Fungi and lichen garden wins flower show's supreme award

The supreme award-winning Life and Death garden. Photo / Ben Campbell Photography

The Christchurch Botanic Gardens' Life and Death garden exhibit has won the supreme award at this year's Ellerslie International Flower Show.

The garden, a display of the plant kingdom in light, sound, movement and texture, uses plant materials associated with natural decay to demonstrate nature's ability to reuse and recycle.

The flower show's judges said Life and Death took the viewer "into the underworld of root system, fungi and decomposing organisms using a captivating display of lighting and sound effects".

Convenor of Judges Robert Hillier described the garden as "simply outstanding".

"They have kept the garden very focused and not over complicated it – the public will be blown away by it," he said.

Life and Death also won a gold award and a gold lighting award.

Three exhibition gardens also won gold awards: The Last Laugh by Andy Ellis and Danny Kamo, An Englishman's Retreat by Chris Beardshaw and Sei Sei Tei II by Koji Ninomiya.

North Tec student Katie Hilford won the student designer of the year award for her small coutyard garden and Akaroa won the national flower bed competition for its floral tribute to the Akaroa Lighthouse.

The People's Choice award, in which the public can vote for their favourite garden, has yet to be decided. Entries can be submitted until 12pm tomorrow and the winner will be announced on Saturday.

The Ellerslie International Flower Show is being held at Hagley Park in Christchurch and runs until Sunday. For more information see ellerslieflowershow.co.nz.

- NZ HERALD STAFF