Revived flower show a blooming success

JULIA WADE

From homegrown roses and large carrots, to artistic floral flair and wild bloom bouquets, the recent local flower show brought a kaleidoscope of colour, variety and perfume to Mangawhai recently, as a prized classic event from yesteryear was resown.

A steady flow of visitors from young to senior took their chance during windy wet weather and headed to the Mangawhai Flower Show on November 22 at the Village Library Hall for the first exhibit in four years, delighting in the vast array of blooms, creations and green-fingered local talent, all nurtured in neighbouring gardens.

Last hosted by the late Mangawhai Women’s Institute for an incredible 66 years, friends Laureen Medcalfe and Sandra Brunt, supported by a team of keen like-minded locals, decided to revive the popular show.

Mangawhai businesses jumped on board as sponsors, with the recently-opened Bunnings Mangawhai providing gift cards for first place winners and Faraway Garden owners, Rob Hellriegel and Kate Tattersfield, who also designed the event flyers, donating garden feature items for the three judge’s choice awards, as well as the Mangawhai Memo. New Plymouth’s Egmont Seed Company also gifted seed packets to second and third placed winners. Laureen and Sandra say they were quite blown away with the number of entries.

“They came from young, old, one category entered, ten categories entered, experienced, novices, we had them all,” Laureen says. “We know it was quite a challenge for entrants to pick the flowers due to the weather so it was a great effort. We want to thank everyone who supported Sandra and I, our awesome judges Olga Yuritich, Gael McConachy, Annette Sicely, Whiskey the produce manager from New World, and Viv Massey who also decorated the hall, Kate and Rob and their team from Faraway Garden, our amazing sponsors, and of course our incredible team of merry helpers – we couldn’t have pulled this off without you all. Also, a huge thanks to our amazing community for their support. Bringing the flower show back to Mangawhai has been a lot of fun. Watch this space for 2023!”

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Despite wild wet weather, a steady stream of visitors ventured to the quintessential homegrown flower show which was showcased via three categories – vegetables, cut flowers and decorative – including blooms in saucers and vases, flower arrangements, succulent gardens, wreaths and the biggest carrot/cabbage.

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Mangawhai Flower Show was brought to the community by the flower-power team [front left] Joy Lathrope, Vivienne Massey, Laureen Medcalfe, Sandra Brunt and Kate Tattersfield, [back] Holly Brunt and Joy Yuertich. “Such a pleasure working with these guys, they are so much fun,” Kate says.

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Each class also had a judges choice with prizes donated by local outdoor ornament business Faraway Garden, with Roxy Burnett winning the bench seat for her display of wild cut flowers.

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Patricia Harvey’s ‘Vegetables’ creation won her a planter box, while Hannah Gardner [absent] won the bird bath in the ‘Decorative’ category.

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