Hello Spring!
Only seven weeks until we open the gates for the 24th Jassy Dean Trust Waiheke Garden Festival. For the frantically busy garden owners and the slightly hysterical organising committee, these will pass in a nano-second. It never ceases to amaze me what wonderous garden gems are hidden around our island and the generosity of their owners who so willingly share them. We look forward to showcasing their magnificent contribution to the Jassy Dean Trust over the weekend of the 9th and 10th of November.
Posters are appearing around the Island and tickets are already selling online at www.fullers.co.nz and at Paper Plus Waiheke and Fullers 360 Matiatia. Buy your ticket before 30 September and pay just $40! (normal ticket price $50). Pay a visit to www.waihekegardenfestival.org.nz for all information regarding gardens, market stalls, local art, plant sales and food.
Self-drive, book a Fullers 360 bus tour or purchase a fantastic PEDAL TO PETALS E-Bike Package for the ultimate eco-friendly island experience. A big SHOUT OUT to eRide Waiheke for their partnership in this venture. Do let your friends know about the weekend, it is our major fundraiser and we need all the support we can get!
The gardens are already looking fantastic. Two weeks ago, Sally Ewer and I escorted Rachel Clare, sub-editor of Kiwi Gardener magazine, around four of the Festival gardens. It was a glorious spring day and first stop… Sacred Blessings Sanctuary Garden (pictured above left).
Rachel was keen to visit having heard it described by Lynda Hallinan as one of the most beautiful gardens she had seen in New Zealand. She was certainly not disappointed. WOW…does this garden ever have a bad hair day? Even at this rather difficult time of the year (in garden terms) it was magnificent.
We consider ourselves SOOOOOOO very fortunate that the team at Sacred Blessings allow us year after year to showcase this stunning garden in the Festival. It is a unique opportunity for our visitors and if you are not transported by the sight and perfume of over 700 roses in full bloom you will be by the glorious flower borders, mind blowing sculptures, bush walks, vegetable beds, or busy butterfly houses.
Next up was Albert Crescent and the clifftop garden of Rachel Stace and Richard Stewart overlooking beautiful Putiki Bay (pictured above right). We wandered paths and boardwalks through a glorious array of horticultural treasures. Beds of cymbidium orchids in full glory, palms, cycads, clivia, hebe, an orchard of nuts and subtropicals and a bank of ablution in a multitude of colours.
It’s a lovely garden to meander through, both owners are passionate and knowledgeable and there is much here to admire and learn from. NOTE: Albert Crescent has parking challenges! If you are self-driving you will need to leave your car at the bottom of Albert Crescent near the Ostend Price Cutter and take our free shuttle van up the hill. The van will be running all day, both days.
Then a quick stop at Ngaio Lewis’s (pictured above left) to check out the hundreds of plants she has propagated for the Festival Plant Sale. The scale is mind blowing! For over 20 years Ngaio has grown and sold plants for the Jassy Dean Trust. She has raised over $250,000 for this wonderful cause. The Plant Sale is open 9am – 1pm both days of the Festival. It’s a wonderful opportunity to pick up some very special specimens.
If you are local, don’t wait for the Garden Festival, go now and take advantage of first pick! And while you are there check out Ngaio’s fabulous garden, it’s a flourishing oasis chock full of hidden delights and horticultural inspiration. Ngaio is generously supported by Central Landscape Supplies, which provides potting mix for the nursery, Waiheke Woolworths also sponsors potting mix, and Waiheke Aqua provides discounted water. The Trust is so grateful for their support.
Next was Scotts Terrace (pictured above right) and the magic created by Margie and John Hatrick-Smith. This relatively small garden borders the Forest and Bird Reserve. It’s steepish, but immaculate hard landscaping, paths, terraces and raised beds make the transition from top to bottom an easy one. Along the way the planting is delightful, an espaliered wall of citrus, dwarf fruit trees and multiple vegetable and flower beds provide plenty of produce for the couple (and more).
Bird life is abundant and Margie’s passion for protecting the property from fire is something we could all learn from. NOTE: there is no parking in Scotts Terrace. A free shuttle will be running all day from the corner of Waiheke Rd and Third Ave (by Onetangi Hall).
Finally…to the end of the Island and the Valley of the Birds (pictured above). Here Phil and Sally Danby (pictured above) have been developing their magnificent garden for 20 years. It is big, flat and fantastic. There are lawns, ponds, a shade house, flower beds, fenced vegetable gardens, buxus, tulips, dahlias, pleached alders, scarecrows and a cockatoo who will insist on saying "Hello!". Don’t be put off by the drive…(it is only 5 minutes from Onetangi). This is a garden NOT TO BE MISSED! It’s the perfect place to take a break, enjoy a picnic lunch with wine to be served on the lawn…where you can relax listening to live music.
A busy day, home to a glass of wine and a huge dose of Garden Envy! And that is less than half of what we have on offer!
Next newsletters will feature the rest of the gardens and detail the fabulous art we will have for sale along the way. All artists are making a significant contribution to Jassy Dean Trust from any work sold.
We have had a fabulous response to our call for volunteers THANK YOU. Sally and Jude could still do with a few extras to man the parking lots. Any blokes out there ready to put a hand up! Please contact either of them if you can spare a few hours. Sally 021 441 031, Jude 0210 248 8377 or email jassydeantrustvolunteers@gmail.com.
MARY WRIGHT
It is with great sadness that we heard of the death last month of Mary Wright. Mary was a greatly valued and longstanding supporter of the Jassy Dean Trust. She and her husband Simon have several times exhibited their beautiful garden in the Waiheke Garden Festival.
A former High School science teacher Mary was a wonderful cook, well known for her fabulous cakes. Visitors to the Wright Garden could always be sure of a very warm welcome and delicious treats from Mary.
She was instrumental in establishing the Garden to Table programme at Te Huruhi School and was much loved by a generation of eight-year-olds whom she patiently tutored in the fine arts of the kitchen.
Despite her recent passing after a prolonged illness, the Wright Garden will once again be featured in this year’s festival. Simon is keen to share this special place, and we are delighted to be able to honour Mary’s memory by serving tea and scones to festival visitors from the small commercial kitchen she set up in the garden. Her hospitality, generous nature and smiling face will be sorely missed by her friends here at The Jassy Dean Trust.
Until next time,
Annie Porter and The Jassy Dean Trust
THANK YOU TO OUR FESTIVAL SPONSORS
This festival is our biggest fundraiser and we're incredibly grateful to everyone who makes it happen. We’d like to thank our major festival sponsors Fullers 360 and eRide Waiheke and our Silver sponsors Allpress Olive Groves, Central Landscape Supplies, Ecozip Adventures NZ, Placemakers Waiheke, Waiheke Wine Tours and our Bronze sponsor Island Gelato.
Other local businesses and organisations support the event in numerous practical ways. Thank you to GO Rentals, Gulf News, Greenacres Waiheke, Paperplus Waiheke, Sealink, Sign Maidens, Waiheke Aqua, Waiheke High School, Waiheke Real Estate, Waiheke Rotary and Woolworths.
DONATIONS WELCOME!
If you want to donate to the Jassy Dean Trust there are many ways you can do this. Please visit our website here for more details on what might work for you.
Applying for support from the Jassy Dean Trust is easy and confidential. If you know someone that might qualify please direct them to the online application form at www.jassydeantrust.org/apply
