Touch of Bay colour to sprout at flower show | Bay of Plenty News | Local News in Bay of Plenty

The Ellerslie International Flower Show - the nation's largest garden show - opens in Christchurch this week and the Bay will be well represented.

The first show garden that visitors to the Hagley Park site will encounter is "Incredible Edibles", stocked with plants from Fiona and Andrew Boylan, of Tharfield Nurseries at Katikati, and designed by Sandi MacRae, of Christchurch.

Late last year they sent plants to acclimatise to local conditions, including a 10-year-old potted fig tree that was displayed at the last five Ellerslie Flower Shows in Auckland. The garden will feature "functional" plants, including strawberries, figs and Chilean guavas, rhubarb, blueberries and grapes.

The Boylans  won gold and the supreme award for design excellence at Ellerslie in 2006.

Landscape designer Trish Waugh, of Athenree, is already working on site, preparing her North Island team for a "build-off" against a team from the South Island - the teams have mirror image plots with a water feature, "Cook Strait", running between them.

Comprising members of Landscaping New Zealand, the teams will work in front of the crowds to create gardens that capture the essence of each island in plants and materials.

Read more in today's Bay of Plenty Times