Song and dance at garden show

A Christchurch schoolboy is encouraged to "smell the roses" by Canterbury Horticultural Society president (and Botanic Gardens horticultural supervisor) Kevin Garnett, left, and writer Joe Bennett, at a launch of the Garden City Garden Show.

Extracts from The Tales of Peter Rabbit will be performed by The Malthouse Theatre Company. Dance groups, choirs, an orchestra, instrumental groups and bands will perform. In the evenings, thousands of especially installed lights will twinkle, colour and illuminate the gardens.

Among more traditional garden show activities will be guided walks and horticultural displays, including an exhibition of container planting by resident expert Gina Williamson.

Gardens staff members and circles of the horticultural society are working hard to ensure plants are at their peak for the show, which will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the founding of Canterbury.

The event is a joint presentation by the Council, horticultural society, Continental Hospitality, supported by The Community Trust.

For more information contact Canterbury Horticultural Society on 366 6937 or e-mail chsi@xtra.co.nz