Adelaide prepares to burst into flower

Regarded as the rose capital of Australia, Adelaide is preparing to bloom for the region's second rose festival to be held from October 31 – November 3, 2002.

Centred in the city's beautiful Botanic Park, this biennial event celebrates not only the rose, but gardening itself. The rose festival extends throughout Adelaide and South Australia and combines living displays and landscaped gardens with the best of the region's food and wine.

Australian major events general manager, Belinda Dewhirst, says "The Adelaide event is the largest rose festival in Australia but we are also aiming for it to be the premier event of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.

"The event's Good life - Great gardens theme reinforces the fact it is an all-encompassing garden show. South Australia is responsible for 50 per cent of Australia's rose production with rose plantings presently covering 250 hectares rightly confirming our position as the leading rose state."

Nursery displays from leading commercial nurseries will feature a wide range of plants on display and for sale, while the International Rose Pavilion will house landscaped rose gardens, with themes ranging from traditional to folly and theatrical.

Free talks by international gardening specialists and media will take place each day in the Australian Floral Pavilion, featuring a range of topics from roses to ferns and garden design.

The inaugural festival, held in October 2000, drew 43,700 visitors with the regional garden tour programme selling out.

New Zealanders wanting to experience this gardening spectacle can join Peter Bramber, President of the National Rose Society of New Zealand, on a special four-day tour.

The tour package includes return airfares, five nights accommodation at the Novotel Adelaide on Hindley, airport transfers, festival entry ticket, two days entry to the VIP Marquee, entrance to the International Rose Garden, a seminar with a respected gardening expert, lunch with the festival's creative director Adrian Greenoak, a tour to the picturesque Fleurieu Peninsula and surrounding wineries and a half-day tour of Metropolitan Adelaide Gardens.

Tour packages are priced from $2555 twin share.

Bookings: Stars Show Tours

Tel: 0508 113355

Email: reservations@starstours.co.nz