Viva’s Picks For The NZ Flower & Garden Show

1.

Chelsea Flower Show award-winner Xanthe White will join colleagues from the Garden Design Society of New Zealand in a collaborative garden display, where each of the designers interprets a creative brief to design a unique pot that will be brought together to create a patterned formation.

2.

Upcycling, or turning something old into something better, isn’t new — our grandmothers were probably experienced upcyclers. Today, it’s having a resurgence, driven as much by concerns about how waste affects our planet as by a desire to be frugal. West Aucklander Buffie Mawhinney is the queen of upcycling — she won a gold medal in the category at the New Zealand Flower and Garden Show in 2017. This year she’s back again, entering two exhibits, one in upcycling and one in the community garden category. This year’s exhibit is inspired by a wellknown children’s book and will feature native bush, birds and insects.

3.

Landscape designer Dan Mackay of the Ministry of Ground has landscaped gardens in London, Sydney, and appeared on The Block NZ, but his greatest work might be in his own backyard. His large Auckland garden has to be one of the coolest gardens for kids in Auckland, with a skate ramp, swing set and trampoline. With five kids of his own, Dan understands what Kiwi families need, and strives to transform each backyard into a sanctuary. He’s creating a container pool that he will eventually take home to his kids, who are no doubt keen to test-drive it.

4.

Last year’s gold medal winner Franca Logan is back with a dramatic twist in the flower section. With the show introducing an indoor section in the Trusts Arena, Logan is creating a huge display (arguably the largest hanging flower installation New Zealand has seen), which will be suspended from the roof of the stadium. A flower-filled childhood in Holland inspired Franca’s love of blooms, and led to her opening popular Takapuna florist shop Florienne in 2015. • The New Zealand Flower & Garden Show will be held at the Trusts Arena, 6567 Central Drive, Henderson, from November 28-Dec 2, showcasing more than 100 exhibitors. Tickets are on sale now through ticketek.co.nz. We have 3 double one-day passes worth $60 each to give away.