Something for all at Botanic Garden Festival

In March, Manukau City Council is bringing an exciting line up of activities for people from the Auckland region, with the inaugural Botanic Garden Festival.

The three day event, which will be held at the Auckland Botanic Gardens in Manurewa, begins on 27 March and includes a wide range of fun activities for all age-groups. The programme will include the Manukau in Bloom (formerly Manukau Best Streets and Gardens) awards, schools programme, children’s events, and music and dance activities. There will also be plenty of competitions and workshops for adults and children to participate in.

Event organiser Barbara Cox says the event is tailored towards families having a day out enjoying the last of the summer days at the gorgeous Botanic Gardens.

“We’re encouraging families to come along and have fun with nature, discover gardening again, as well as meet some well-known gardening enthusiasts. Although there’s not the same line up as the Ellerslie Flower Show, we are encouraging the same people who attended the flower show to come along and this time bring their families to our garden festival.”

Other fun activities will include composting and worm farming demonstrations as well as gardening workshops. There will be bush craft demonstrations and bush walks, a mad hatters tea party, Alice in Wonderland characters interacting with the crowds and good old fashioned games for the kids. There will be a chance for kids to learn how to pot their own seedlings so they can take them home and watch grow.

“We’ve got something for everyone with this free event and an opportunity to have some fun with nature. The final day will see at least 4500 people required to break the balloon hat world record and a unique opportunity, for those attending the last day, to see the official naming of our very own dahlia flower.”

The event is supported by the Auckland Regional Council’s Auckland Botanic Gardens and Manukau Beautification Charitable Trust. For more information, visit: www.manukau.govt.nz