Click here for Flower Show photosKEY POINTS:
It's going to be a feast for the eyes at this year's Ellerslie International Flower Show.
Magic gardens, a walk through the jungle, a first of its kind marquee and creations by award winning designers are some of the must see features at this year's event.
"A brand
new Starlight Marquee at the show is the first of its kind in the world and it will be a good place for visitors to catch a glimpse of gardens by night," says media officer Feline Harder.
"The interior of the marquee has been draped in black silk and the idea of the space is to help people to transform their gardens into a place for relaxation after a hard day's work," she says.
Awarding winning designer Sarah Eberle is presenting her creation A Slice of Chelsea at the event.
Her garden at the show is the third in a trilogy. Her first and second gardens won gold and best-in-show awards at Chelsea.
"This year the show is showcasing a whole range of gardens with themes ranging from the traditional to the funky," said Harder.
"Gardens featuring futuristic ideas are also been featured as part of the event."
The hugely popular An Eye for Sculpture exhibition at last year's show has also been featured again.
The sculpture garden, set in tranquil surroundings with hundred-year-old totara and a grove of nikau as a backdrop, is the perfect place to relax.
Ellerslie International Flower Show visitors will be able to walk through the Judge's Supreme Award garden for the first time, with a retail garden taking the biggest prize.
Kerikeri palm company Palmco has beaten the exhibition gardens to the top award with its jungle of large and rare exotic palms, most worth thousands of dollars.
Designer Adam Shuter said he was inspired by a walk through the jungle and he had tried to recreate the same effect.
The garden, with its 58 palms, was put up in a space of three weeks.
A boardwalk, which runs through the garden, enables the visitors to catch the atmosphere inside the garden rather than take a glimpse from the outside.
"This was the first time we have taken part in the event and it's a good feeling to have won the top award," he said.
Silver prize winners Matt MacIsaac and Mat Ransom of Watch This Space Landscapes are taking part in the show for the second time.
"We feel good to have won an award at the event and next time around we will be competing for gold," said Ransom.
Their garden incorporates the concept of gardens in a contained space, with its lotus pond and clay tiles showcasing the idea that gardens are becoming smaller.
"We are highlighting the concept of gardens in a contained space and how even a tiny bit of a backyard can be transformed into an entertainment space," Ransom said.
The turnout on the opening day of the show had been very good despite the rainy weather, said Harder.
"The feedback we have received has also been good - especially on the new marquee," she said.
"We expect the crowds to pick up towards the afternoon with the weather clearing up."