Tauranga's annual clivia show has a new location this Sunday – at Te Puna Quarry Park –offering admirers a four-hour window into the world of growing them.

'I've had it [the show] at my place for several years,” says Te Puna grower Ian Duncalf. 'But I've always felt my benches were a bit high.

Ian Duncalf with Clivia Barbara, named after his wife.

'You really need to look down on the flowers to appreciate them fully.”

Duncan and Judy Shapland of Apata will be among fellow growers with flowers on show this Sunday, October 2, with the event offering displays, plants for sale and growing advice from noon-4pm at Te Puna Quarry Park.

The pair recently supplied 300 in-flower clivias in a variety of colours the world-renowned Gardens by the Bay in Singapore display after being approached by a show agent.

Back at home Duncan recently named a clivia for golfing star Lydia Ko – someone he particularly admires – and is considering naming one for Lisa Carrington. 'I only name a plant when I'm reasonably pleased with it,” says Ian. 'And it may take a couple of seasons for me to decide if it's got the right attributes.”

He reckons naming a clivia, which he always gives a woman's name, for his wife was a particularly dangerous thing to do. 'Fortunately, the flower of Clivia Barbara is as beautiful as the woman.”

Dry shade is the best position for clivia, which are native to South Africa. 'They'll take full sun,” says Ian. 'But the more sun they get, the more washed out the flowers are.

'One thing they won't tolerate, however, is wet feet.”

Potted plants should have slow-release fertiliser or sheep pellets after flowering. 'If you're going to repot, do it after flowering,” says Ian. 'But you can leave them for four or five years and they'll be quite happy.

'I've had some in the garden for 20 years and never done a thing to them. They're a very easy, low-maintenance plant and there's not much that fits in that category.”