North Canterbury is bouncing back just in time for the Hurunui Garden Festival, one of its most anticipated events of the year. Wild winds wreaked havoc in the Hurunui district recently, causing widespread damage and power outages.
Jenny Cooper, a member of the Hurunui Garden Festival committee, expressed gratitude for the community’s efforts in ensuring that the festival could proceed despite the challenges posed by the storm.
The Hurunui Garden Festival, established in 2018 by local garden owners, aims to showcase the beauty of the region and attract visitors. Cooper’s own garden, Blue House in Amberley, is among the 20 gardens open to the public during the festival.
This four-day event features a variety of attractions including artwork, sculptures, plants, crafts, and food stalls. Cooper described it as a celebration of the area’s natural splendor.
The recent storm, described by Cooper as a “river of wind,” left significant damage in its wake. Flaxmere, one of the largest gardens in Hurunui owned by Penny Zino, suffered particularly severe losses.
Despite the destruction, the community came together to clean up and prepare the gardens for the festival. Cooper highlighted the outpouring of support from locals equipped with chainsaws and trailers, ready to assist in the cleanup efforts.
After days of hard work, the gardens were restored to their former beauty, masking the extensive damage that had been inflicted. Cooper marveled at the transformation, noting that the gardens now look pristine, albeit with the remnants of fallen trees still visible.
