August… we love you!

Less Than 10 Weeks to Go!

It’s hard to believe that the Centurian Garden Festival is now less than 10 weeks away! Preparations here at Bee Valley are humming along – the garden is bursting with activity as we weed, plant, and tend to the blooms that will soon welcome visitors. Every spare hand (and moment!) is busy getting things festival-ready.

In amongst the work, we managed a wonderful winter break with our grandsons in Christchurch. What a trip! We soaked in the hot pools, explored Margaret Mahy Playground (the flying fox was a huge hit), wandered through Orana Wildlife Park, and braved the chilly but magical Illuminate light show at the Botanic Gardens. The Antarctica Centre was fascinating, tram rides gave us a glimpse of the city’s charm, and Quake City at the museum was both moving and inspiring.

One of the highlights for the boys was helping “rebuild Christchurch” with Lego – such a special way to connect with the city’s story. We returned with full hearts and happy memories, and now it’s straight back into festival preparations.

The countdown is officially on – less than 10 weeks to go! Most of our workshops are already sold out, but a few tickets are still available for Christmas Candle Making and our second Christmas Wreath Making session. And if you’d like to end the festival in style, don’t miss our Gourmet Country Picnic on the final day – a perfect way to celebrate spring in full bloom.