Visits aid charity

Visitors to some gardens in this year's Powerco Taranaki Garden Spectacular will be enjoying the hard work of garden owners and raising money for charity as well.

Four gardens in the festival, which runs from Friday (October 31) to November 9 will donate the proceeds of ticket sales for their gardens to a range of local and national charities.

Ann and Vince Naus (Ann & Vince's Garden, a riverside garden in New Plymouth) are donating to the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind, while Maree and Hamish Tong (Oughton Farm Garden in Okaiawa) will donate to the Child Cancer Foundation.

Proceeds from visitors to Jenny and John Pease's 2ha formal garden, Gravetye in Hawera will go to Hospice Taranaki and long-time festival stalwart, Maureen Ostler (Ostler's Garden in Stratford) will be donating to Stratford Lions Club.

Maureen has been donating the proceeds from her 1.6ha country garden to charity from the first year she opened her garden for the festival in 1989.

"I donate to the Stratford Lions Club because they do very good work in the community - they donate all the money they receive to other charities," says Maureen.

With each of these gardens having a gate entry of $4 per person, and hundreds of visitors expected at each over the 10-day festival, the proceeds can add up to a generous donation, says festival manager Lisa Ekdahl.

"Gardeners put in a huge amount of effort to ensure their gardens are in the premium condition that festival visitors expect," Lisa says. "To then donate the proceeds of their garden gate ticket sales to charities is truly generous. It's wonderful for visitors to know that by simply visiting and enjoying a garden, they are also helping out charities with much-needed funds."