Garden Ramble offers more to explore

 

Now in its 12th year, the popular Palmers Planet Mangawhai Garden Ramble continues to attract loyal participants from the local area and further afield.

This year the Garden Ramble offers ticket holders a record 21 gardens to explore, including three debut properties.

The 21 properties on show this year offer a great variety – something for everyone. Gardens vary in size, style and age, from the grand to the wild, the small to the vast, the native, the exotic, the traditional and the modern. Many feature special attractions including ponds, art, animals and historic buildings. Several gardens also host stalls where ramblers are able purchase local produce, plants, arts and crafts, and refreshments.

For the first time this year the Garden Ramble will also offer something special to those staying in Mangawhai after dark; a special night viewing will be hosted to exhibit a lighting display.

The Palmers Planet Mangawhai Garden Ramble continues to be a major fundraiser for children in the local community. Money raised from the event is shared between Mangawhai Kindergarten and Mangawhai Plunket group.

“Without fundraising we would not be able to provide the children with high quality educational resources,” says Mangawhai kindergarten head teacher Michelle Fogarty. “We are always so touched by the generosity of the Mangawhai community and how they open up their gardens for this event.”

Community Support Coordinator team leader, Shar Lovina, says fundraising is one of the key elements that enables The Mangawhai Plunket Group to continue supporting the local community.

“Your support means play groups and parenting education initiatives will continue to flourish and grow.”

n DETAILS: Palmers Planet Mangawhai Garden Ramble, November 15-15. Tickets $20, under 12 free. Tickets from Fresh, Mangawhai; Mangawhai Books & Gifts; Jaques Superstore, Kaiwaka; Woody’s Winners, Wellsford; Hammer Hardware, Waipu; Warkworth Information Centre; Palmers Planet, Albany. Contact (09) 431 4333 for more info or check out palmersplanet.co.nz.

<<ends>>

<<side bar>>

Garden Ramble new entrants

<<pic caption>>

The views are expansive (pictured) as is the Jude Road number-21 country garden of new entrants Julia and Joe Donegan, who have worked steadily together planting, forming and reforming a delightful part of their bush clad 17 acres – everything from the chook pen to orchards, colour-coordinated flower beds and shrubberies both seasonal and tropical.

The house, built by renowned German Reinhard Kanuka-Fuchs of environmental architecture fame nestles into the natural geography of the section. On the western side of the Marunui Kiwi reserve, the Donegan’s have developed an interesting and entertaining but tranquil lifestyle space.

Not dissimilar in some ways, Allin and Francis Russells property in Findlay St at the Heads is spik and span yet only two years old, though again showing plenty of maturity and imagination in their use of rocks, pebbles, tropical fauna and flora, plus a smattering of garden art for good measure.

What is intended for their retirement home is multi-level and so the garden changes with the contour and differing aspects that the section affords. And while the Russells only spend weekends there at the moment this is certainly a pleasant place to escape to after weeks in the city.