Landscaping New Zealand members put through their paces

Visitors to next month’s Ellerslie International Flower Show will be able to watch some of Landscaping New Zealand’s Canterbury members being put through their paces creating the Free Spirit exhibition garden.

Two years ago, Landscaping New Zealand, a professional organisation of landscape contractors and designers, staged The Great North and South Landscape Build-off at Ellerslie to highlight the quality workmanship of its members with an emphasis on using local materials for local projects.

This year a team of professionals will create a garden that includes both hard (construction) and soft (planting) components providing a close up view of what it takes to install a design.

Events and Promotions Manager Nicky Samuel from Te Awamutu says the garden will provide visitors to the Show an opportunity to observe the team in action as the garden is installed.

“Our aim is to showcase the value of employing professionals in both design and installation of projects, with members located throughout New Zealand.

“Local Canterbury nurseries have been wonderful in supporting our requests for plants for our exhibit and we’ve been delighted to be able to support local businesses.

“During installation, visitors will see the range of skills our members offer, using a variety of landscaping materials. This will give the public an opportunity to see some of the wide range of options when considering landscaping on their properties.”

Free Spirit designer Lyndell Shannon of Auckland says this year’s exhibit garden will be constructed before and during the Show and will allow visitors to view the progress and ask questions about any element of work being undertaken on site by its members.

The garden’s name, Free Spirit, was taken from the Resene paint shade on the walls of the garden – a soft turquoise-blue shade. Design elements include a reflective pool traversed by a walkway, a beech forest, decking, a colourful tapestry of planting and a Llew Summers sculpture. In addition, a path constructed using a new product, StoneSet NZ’s resin-bound paving, will be installed during the Show.

This product combines locally sourced gravels or coloured recycled glass to create porous designer-look paving.

“Broadly speaking, it is not a strictly formal or hard garden but rather a garden with an easy, relaxing feel, with plants chosen to evoke a typical New Zealand landscape with its native beech forest, coastal grasses and perennials.”

Visitors to Ellerslie are invited to head along to the Landscaping New Zealand Exhibit to watch and question members who will be on site throughout the event to discuss all elements of the garden’s design and construction.

Ellerslie International Flower Show, North Hagley Park, 7 to 11 March 2012. For further information www.ellerslieflowershow.co.nz