Safari-goers use noses to vote for roses
BY GEORGE GARDNER
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The island's ninth annual spring garden event broke fundraising records and a back yard of roses delighted the most punters.
The SeaLink Jassy Dean Trust Garden Safari raised around $55,000 for sick Waiheke children - including $10,000 from a mammoth plant sale at Rangihoua Estate.
The weekend event saw 1600 visitors tramp through 16 pristine private gardens, enjoying the flora and fauna, vegetable patches, spectacular views, garden art and scarecrows.
Nearly 1100 visitors voted for their favourite garden and Eleanor Ashby's rose garden won the People's Choice award with 172 votes.
She was presented with the Helen Routledge Trophy at the safari after-function by trust chairman Greg Dean.
Mr Dean paid tribute to the volunteers, trustees, safari organisers Nettie Johnstone and Kate Hastings, and the garden owners "whose contribution is always underestimated".
He also welcomed new sponsor SeaLink, whose general manager Donna Gauci says the company intends to be involved with the event and the trust for "many, many years to come".
The Jassy Dean Trust is run by volunteers and works with health professionals to support sick Waiheke children and their families.
Child health nurse for Waiheke Health Trust Cathie Williams says, "Many families would suffer greatly without the assistance they get from the trust - and the safari."
- Waiheke Marketplace
