Ramble prizes up for grabs in Katikati

MaryAnne Calver and Rod Calver’s garden is part of the Katikati Rotary Garden Ramble. Photo: John Borren.

The Rotary Garden Ramble in Katikati is now only a week away, and organisers of the town-meets-country event are offering prizes to anyone still purchasing early bird tickets.

Due to the uncertainties created by Covid, the time to buy tickets for early bird prizes at the Rotary Garden Ramble has been extended until October 30.

'There are wonderful prizes to win by purchasing tickets early,” says Rotary Club of Katikati organizing committee member Rod Calver.

'There are two beautiful Corten steel garden sculptures donated by one of the gardeners, two huge ceramic pots with plants, heaps of garden products and even a Christmas cake donated by another of the gardeners.”

The garden ramble, titled Up the Garden Path, will take in 24 gardens in total, with six rural gardens to the north of Katikati and seven rural gardens to the south.

Rod says that in addition to early bird prizes for buying tickets prior to the event, there are going to be spot prizes over the weekend.

The most northern garden, owned by Moira Edmends and John Galloway, started from a bare maize paddock 30 years ago.

'No formal design was done before the garden was started, but rather it evolved as trees and plants Moira liked were purchased,” says Rod.

'Hedging was sited by throwing a frisbie for the then dog, and putting the hedge no further away than Moira could throw the frisbie for the dog.”

Rod says Moira was Waihī College's art teacher for many years and her artistic flair is evident with the shape, texture and foliage colours throughout their garden.

'The garden is complemented by an amazingly productive vegetable garden. As one drives up to the elevated garden a regal stand of Cypress Lusitanicas looks extremely impressive.”

Visitors are able to park adjacent to the garden in the orchard, which is also a wheelchair friendly property.

In stark contrast to Moira and John's large rural garden is the Noble Johnson Drive garden of Everdien de Graaf, which looks down the Uretara River.

'This garden is an eclectic mix of unusual and easy to maintain plants on a very steep slope above the road,” says Rod. 'The garden gets full sun all day and features many drought resistant plants.”

Rod says the steep garden started from a vacant section five years ago.

'The bare bones of the garden were completed in four months but Everdien continues to buy interesting plants which enhance this artistic project.

'Art works by Everdien will be on display and although the garden is not accessible to wheelchairs, Everdien is being especially accommodating and will allow people to get a bird's eye view of this amazing property from her private verandah.”

There are also two other properties on the garden ramble to visit in the same street.

Garden Ramble tickets can be purchased at the Katikati Information Centre, from Grower Direct in Te Puna or by visitng: www.katikati.org.nz/events/up-the-garden-path

'Tickets purchased before October 30 go in the draw to win lots of fabulous prizes,” says Rod.

Up the Garden Path is being held from 9am-5pm, wet or fine, on November 6 and 7.

You may also like....

0 comments

Leave a Comment


You must be logged in to make a comment.