Organisers of the Auckland Garden DesignFest have today confirmed the list of 15 professional garden designers who have made the cut for their 2022 event. Visitors can meet the designers onsite at 18 private gardens throughout Auckland on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 November.
Ticket holders will be spoilt for choice with a wide array of garden sizes and design styles.
The designers selected for 2022 are;
Adam Evans (Urbis Landscapes), Alex McClew, Andy Hamilton, Barbara Garrett, Damian Wendelborn, Dan Mackay (Ministry of Ground), Geoffrey Marshall, Jenny Pullar, Joanna Hamilton, Rachael Farthing (Babylon Gardens), Rachel Thomson (Gardenia Design), Richard Neville, Trish Bartleet & Sal Gordon, Trish Bartleet & Pip Cheshire, Val Puxty, Xanthe White Design.
Deb Hardy, Auckland Garden DesignFest, Chairperson says; “The designer list for 2022 is like a roll call of some of Aotearoa’s best design talent. This includes the likes of Xanthe White, Trish Bartleet and Barbara Garrett who have had their work featured in our events since the first in 2011. They have all built up a cult like following and for good reason. A notable addition to the list this year is Geoffrey Marshall who was one of the driving forces behind the iconic Heroic Gardens Festival and who is now putting his creative energy into our event for which we are very grateful.
“We are also thrilled to welcome some new designers to this event. Alex McClew, a highly experienced, award winning, designer will make his AGDF debut. He will be joined by Rachael Farthing from Babylon Gardens, who is a newly accredited member of the Garden Design Society of NZ. Also taking part for the first time will be award winning, garden lighting designer Jenny Pullar.
“We are confident that the quality and range of gardens which visitors will be able to explore is our best ever line-up and that's really saying something!”
The gardens are located in Takapuna, Freemans Bay, Ponsonby, Pt Chevalier, Avondale, Mt Eden, Remuera, Parnell and Kohimarama.
The selection committee describes the range of garden styles as ranging from formal, modern, edible and sub-tropical through to what some visitors may think of as quirky or provocative, but all are set to inspire.
Highlights include pools, ponds, water features and even a few chooks! There are also outdoor fireplaces, fire pits, lighting, lounges, lawns, paving, boardwalks and paths a plenty! And if that’s not enough there’s art, sculpture, coffee, food and a little retail therapy.
For the first time, 12 of the 18 gardens are fully or partially wheelchair accessible.
The two-day design event founded in 2011, is organised jointly by the Garden Design Society of New Zealand and Rotary Newmarket. It showcases the very best of New Zealand garden design talent whilst supporting some wonderful charities including Lifeline Aotearoa, Garden to Table, OKE and KidsCan.
Lifeline Aotearoa is a first time charity recipient for this event. Operations Manager Helena de Fontenay says of its inclusion: “We are delighted to be named as one of the charity partners for the 2022 Auckland Garden DesignFest. It’s no secret that hobbies like gardening are beneficial for mental wellbeing. We encourage people to take some time out to visit these beautiful gardens while raising much needed funds for Lifeline so that we can continue to always be there when people need us.”
Tickets for the Auckland Garden DesignFest are available now from iTICKET, The Village Square Trust in Parnell or your favourite Kings Plant Barn store in Auckland.
Visitors can choose from $65 all garden tickets, $25 for a three-garden pass or take advantage of the Earlybird discount for all garden tickets at $55 for tickets purchased up until 31 October 2022. For the first time ever we have an ‘Access All Gardens Ticket’ available for visitors that are wheelchair dependent, for the special price of just $40 to reflect the number of gardens that we have assessed as being accessible for wheelchair users, only from iTicket.
For more information and updates on the 2022 Auckland Garden DesignFest, visit www.gardendesignfest.co.nz or follow Auckland Garden DesignFest on Facebook and Instagram.
Now wheelchair Friendly.
Garden pictured above was designed by Neville Design Studio and Studio Naomi Rushmer. Photography: Scott Sinton.