Garden ramble to boost good cause
Chance for visitors to enjoy mix of plants and artworks
Tū rangi Garden Club’s Garden Ramble is returning for another year with 16 open gardens promising something for everyone. The gardens belong mostly to club members but some of the public are also throwing open their gates to welcome viewings.
The mix of venues will be scattered around the southern end of Lake Taupō from Waitetoko to Kuratau, Tū rangi Garden Club president Christine Potter said.
“From emerging to wellestablished, native plants and a huge variety — large, small, rural, town and sections.”
The varied nature and locations of the gardens meant the trail made for a great day out, she said.
Many of the gardens will also feature native plant sales, or exhibitions by artists with work available for purchase.
All of the artists involved are local, and work in media from printmaking to flax weaving to watercolours.
Another twist, said Potter, was that participants would only learn the locations of the gardens when they collect a programme from Bayleys Tū rangi, Floating Rock Cafe Kuratau or Hungry Trout Cafe in Te Rangiita.
“You won’t know where the gardens are until you pick up the programme with a map.”
The ramble is a longstanding feature of the club’s calendar.
The club has been running for about 35 years and has about 80 members, including one original founding member.
They meet once a month in Tūrangi, with a competition, sales table and speaker at each meeting. They also take garden field trips. The ramble raises funds for a worthy cause and the charity of choice this year is Project Tongariro, with money going to its Oruatua restoration project.
The Oruatua Recreational Reserve Restoration Project began in 2014 and is a large-scale replanting effort to return the area to native bush.
Increasing the coverage of native plants provides a habitat for other native species, including birds.
To date, volunteers have planted and maintained more than 30,000 trees in the area.
This single Project Tongariro scheme requires about $25,000 a year to be maintained sustainably, as the area needs constant maintenance to remove weeds.
The garden ramble has had Bayleys Tū rangi as a long-term sponsor and is also supported by Ryman Healthcare this year.