Garden festival more popular than ever

Passionate gardeners and outstanding plots have contributed to the staggering number of visitors at this year's Taranaki Rhododendron and Garden Festival.

The 10-day festival, which ended yesterday, saw more than 46,000 garden visits – which is said to have exceeded last year.

Some gardens around the region had upwards of 500 visitors a day during the weekends. A new garden of significance and the inclusion of special interest gardens were the gems of the festival line-up, which boasted more than 50 public and private gardens.

Festival manager Lisa Ekdahl said feedback she had received from garden owners was positive.

"Gardens which have been in the festival for a while saw about the same numbers as in past festivals, but new gardens saw a huge amount of visitors with some up to 500 a day," Ms Ekdahl said.

Ms Ekdahl estimated about 95 per cent of festival visitors had come from out of the region.

She said the festival events, including garden speakers, workshops and new festival addition the Japanese Tea House, had been particularly popular, receiving more than 2000 visitors during the 10 days.

It is no wonder the festival has been so in demand this year for, coupled with the stunning weather, garden visitors have been raving about the variety of gardens on show.

"I have made my two children festival orphans this year," laughs Bridget Sullivan, of New Plymouth. "They have loved it."

First time festival-goer Ms Sullivan has taken the kids along to 15 gardens this festival, showing them water wheels, turbines and generally letting them bask in the flora and fauna on offer.

"It is a great way to see the region, we will definitely be coming back next year." Meanwhile, Beryl Dowie, of New Plymouth, has been coming since the festival began 22 years ago.

Every year Mrs Dowie focuses on a particular part of the region or garden type.

This year it was vegetable gardens.

"After so many years we have just about seen them all now," she says.

"But I have a vegetable garden and so I'm interested."

But Mrs Dowie does not visit the gardens to get inspiration or grab ideas.

"I just like to look," she says.