1. home and garden

International flower fest celebrates 20 iconic years
Media Release
March 2015
Melbourne is set to burst into bloom once again for the annual Melbourne International Flower &
Garden Show (MIFGS) at the city’s heritage listed Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens from
25 March to 29 March.
The Southern Hemisphere’s premier horticultural event is celebrating its 20th year with Melbourne’s
Carlton Gardens playing host to the best landscape design talent yet, with the crowd stopping show
gardens again providing attendees with inspiration they can take home to their own patch.
MIFGS is expected to attract more than 110,000 international, national and local horticultural
enthusiasts over five days featuring world class landscape designs and stunning floral exhibits.
MIFGS Event Manager, Kathleen Rushford, is looking forward to a spectacular Show in celebration of
the special anniversary.
“It’s our 20th year and we’re celebrating by hosting one of the most exciting events yet. The array of
talent joining the Show both locally and abroad is really going above and beyond with their garden
and floral designs to treat attendees to a horticultural spectacle.
“There’s a wide range of activities for the whole family including the award winning Show Gardens,
the Sculpture Garden featuring live sculpting sessions, the Great Hall of Flowers with its floral design
workshops as well as the Kids Under Cover Cubby House Challenge to keep the little ones
entertained and raise awareness for a great cause.
“Whether you’re looking for inspiration to achieve your dream garden, wanting to pick up a few
handy tips to make managing your outdoor space easier, or if you just want to take a moment to
stop and smell the roses, MIFGS is sure to satisfy the inner-green thumb in everyone,” said Ms
Rushford.
Long term exhibitors and old favourites will be returning alongside a new raft of talent sure to wow
the MIFGS crowds including:

Australia’s largest garden club, The Diggers Club will be creating its inaugural Diggers
Garden, an extravagant, interactive and artful display garden showcasing a range of
heirloom vegetables, fruit trees, flowers and imaginative structures. The garden will feature
a dynamic daily program of workshops and demonstrations for budding gardeners and cooks
alike presented by renowned celebrity chefs and gardening gurus. A must see show for
2015, The Diggers Garden will bring together the interests of gardening and food within one
site, a MIFGS first which is expected to pull in the crowds throughout the event.

Australia’s most awarded landscape design team, Phillip Johnson Landscapes, will unveil a
spectacular Anzac community tribute garden incorporating Lynn Berry’s 5000 Poppies
Project to commemorate 100 years of service and sacrifice.

Visitors will be transported to a modern Australian outback hideaway in a multi-faceted
show garden created by Tourism NT. The set will be complete with red desert sand, natural
rocks, lush plant foliage, a secluded rainforest pool and a water feature in the style of the
amazing natural water falls seen throughout the state. Bush tucker activity will be on offer
for those feeling adventurous against an authentic soundtrack to match the sounds of the
Northern Territory. An NT experience would not be complete without the insight
information of an NT Wilderness Ranger. Ranger Luke will be on hand at the show to
captivate and educate all Show patrons on the wildlife and wilderness unique to the NT.

Scotts, the world’s number one lawn and garden company is making its debut appearance at
MIFGS. Meet their horticultural experts for some garden care advice or pick up a great deal
on their best-selling brands, Osmocote and Lawn Builder. Demonstrations will be taking
place daily to show how their products make gardening easy.

Children and big kids alike will be able to discover the magical world of Disney in the Disney
Fairies and Pirates themed garden. Kids will get a sneak peak at the upcoming Tinker Bell
and the Pirate fairy movie and can explore the enchanting Fairy garden or hunt for some
treasure in a Pirates world. There will be interactive kids entertainment along with face
painting, colouring and much more.

With the new HR-V as its centrepiece, Honda will be at MIFGS for its third year with
Wonders from Wherever. This unique collection of weird and wonderful plants will be on
display, presented by Paul Hyland from Glasshaus.

Momentum Energy’s ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ themed stand will focus on energy efficiency
to demonstrate how Australians can do their part and make their households more ecofriendly. There is also a trip to New Zealand up for grabs.
The Royal Exhibition Building once again comes to life as the Great Hall of Flowers plays host
to leading Australian and international florists who will create a range of interactive and
memorable floral displays, transforming the hall in to a floral wonderland in full bloom.

Vibrant exhibits from leading florists and floral designers such as UK based Joseph Massie,
dubbed by the media as, ‘the floral artist of his generation’ and Perth’s Matthew Landers
who will be sure to delight the crowds, as they host workshops and on stage presentations.
Show-goers can expect to see a range of fantastic displays including the prestigious Show
Garden Design Award series. This highly coveted award recognises the best in the
landscaping business across various categories, with the awards announced on the first day
of the Show and attended by the biggest names in the industry.

Six time exhibitor Mark Browning from Cycas Landscape Design, who won both the Gold
Show Garden and Best in Show awards in 2014, will be back to create ‘Quietude’ with
another designer Lisa Ellis which is a celebration of outdoor life, horticulture and bespoke
Australian product.

Local landscape architect, Nathan Burkett who has established himself as one of
Melbourne’s finest, creating breathtaking landscapes for clients across the city and beyond,
is exhibiting for the first time. He will be showcasing his love of crisp, clean lines, nature as
art with architectural influences in one of the most prominent positions along the Show
Garden Avenue.

A MIFGS favourite, Jake Adamson of Jake Stone Design returns again designing a clean,
minimalist garden using a consortium of mediums including stone, timber, water and natural
plant life.

Hotly anticipated is ‘Food Forest’ by Phillip Withers who will produce a true sensory
experience in Adam and Eve’s forest complete with apples, berries and smells of rich
lavender. ‘Food Forest’ will celebrate food with a story at every turn and a surprise at the
end.

Jenny Smith Gardens celebrates their 25 year anniversary with the creation of the Bee
Keepers Garden, drawing attention to the fascination with bees and drawing inspiration
from architectural forms found in bee honeycomb to bring together a textural, colourful, fun
and achievable garden for all to enjoy.

A former bronze winner, Waddell Landscapes will draw inspiration from the enchanting
Yarra Valley and its rolling hills, valleys, vineyards, villages, wildlife, creeks and river.
Growing up in the region, Rob Waddell’s designs reflect on his experience and surroundings
which will be sure to enchant MIFGS’s visitors.

The Local Nurseries Show Garden is presented by localnurseries.com.au, designed by Vivid
Design and being built by Semken Landscaping, featuring plants from some of Victoria’s best
growers. Look out for a retro-styled garden with a unique water feature and the 2015 David
Austin rose being the ‘England Rose’, renowned for the strength and complexity of their
fragrances.

Award winning Melbourne landscape design and construction company, Ian Barker Gardens
returns to MIFGS to present, ‘Cross Roads’ presented by Australian House & Garden. This
will be a garden to look out for as visitors push forward through the doorway into a world of
plants.

MIFGS favourites, Landscape Design Group will bring a Japanese flavour to the show in their
tenth appearance. Featuring Melbourne’s largest bonsai collection centred on a pond
fringed with the finest Japanese maples with a bridge leading visitors to a hand carved tea
house.

A platform for brand new talent, MIFGS will feature the work of students from various
Victorian colleges and TAFEs, creating small, stylish and functional gardens for The Avenue
of Achievable Gardens. Students will be tasked with the challenge of creating stylish
gardens to suit anyone’s skill level, and visitors are encouraged to take home ‘recipe cards’
that guide them on how to create the mini landscapes themselves. Live floral design
competitions will take place throughout the Show which will see the students compete
against their peers for the top awards.

Fantastic floral fashion creations will be on display courtesy of the incredibly talented RMIT
Fashion Design students. Creating ‘living’ fashion using flowers and foliage to suit a
designated theme, the RMIT Floral Fashion Design Competition will see budding design
talent create fashion masterpieces that have to be seen to be believed.

The Show’s official charity partner, Kids Under Cover, will be supported by some of
Australia’s best architects and notable faces for its annual Cubby House Challenge in aid of
young people at risk of homelessness. Kids Under Cover, a major draw-card for the show,
showcases six creative bespoke cubby houses designed by six leading members of the
Australian building industry. The mini mansions will be open for inspection (and play) during
the Show and will be sold during a twilight auction with proceeds going towards the
fantastic work the charity carries out, aiming to exceed last year’s total of $40,800.
A fun and affordable day out for the whole family, MIFGS 2015 is not to be missed.
Tickets are available for purchase through the RACV at http://bit.ly/mifgs15 or RACV HolidayLine on
13 13 29.
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