The annual Festival of Flowers started on Saturday 8th February 2014 and ran until Sunday 2nd March. This year was its Silver Jubilee and the associated events were staged and installed in Cathedral Square. Events included concerts, workshops and displays such as Floral Bungalows, an opening event birthday celebration and a Chinese Cultural Day.
Engaging with and involving cultural communities and business
Healthy Christchurch's involvement with the Festival of Flowers was two-fold. The first partnership was with the English Language Learning Community students from Hagley Community College and The Migrant Centre, as well as a school holiday programme at Te Puna Oraka. They painted borders displayed on 20 planter boxes. The artists came from the following countries:
- China
- Rarotonga
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Somalia
- Japan
- Cambodia
- Korea
- Afghanistan, and
- Samoa.
The second partnership was with Bunnings Warehouse who provided expertise, plants and soil to fill the planter boxes. Tony Milne and Sara Epperson from the Problem Gambling Foundation NZ (a Healthy Christchurch signatory organisation) and volunteer John Turner helped with this part of the project.
The 2014 Festival of Flowers and beyond
The 20 planter boxes were displayed at the Art Centre Market Square on Worcester Street for the duration of the festival. Local and overseas visitors commented very positively on these bright displays.
"The planter box project helped forge closer links between communities in Christchurch, and provided another way for communities to share their culture and feel engaged in our city." said Ann Vanschevensteen from Healthy Christchurch.
The planter boxes were returned to Hagley Community Centre and The Migrant Centre – and we’re looking forward to more inspirational designs for next year’s Festival of Flowers.
