A group of school children captured the hearts of visitors to Ellerslie International Flower Show and won this year's people's choice award.

The Raumati South Primary School pupils, aged from six to 12-years-old, and their garden Our Sustainable Schoolyard was voted number one by visitors.

School spokesman Michael Stewart said the children were overjoyed to have been given the Yates People's Choice Award this afternoon, on top of the silver medal they had already received from the judges on Tuesday.

"They have put their heart and soul into creating this garden and show what kids can do. There has also been a lot of help from the wider Kapiti community, including the Kapiti Coast District Council that gave us a $10,000 grant, and we want to thank them all for their support."

The win is also good news for Christchurch's Wharenui School, who are receiving the entire garden as a gift.

"Not only are they getting a silver medal winning garden - it is one that people at the show loved," Stewart said.

Wharenui Primary is a decile two school and, like Raumati South Primary, an active participant in the New Zealand Enviroschools programme.

The 6m by 6m garden contains a fruit bed, an edible flower bed, a pizza oven and herb area, a South African Keyhole garden with its own compost system, a butterfly garden area with a green roof above it, native planting for lizards, a weta bed, and a water irrigation system based around an old dairy pump powered by a bicycle, which the students can ride.

Recycled pallets and old wooden car-part packaging cases were used to form the garden's walls and decking.

Show sell-off Sunday

Many of the plants and parts of exhibits featured at the Ellerslie International Flower Show can be snapped up at bargain prices when the gates close to the public for the final time on Sunday.

Ellerslie's end-of-show sale is taking place again this year and will give the public the chance to buy and use many of the native and exotic plants that have helped transform North Hagley Park into a gardener's paradise.

Money raised through the sale will go to charity.

The plants will be sold between 5 and 6pm.

People who attend the show can gain free-entry to the sale if they retain and present their ticket stub. Entry for those who do not have a valid Ellerslie ticket is $5.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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