Events

> January 2020 Sunday Music in the Gardens

January 12th, 19th & 26th – 12.30pm to 3.30pm

Does spending a Sunday afternoon strolling along our idyllic Sculpture Trail overlooking Kaipara Harbour and then relaxing, maybe with a picnic, listening to some pleasant music sound like a great way to spend a summer Sunday.

If so, put these dates into your calendar as we will once again be hosting our Sunday afternoon Music in the Gardens events through January.

There will be a range of talented young local musicians performing a selection of music with a broad spectrum of appeal.

This iconic local attraction has over 40 marvellous new pieces displayed along the beautiful 1 Km nature trail.

The trail is constructed of a smooth gravel pathway and meanders through rolling hills passing by a mix of native bush, wetlands as well as formal gardens and also has some beautiful views of the Kaipara Harbour.*

There is also a Petanque area and children’s playground as well as our cute little coffee shop on site plus the Plant Centre for you to browse through.

A great opportunity for all the family to have a fun and relaxing day in the countryside and we’re only a few minutes’ drive North of Kaukapakapa (and around 35 minutes from downtown Auckland).

Our knowledgeable and friendly staff will also be on hand to help with any garden related questions.

* Please note: Trail not suitable for wheelchairs or walking frames.

Venue location: 1481 Kaipara Coast Highway (SH16), 4km north of Kaukapakapa
Tickets:
Adults $15
Children (5-13) $7.50 (under 5's free)
Familys (2A + 3C) $35
Groups (10+) $10 per person
To book: info@kaipara.co.nz OR 09 420 5655

Past Events

> 2020 Sculpture Exhibition – Grand Opening

Sunday 1st December 1.00pm to 4.00pm

A key attraction of the Kaipara Coast Plant Centre is our beautiful Sculpture Gardens and each year the 40 sculptures, created by local and overseas artists, are replaced in December.

The objective of the exhibition is to offer a series of visually stimulating and diverse artworks so as to generate an array of human responses in a fun and interactive environment.

Some of the artists will be available to discuss their works and pieces are also for sale if something really takes your fancy.

The opening presentations, including comment by this year’s curator Shea O’Neill, will be at 1.30pm with light finger food and soft drinks provided. Plus Ben Bradley, a very talented local musician, will be providing the music for the event.

Each piece is displayed along the 1.2 Km nature trail set in the lovely Kaipara countryside and placed so as to blend sympathetically with its surrounding environment.

This is a great way for all the family to spend a fun and relaxing afternoon as we also have an extensive kids play area within the gardens.

There is also our cute little coffee shop on site plus of course the Plant Centre for you to browse through (including our recently opened veggie section).

Our knowledgeable and friendly staff will also be on hand to help with any garden related questions.

* Please note: Trail not suitable for wheelchairs or walking frames.

> Flower Arranging – Christmas Theme

Sunday 24th November 9.30am – 11.30am

Have you ever wanted to create your own Christmas wreath or a beautiful table setting for that special lunch or dinner but not sure where to start or how to go about it? Then this 2 hour workshop will be ideal to get you on your way (as well as impress family and friends ).

Bea Stumple, an expert local florist, will be presenting this event.

Bea qualified as the top student in NZ when she completed her NZ Professional Floristry examinations 26 years ago and is one of only 16 people to have received the Ethel Black Award (a top accolade in the floristry world). She is also a registered examiner and accomplished tutor – so Bea knows her stuff.

She plans to stroll around the gardens with attendees selecting appropriate plants and flowers and then show you how to arrange them to best effect.

Bea will be explaining:

• Appropriate plants and flowers that work well together
• Various arrangement techniques and concepts
• How to make your creations last longer
• Tools and materials required

After the workshop maybe spend more time in the Gardens which has a beautiful 1Km nature trail meandering through the idyllic Kaipara countryside.*

There is also a kid’s play area as well as our cute little coffee shop on site plus of course the Plant Centre for you to browse through.

Our knowledgeable and friendly staff will also be on hand to help with any garden related questions.

* Trail not suitable for wheelchairs or walking frames.

Venue location: 1481 Kaipara Coast Highway (SH16), 4km north of Kaukapakapa
Tickets: $15 per person
To book: info@kaipara.co.nz OR 09 420 5655

> Labour Weekend

Special Labour Weekend at Kaipara – Saturday 26th to Monday 28th October

There’s a lot happening this coming Labour Weekend at the Plant Centre and Sculpture Gardens!!!

New Vegetable Section Opening
Free Vegetable Garden Advice
Half Price Admission to the Sculpture Gardens

In support of the opening of our new “Veggie” section our resident specialist David Bayly will be available to answer any questions you may have concerning all aspects of planning, planting and maintaining a successful vegetable garden.

David will be available in the new vegetable plant area between 0930 and 1030 on Saturday 26th October and access to his words of wisdom will be free of charge (other staff will be available over the weekend too).

On Labour weekend we are also part of the Helensville “Arts in the Ville” event. Consequently we are offering a half price admission charge to our beautiful Sculpture Gardens. The 2020 Sculpture Garden exhibition opens in December 2019, so make use of this final opportunity to have a look at the 2019 exhibition.

“Arts in the Ville” is a celebration of local artists from around the Helensville area.

This event is spread across a number of venues and will give you the opportunity to not only view various works of art but also meet the artists responsible for them. For more information please go to: https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/articles/events/2019/10/arts-in-the-ville/

The Kaipara Coast Sculpture Gardens 2019 Exhibition consists of over 40 marvellous sculptures created by both local and International artists and is spread along a superb 1Km nature trail which meanders through the idyllic Kaipara countryside.*

There is also a kid’s play area as well as our cute little coffee shop on site plus of course the Plant Centre for you to browse through.

Our knowledgeable and friendly staff will also be on hand to help with any garden related questions.

* Trail not suitable for wheelchairs or walking frames.

Venue location: 1481 Kaipara Coast Highway (SH16), 4km north of Kaukapakapa
Tickets: $7.50 per person or $17.50 per family
To book: info@kaipara.co.nz OR 09 420 5655

> Lawns Workshop

Lawns Workshop – Sunday 29th September 2019, 9.30am to 11.30am

With the warmer weather just around the corner that grass is going to start growing again! This is therefore a timely opportunity to learn how to make the most of your lawn, the focal point of most gardens, from an expert.

Ian Kent from Total Turf Services will be presenting this workshop.

Ian’s involvement in the turf industry extends across 40 years and includes in depth experience with turf consulting for sports fields, cricket wickets plus turf maintenance of numerous high profile properties throughout the greater Auckland area.

During this 2 hour interactive presentation he will be covering topics including:

• Types of grass and their features/properties/best applications
• Different kinds of lawn installation methods
• Ground preparation, sowing and nurturing
• Prevention and combating of weed/moss infestation
• General lawn care (fertilising, mowing etc.)
• Lawn care machinery appropriate to different environments

These events are popular and spaces are limited so booking is recommended (see below for booking details).

Afterwards you will also be able to stroll around the beautiful 1Km nature trail which has over 40 marvellous new sculptures created for our 2019 exhibition by local and international artists on display. *

We also have our cute little coffee shop on site plus of course the Plant Centre for you to browse through.

Our knowledgeable and friendly staff will also be on hand to help with any garden related questions.

* Trail not suitable for wheelchairs or walking frames.

Venue location: 1481 Kaipara Coast Highway (SH16), 1km north of Kaukapakapa
Tickets: $20 per person
To book: info@kaipara.co.nz OR 09 420 5655

> Bee Keeping Workshop

Bee Keeping Presentation – Sunday 25th August 2019, 9.30am to 11.30am

As our contribution to the Bee Aware Month in September, being promoted by Apiculture NZ, Kaipara Coast Plant Centre is running a Bee Keeping Workshop on the above date.

This event will give a great overview not only of the techniques employed to nurture bees but also what you can do in your gardens to enhance their health and wellbeing and therefore your gardens appearance.

Our guest presenter is Kim Kneijber who has worked with Bees for over 15 Years, is a life member of the Auckland Bee Keeping Club and has a long time association with APINZ.

Kim will cover facets associated with this fascinating subject including hive maintenance and the associated equipment, challenges facing the bee population, pros and cons of bee keeping, the laws relating to this activity etc. There will also be a working hive on site.

If the “bug bites” (forgive the pun!) and you think it’s something you would like to have a go at or you just want to find out more, we will be running fortnightly follow up sessions (including working with a hive) which will go into more detail so as to get you started properly – dates to be confirmed.

Booking is essential as these events are generally very popular and numbers are limited.

Venue location: 1481 Kaipara Coast Highway (SH16), 4km north of Kaukapakapa

To secure your place please contact us on:

info@kaiparacoast.co.nz OR 09 420 5655 ($20 per person charge - to cover costs)

> Edible Garden Workshop

Join David as he covers all aspects of edible garden and vegetable gardening. Join David in the vegetable garden and orchard at Kaipara Coast Sculpture Gardens. David will talk and demonstrate everything from edible garden design, planting, soil preparation, what to plant and when, weed and pest control and answer any questions along the way.

> Pest Management Workshop

Want to find out more about the pests in your garden or on your lifestyle block, their impact on our flora and fauna in New Zealand, and the most effective methods to safely control/eradicate them? If so, this is a must-attend event.

Kaipara Coast Plant Centre has very significant experience in dealing with these unwanted critters and recently won the Ballance Farm Environment Award from Pest Free NZ for our efforts in this area.

Sean O’Brien from Goodnature www.goodnature.co.nz (who are a partner with DoC and specialise in this field), to talk us through the history, life cycle and control methodologies available. After this join Kaipara Coast Owner David Bayly on a walk around our sculpture trail, to illustrate the steps we have taken to minimise the impact of various pests.

Booking is essential as these events are generally very popular and numbers are limited.

> Pizza & Music at the Plant Centre

> Bee Keeping Workshop

Kaipara Coast Plant Centre, 1481 Kaipara Coast Highway (SH16), Kaukapakapa

A beginner's guide to Bee Keeping. Learn from local expert Jason Everard. A fun and informative workshop with lots to learn about the wonderful world of bees and what to plant to grow a bee friendly garden.

$10 per person (payable on the day). Register to book your space by emailing info@kaiparacoast.co.nz

> EXHIBITION 2017 - Under Kaipara Skies

Against the backdrop of the Kaipara Harbour, a 1km trail winds through a secluded valley displaying the beauty of iconic New Zealand landscapes. More than 40 sculptures by emerging and established New Zealand and international artists are revealed at every turn.

> Weed Management Workshop

Guest speaker Shane McNeill (Biosecurity Advisor at Auckland Council) will talk about keeping weeds at bay – how to identify and deal with them.
Register to attend this FREE workshop by emailing info@kaiparacoast.co.nz