March 12 2010

Months of hard work paid off for the Ashburton District Council's parks and recreation team this week.

Their creation in the Ellerslie International Flower Show's national flower bed competition took out a silver distinction award, a year after winning bronze.

The flower bed competition was won by Akaroa and the Bays, ending Christchurch's bid for a third successive win.

Christchurch's entry was this year focused around punting on the Avon River, while the winning Akaroa and the Bays entry was a floral tribute to Banks Peninsula landmark, the Akaroa Lighthouse.

Mid Canterbury's rich history as the grain bowl of New Zealand was squeezed into a 7m x 4m plot for the show, with the district's pioneering agricultural scene the theme for the exhibit.

All of the bedding flowers for Ashburton's entry were grown from scratch.

The bedding flowers made up 80% of the display and it included ornamental millet, the big daisy rudbeckia and zinnias.

Pictured: Ashburton District Council gardener Ross Bragg with the silver distinction award won for the council's garden at the Ellerslie International Flower Show.