Get your green thumbs ready, Cityscapers – come March 2020 we will have a garden festival again.

The inaugural Christchurch Garden Festival GROW Ō Tautahi, launched tonight, will transform the Botanic Gardens and Ilex complex into a vibrant, contemporary celebration of the region’s love of gardens, design and outdoor living.

From March 20 – 22, the free festival, presented by Lincoln University, will host botanical displays, exhibition gardens, panel discussions, workshops and master-classes. Food maestro Jax Hamilton and celebrated restaurateur Jonny Schwass will lead cooking demonstrations with guest chefs, award-winning landscape designer Dan Rutherford will share his years of experience in creating beautiful outdoor spaces, Dr Trevor Stuthridge and his team from AgResearch will present their research on evolving technologies, and beginner gardening enthusiast Julia Atkinson-Dunn will host panel discussions on what’s new in gardening, and what to do when things don’t quite go to plan.

“Grow Ō Tautahi celebrates the best of Christchurch and Canterbury, with a contemporary take on gardens, horticulture, education and science. We want GROW to capture our excitement for food and community as well as innovation in production and great design,” says festival director Sandi MacRae.

Integral to the festival will be a schools’ garden programme by writer and horticultural expert Rachel Vogan, as well as an exploration of community connections and cultural associations to plants and landscapes.

The festival aims to be an annual fixture on the Canterbury calendar. It has been developed by the Christchurch Garden Festival Trust and is supported by several local businesses and organisations.

The 2020 GROW programme will include practical workshops, panel discussions, cooking demonstrations and entertainment in the Botanic Gardens. There will also be special events for children, art tours and more at the Christchurch Art Gallery.

Botanic Gardens Events 9am – 5pm, Friday 20 – Sunday 22 March.

Christchurch Art Gallery Pop-up events, Saturday 14 – Thursday March 19.

Terra Viva Four workshops each day – 10.30am; 11.30am; 12.30pm; 1.30pm.

Panel discussions Lincoln University, AgResearch and others, defining the future of food, mahinga kai (traditional food resources) and more.

The Garden Kitchen Cooking demonstrations led by Jax Hamilton and celebrating 12 chefs.

Also schools’ gardens, kids’ zone, corporate challenge, exhibition gardens, floral exhibits and pumpkin-growing competitions.

growotautahi.org.nz