Garden festival very popular

First on the list . .. The Maskells Road garden of Juliet and David Hunter in Amberley, drew in bus loads of visitors over the four days of the festival, all wanting to visit the couple’s 25 year old garden. PHOTO: JOHN COSGROVE

Unique garden . . . The Blue House garden of Jenny Cooper and Chris Raateland in Amberley, attracted a large following as the couple demonstrated their unique system of no-dig, bare rooting, limited feeding and encouragement of Mycorrhizal fungi, which...

Great weekend . .. Amberley sculptor Sharon Earl, had many visitors arrive to talk to to her about the techniques used in her newly developed no dig /organic garden at the historic ‘Goodtime Cottage’ in Amberley. PHOTO: JOHN COSGROVE

Discussing the gardening . .. Reg Williams of Christchurch, chats with owner David Hunter (left) at the Hunter’s expansive Maskells Road garden. PHOTO: JOHN COSGROVE

Interesting chat . . . Pat Austin of Fendalton, left, chats with owner Juliet Hunter at the Hunter’s Maskells Rd garden, one of the 25 gardens on show at the fifth annual festival. PHOTO: JOHN COSGROVE

Fabulous gardens . . . Cars and bus loads of visitors from Auckland to Invercargill marvel at the picturesque gardens on show at the Blue House display at Amberley as part of the fifth annual Hurunui Garden Festival.. PHOTO: JOHN COSGROVE

Comparing experiences . . . At the Willows Garden alongside Motunau Beach Road, visitors Jess Caddy (left) and Jan MacKay chat with owner Suz Mowat next to Euphorbia Characias plants grown in the Mowat’s garden. The garden offers clean cut views to the...

Wind swept tree . . . A tree reminiscent of the nor’westers experienced in North Canterbury was one of many sculptures on display at the Iron Ridge Quarry. PHOTO: JOHN COSGROVE

Lush peace . . . The serene beauty of Tipapa historic homestead beside Motunau Beach Road rewarded visitors with lush lawns and creative artworks by the four artists on show. PHOTO: JOHN COSGROVE

Plenty on show . . . Visitors to the Blue House were treated to an expansive garden combining many different features which included multi-faceted beds, sweeps of tussock, a vineyard, a riverside walk and a productive veggie garden. PHOTO: JOHN COSGROVE

Art on show . . . Admiring the art on display in the gardens of the Karetu Downs homestead were friends Francis Button and Cecilia Whitaker. The garden created by Karen and Bruce Forrester, contains many art works by Mike Wells and they have been used...

The four-day Hurunui Garden Festival drew hundreds of visitors over the weekend to an array of gardens throughout North Canterbury.

Hailing from as far afield as Australia and all points between North Auckland and Invercargill, the bus loads of visitors and self-drives, were greeted with a cacophony of colour, delicate arrangements, unique flower beds and expansive lawns as they toured the 25 sites spread out between Amberley and Hanmer Springs with side trips to Cheviot, Greta Valley Hawarden and Waipara.

This was the fifth year the festival has been run.

Karilyn Rutland of Christchurch, said she admired the huge amount work a lot of people have put into their gardens while Judith Eastwick of Lincoln, found it all fabulous.

Aucklander’s Albert and Virginia Meads, were very impressed with the displays they visited.

Albert said he was also very envious of all the wonderful varieties North Canterbury gardeners can grow compared to what is doable in his own garden.

Amberley sculptor and gardener Sharon Earl exhibited for her second year and said she was surprised by how many people came to talk to her about her new no dig /organic garden and worm farm atAmberley.

‘‘I was surprised by just how many wanted to find out how I do it,’’ she said.

High in the Waipara Valley, Karetu Downs station owners Bruce and Karen Forrester say they had a great turn out this year to see their historic homestead garden.

‘‘Being a bit far up the valley we don’t often see a lot of visitors from the festival but this year the numbers were encouraging,’’ Bruce said, a view reflected by Motunau Beach Road exhibitors Suz and Richard Mowat.

‘‘We also had steady numbers through to our garden which we are happy for as it is helping to bring people into the Hurunui district,’’ Suz said.

Festival chair Meg Macfarlane says she was happy with the way the festival went.

‘‘We were very lucky with the weather and many I talked to were very positive about the festival and the gardens they had visited.

‘‘It was nice to have the Aucklanders back again and many said they felt the personal touch of being able to talk to the owners made this festival a special one,’’ she said.