Gardens to become even more fantastic

Hamilton Mayor Bob Simcock marked Hamilton Gardens' 50th jubilee celebrations yesterday by launching an ambitious programme called the Fantasy Garden development.

The Fantasy Garden Collection will feature three new gardens based around garden fantasies that have shaped and inspired innovation. They will take approximately seven years to complete.

The first stage of the programme was recently approved in the council's annual plan and Mr Simcock turned the first sod yesterday.

"There are some exciting ideas and I am looking forward to watching the progress of the development. The people that help maintain the gardens need to feel very proud of what they do. They (the gardens) are a major success for the city and the jubilee celebrations are a chance to recognise those people," Mr Simcock said.

A new trust, led by landscape designer Sir Miles Warren, has been formed to promote and raise funds for the project.

The Tropical Garden, between the round brick Piazza and the Time Court, will demonstrate the gardener's fantasy of growing plants in an inappropriate climate.

The nearby Tudor Garden will include sculptures of fantasy beasts set on poles around a knot garden.

The Surrealist Garden, next to the Tropical Garden, will include distortions of scale and visual puns. Giant topiary figures called "Trons" will be set on mechanical moving frames.

* Samantha McPherson is a Wintec journalism student

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