Gardener blossoms into English rose

Masterton's makeover mum Maryann Cowgill stepped out shining on Saturday night to a wave of admiration from her husband, sons and assembled guests at the Manor Health and Beauty Spa in Lansdowne.
The Big Reveal was the culmination of months of beauty treatments for Mrs Cowgill, a gardener who won a chance to do the "girly thing" when she won a competition involving a host of business sponsors that has raised funds for a women's breast cancer charity. Reaction to the unmasking was encouraging, to say the least.
Mrs Cowgill said her husband Phil "actually wanted every non-related male out of the room".
"His word was 'stunning'. It was one of those moments in time."
Hair and make-up experts from Wellington put the seal on what has been months of treatments including microdermabrasion, oxygen therapy, dermalogic facials, intense pulse light treatment or IPL.
"I learned how important your skin is. It keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer & I'll be looking after it better," Mrs Cowgill said. "I have a new respect for those 'high-maintenance' women out there. It's not easy. The fantastic thing is something can be done. You don't have to think that the horse has bolted & With IPL it's zap, zap zap and it (imperfection is gone)."
Botox therapy was "absolutely fine I had no problem", Mrs Cowgill said. "There was a wee bit of discomfort but if you've been a mum you've had children, anything else is pretty tame."
As for the gym sessions which had been part of her win, Mrs Cowgill managed one training session. "I didn't have time, with all the treatments and everything."
The trainer's assessment was very positive, however.
"I'm a four," she said proudly.
"Five's excellent and I'm a four & I'm really physical anyway."
Comfortable in her own skin, Mrs Cowgill asked how she looks.
"Am I like English rose skin, now, rather than ruddy Irish?" she laughs. "I've always wanted English rose skin."
She described the pink sequined dress as "something like I've never worn before".
"He (husband Phil) is used to seeing me feeding out hay on the tractor, (wearing something) comfy but not eye-catching."
Mrs Cowgill said it was nice "for my boys to think that mum can scrub up all right. I already know that they can".
She has gained some confidence with beauty tips and feels "empowered" that she can make herself look good, and encouraged "perhaps to do it more often, and not have to have an event to do myself up".
"Wairarapa people, male and female, should shout themselves every birthday. We make over our gardens, our houses & for a lot of us ourself gets left behind."
Sons Justan, 24, Richard, 21, Michael, 15, and Ben, 6, had all left notes for Mum to read when she got back from her big occasion, and a sister from Brisbane and other family members had travelled to be there. They would have been relieved that, despite the poshness and the sparkles, Mum was still keen on the rugby. "We had a do afterwards, and the huge bonus was the All Blacks winning."
Manor owner Katie Winstanley said money raised from the event would be used to establish a support group for breast cancer sufferers. "Research shows having a support group can make the difference between those who live and those who don't," she said.