Ellerslie Flower Show facts for kids

The Ellerslie International Flower Show was a big yearly event in New Zealand. It was a garden show where people could see amazing flowers and garden designs. It started in Auckland and later moved to Christchurch, held at Hagley Park from 2008. Lots of people, tens of thousands, visited the show over five days each year. It happened every year since 1994, except for 1997 and 2011. The 2011 show was cancelled because of the big Christchurch earthquake.

The Show's History

Starting in Auckland

The very first Ellerslie International Flower Show happened in 1994. It was held in the Auckland suburb of Ellerslie, at the Ellerslie Racecourse. The people from The Rotary Club of Auckland had a great idea. They wanted to create a special event to raise money for local charities. They got their idea from the famous Chelsea Flower Show in England. By 2007, the show had given away $700,000 to help different charities.

In 1998, the show moved to Manurewa, which is in South Auckland. It was held at the Auckland Botanic Gardens until its last show there in November 2007.

Moving to Christchurch

In 2004, the Rotary Club of Auckland sold the show's business. It was bought by the EFS Charitable Trust and SMC Group Ltd. These groups wanted to keep supporting local communities and the plant-growing industry.

Then, on November 19, 2007, the show's organisers sold its name and services to the Christchurch City Council. This deal was worth NZ$3 million. The show was very important for Christchurch's economy. It brought in about $14 million for the region every year.

The first show in Christchurch was held in March 2009. It attracted a huge crowd of 75,000 visitors. In 2010, about 55,000 people came to the show. The 2011 event had to be cancelled because of the Canterbury Earthquakes. In 2012, 45,000 people attended, even though the weather was bad that year.

A New Auckland Show?

After the Ellerslie show moved, some people in Auckland wanted to start a new flower show. On December 2, 2007, a group called Auckland Flower Show Ltd said they would continue the tradition. They announced the Auckland Flower Show for 2008. However, this new show never actually happened.

Images for kids

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  A view of the Ellerslie International Flower Show.

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  Another look at the beautiful displays.

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  A creative sculpture made from vegetables.