All smiles at flower show

The Auckland Flower Show wrapped up at Alexandra Park on Sunday, and organisers say they will be back again at the same time next year.

Buoyed by positive feedback from visitors, exhibitors and retailers, Flower Show director Paul McLuckie says planning is underway for the 2009 event. “Everyone tells us it’s been a great show. With the indoor floral halls, the gardens along the race track, and retail in the Stables area, the concept has worked very well at Alexandra Park,” he says.

Among those praising the event were media celebrity Paul Holmes, who had a retail stand in the Stables area promoting his own brand of olive oil. “It was a wonderful beginning,” he says. “I used to find the Ellerslie show at Manurewa was frantic and chaotic. Here at Alexandra Park, people could wander around in a leisurely fashion, and when they came by to taste my olive oil, they were raving about the gardens.”

Plant breeder Dr Keith Hammett was also pleased with product sales on his retail stand, and management of the event. The highlight for him was the ability to showcase his work in plant breeding in an artistic way. New varieties of Dr Hammett’s sweet peas bred for release at the show were presented in the floral design hall, with theatrical lighting, artistic back drops, and the accompaniment of live music by a string quartet.

“I’m thrilled to pieces with the show. It’s a huge leap forward,” he says.

“And I’m delighted to have been able to do something I have long wanted to do, which is to make the point that plant breeding is not just about a product, it is an art form.”

International gardening expert Jim Fogarty, a judge at the show, says gardens are a key reason why crowds come to a flower show. “They are the entertainment, and make a huge difference to the quality of the show.”

The Melbourne-based designer was impressed with the quality of the gardens presented at Alexandra Park, and particularly enjoyed the New Zealand feel of exhibits such as People’s Choice Award winner, ‘Waiora – Life Giving Water’. “There is a definite style to New Zealand gardens, and yet every garden at the show was in itself unique in the ways it used plants and design.”

He believes the Melbourne Flower Show can learn from Auckland when it comes to gardens. “It was a great idea to include small gardens in categories like planted borders, courtyards, and Kiwi back gardens.”

Alexandra Park chief executive Graham Running says he was surprised at the transformation achieved at the trotting track. “They turned a wonderful trotting club into an amazing venue for a flower show. We knew it was going to work. It’s an easy-access location and well set up for events. But it was better than anything we could have imagined.”

While exhibition gardens and floral displays were dismantled over the course of this week, the organisers began their build-up for 2009. “We’re committed to ensuring that Auckland maintains an iconic event that people love,” Mr McLuckie says.