Christchurch, the hub of the Canterbury district in New Zealand’s South Island, celebrates the 20th anniversary of its Festival of Flowers during February and March 2009. The festival will culminate with New Zealand’s premier garden event, the Ellerslie International Flower Show from 11th – 15th March.
Cathedral Square Overflows with Vibrant Floral Displays during the Festival of Flowers
Garden installations and floral displays throughout the Christchurch downtown area make the city’s blend of historical and contemporary architecture even more stunning than usual. In Cathedral Square at the city’s heart, boxes and baskets overflowing with plantings of geraniums, blue salvia, lobelia, petunias, impatiens and many more varieties offer luminous explosions of colour. Cafes, bars, lamp posts, and even the city tram are similarly adorned, lending the whole city a vibrant air of festivity.
The Floral Carpet in Christchurch Cathedral is sure to be one of the Highlights
One of the highlights of the festival is sure to be the 20+ metre floral carpet in the Christchurch Cathedral from 11th – 16th March. The display will be open to the public from 8:30am to 7:00pm except during Cathedral services and activities. Precise times will be posted at the festival kiosk outside the Cathedral.
Christchurch Cathedral with its imposing spire is an iconic New Zealand building where people of all faiths or none may enter and worship, listen to choristers practicing, or simply sit quietly and soak up the atmosphere. During the Festival of Flowers jazz groups, harp solos and Celtic music will make a tuneful accompaniment for visitors viewing the floral displays all around the Cathedral. Entering the Cathedral during the festival is a highlight in itself as one traverses the Cathedral exterior archway with its scented tunnel of climbing, hanging and creeping floral displays.
Ducks also enjoy the Floral Islands Floating on the Avon River
As the photographs show, not only humans, but two-legged garden-lovers enjoy the floral islands floating on the surface of the Avon River. These miniature eco-systems have been designed and planted by the Combined Garden Clubs of Canterbury and Christchurch. To complement the floating gardens, a balloon garden will embellish the riverbank.
Activities Include a Rainbow Garden for Children and an Interactive Science Exhibition
Organised by the Christchurch Garden City Trust, the Festival of Flowers offers a fascinating range of events and activities that will appeal to people of many ages and interests. These include an opportunity to view a selection of copperplate engravings of plants collected by Joseph Banks on Captain James Cook’s 1769-1771 voyage to New Zealand (until 22 March); a rainbow garden for children in Cathedral Square; an interactive exhibition looking at the science of flowers and insects (until 4 May), and a sculptural walk through the Botanic Gardens (until 16 March). The Christchurch Botanic Gardens are open 365 days a year. Admission is free.
The 2009 Ellerslie International Flower Show in Hagley Park
The Christchurch Festival of Flowers ends in a flourish with the five-day Ellerslie International Flower Show – an extravaganza of floral and garden design. With its 407 acres of wide open spaces and mature woodlands in the centre of Christchurch, Hagley Park is an ideal venue for what has become an internationally prestigious event that attracts gardening enthusiasts from around the globe.
For more information about Christchurch, visit the Christchurch i-SITE Visitor Centre in the Old Chief Post Office in Cathedral Square, phone 64 3 379 9629 or email info@christchurcnz.comemail.
Lyn Rasmussen - Lyn is a New Zealander who lives in the centre of New Zealand's Volcanic Wonderland. She has been recognised for her writing across ...
