Ellerslie Flower Show to see Queen's choice

By ELIZABETH BINNING

This year's Ellerslie Flower Show will not only be bigger and better - it will also be open for longer and feature an award-winning garden that has been admired by the Queen.

As part of the 10th anniversary celebrations the country's largest gardening show will open for the first time at night under fairy and garden lights.

The extra hours will give the 70,000 expected visitors more time to make their way through thousands of exhibits and stalls, including the 100 per cent Pure New Zealand Ora - Garden of Well-Being, which won gold at the Chelsea Flower Show in London.

The native bush garden, which has carvings and a misty hot pool, is based around a Maori legend about the mythical guardians of the land and the Pink and White Terraces. Lyonel Grant, who helped to create the garden, said it was a privilege to be able to recreate it for New Zealanders.

"It was so well received in the UK that before it was even judged we were thinking, should we bring it back?"

Mr Grant said recreating the garden would not be easy. Some of the display was retained, but most of the plants will have to be regrown.

He wants the replica to be even better than the winning design, which was the first garden the Queen chose to visit on her tour of the Chelsea show.

Ellerslie Flower Show event director Cath Handley said it was fitting that the first New Zealand garden to be accepted at Chelsea was now going to be at Ellerslie's 10th anniversary as the Ellerslie show was based on the Chelsea event.

Other features this year include a fashion marquee where floral designers will make creations inspired by garments from well-known fashion designers, jazz from the Nathan Haines Quintet, and an exhibition by 60 leading New Zealand artists.

The show is being held at the Auckland Regional Botanic Gardens in Manukau City from November 23 to 28. Earlybird tickets cost $28 for adults, $5 children.