wetland.
History buffs will be pleased to know the garden of one of New Zealand’s oldest historic sites, the Elms, will be open for the festival.
There will be many learning opportunities incorporated into the festival, with a primary school garden with a focus on compost, worm farms and butterflies as well as edibles being one example.
There’s also the opportunity to partake in a guided nature walk with Ruud Kleinpaste. And Geoff Brunsden, who is passionate about bumblebees, will also share his knowledge.
Festival-goers can learn about topics of ever-increasing interest like waste minimisation and backyard pests, predators and the traps recommended by those aspiring to achieve a predator-free environment.
Some of the above lessons will be part of Bloom in the Bay, which will be based at the festival hub on the Strand. Bloom in the Bay will incorporate displays by floral artists, landscape gardeners, exhibitors, live music, food and beverages, a festival gallery and a wellbeing zone.
New participants will include a tattooist, a sauna operator, musicians, and tai chi, yoga and reiki practitioners.
