Community Unites to Revive Hurunui Garden Festival After Storm

The Hurunui district in North Canterbury is recovering swiftly from severe weather disruptions just in time for the annual Hurunui Garden Festival. Following a tumultuous storm that swept through the area last week, uprooting trees and causing power outages, community members rallied together to ensure the festival could proceed as planned. The event commenced on October 5, 2023, showcasing the resilience and spirit of the local residents.

The festival, which began in 2018, was initiated by local garden owners who aimed to open their gardens to the public and attract visitors to the region. According to Jenny Cooper, a member of the Hurunui Garden Festival committee and owner of Blue House in Amberley, the community’s response was extraordinary. “We have had so many offers of help,” she noted, highlighting the collective effort that allowed the festival to continue despite significant challenges.

One of the worst-hit locations was Flaxmere, a prominent garden owned by Penny Zino. Cooper described the devastation, stating, “Penny sat there and just watched these trees go down one by one.” Flaxmere, known for its stunning views of Mount Tekoa and its expansive formal lawn lined with mature trees, suffered extensive damage during the storm. The emotional toll of witnessing such destruction was evident, as Cooper remarked, “You just look at it and you think ‘how on earth do you even start cleaning this up?'”

Despite the extensive damage, the community’s determination prevailed. Volunteers arrived equipped with chainsaws and trailers, ready to assist in the recovery efforts. “Everybody up this way has a chainsaw and we all have a trailer, so people just turn up with their chainsaws and their trailers and say ‘point me! What do you need doing?'” Cooper shared. This collective action enabled the gardens to be restored to their former glory within just a few days.

The four-day festival features not only the stunning gardens but also a variety of local artwork, sculptures, and crafts available for purchase, along with food carts offering delicious options. Cooper emphasized the festival’s significance, stating, “It is a celebration of the beautiful area.”

As the festival progresses, the gardens appear almost untouched by the previous storm, showcasing a remarkable recovery. “You’d never know we had such extensive damage, the gardens just look amazing … until you look over the fence and can see the piles and piles of trees,” Cooper concluded.

The Hurunui Garden Festival continues to be a testament to the strength and unity of the local community, demonstrating how collective effort can lead to remarkable outcomes even in the face of adversity.