Debut Ellerslie garden more than a pipe dream

A garden inspired by the Mackenzie Country’s hydro engineering landscape – weeds and all – will be created by debut Ellerslie International Flower Show exhibitor Paul Roper-Gee of Beca at next month's show.

The team at Beca have designed an exhibition garden they imagine Max Smith, the project engineer for the Upper Waitaki Hydroelectric Power Scheme, might have created in Twizel, using the construction and plant material found in the nearby landscape.

Max’s Pipe Dream – an Engineer’s Garden has a large three-metre diameter penstock nestled into one side of the 10m x 10m garden, set amongst native and exotic planting providing shelter and a space to relax and enjoy the garden.

“The middle section of the penstock opens out to the water feature running through the centre of the garden. The penstock provides a garden room, complete with sofa and table,” says Paul, a landscape architect at Beca who has designed the garden and is leading the project.

Water flows from the bank of brightly painted concrete pipes along the back wall, cascading into the canal water feature that dissects the garden. Paul says the water feature represents the network of canals that traverse the Mackenzie landscape carrying large volumes of water to the various power stations.

The garden will also reflect elements of Max Smith’s passion for rowing, his love of which saw him create the world-class rowing facility, Lake Ruataniwha, at the completion of the Upper Waitaki power scheme.

Around the key structural elements, the array of plants will reflect the diversity of the vegetation in the wider Mackenzie region, from the exotic evergreens, conifers and pines to the tussock grasslands and beech forest – “weeds and all”.

Paul says scattered among the planting will be lupins, wilding pines and willows which are considered weeds in the Mackenzie landscape.

Beca’s exhibition garden is true a showcase of the work done by the company. “Beca is primarily known for its engineering skills but the company also has a team of landscape architects, water specialists and a building services team.

“All divisions of the company will be involved in putting together the garden at Ellerslie.”
Local landscape and construction firm GSL will be building the garden supported by Hynds Pipe Systems which are providing the large precast concrete elements featured in the garden.

Paul says Max’s legacy on the Mackenzie landscape is an impressive engineering feat and it is great to be able to design a garden which honours the project and the man who managed it.

Max Smith, who inspired the garden, now lives at Waipara where he is involved in the wine industry. He was recently honoured in the New Year’s Honours list being made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to rowing.

Paul says Max has been consulted on the design of the garden and will be attending the opening of the show.

Ellerslie International Flower Show, North Hagley Park, 7 to 11 March 2012. Early Bird tickets are available for $29 at www.ellerslieflowershow.co.nz until February 13.