Magic in Manukau by night

By ALEXIS GRANT

The biggest event on the garden calendar comes to Auckland next week.

The 10th anniversary Ellerslie Flower Show opens on Tuesday at the Auckland Regional Botanical Gardens in Manukau City with new night lighting, jazz concerts, events for children, food - and flowers.

"It's a lot of magic this year," said Cath Handley, director of the event.

The show features New Zealand's gold medal-winning garden from the 2004 Chelsea Flower Show in London, called "100% Pure NZ Ora Garden of Well-Being", which was toured privately by Queen Elizabeth II. It was rebuilt in Manukau into a grove of native trees so it looks like a natural part of the landscape.

"It's extraordinary that it could be built in two shows in one year because the amount of work that goes into one is enormous," she said.

More than 70,000 people are expected to visit the gardens during the week. Public viewing begins on Wednesday at 10am and continues through to Sunday.

Tuesday's day-long opening gala is sold out, despite the ticket price of $150.

This year marks the first time the show will be illuminated, a new trend in contemporary gardening that will give the gardens a whole new look at night.

The event will be open until 10pm on Friday and Saturday, and night-show only tickets are available.

Other attractions include a 1200sq m Celebration Garden, the largest ever at the show, with a 6m high, 12m long Romanesque triumphal arch made by the designers from The Lord of the Rings.

Visitors can hear jazz musician Visitors can hear jazz musician Nathan Haines play at 7:30pm on Friday and Saturday, and 3pm on Sunday.

For those who want to improve their gardening skills, experts will demonstrate how to cultivate without chemicals, create floral arrangements - and start a worm farm. For children, there will be two adventure gardens, face painting and a theatre.

"People should come to acknowledge what great creative talent there is in New Zealand," Cath Handley said.

Tickets cost $35 for adults, $31 for senior citizens and $5 for children aged 5 to 14. Children under 5 free. Night-show only tickets $31. Tickets at the gate or book with Ticketek.

Ellerslie Flower Show