As the International Landscape Design Project at this year’s garden festival, The Falling Garden will be the first installation of its kind in New Zealand and will set a new bench mark for floral exhibitions, says Syd Hansen of Hansen flower wholesalers.

“The sheer volume of roses of all colours and variety will be spectacular,” says Hansen who has volunteered her time and assistance with sourcing and advice transporting the flowers to New Plymouth for the installation. “This is the single largest order of roses we have received in 30 years of being in business. We have managed to source 70% of the order locally – and the other 30% will be flown in from our suppliers in India and Columbia.” 

Hansen’s Indian supplier, husband and wife team Hemand and Anu Jalan of Zygo Flowers in Bangalore, has been so enthralled with The Falling Garden concept that they has donated more than 2,500 stems.

New Zealand suppliers, Shipherds Roses of South Auckland and Van Liers Roses of West Auckland, are also donating roses.

With funding from the TSB Community Trust, each year, the Powerco Taranaki Garden Spectacular adds something completely new and inspiring with its International Landscape Design Project. While The Falling Garden is her first installation in New Zealand, over the past few years, Law as been commissioned to transform public spaces such as museums and galleries using suspended flowers and for events by brands such as Hermes, Cartier and Gucci.

She says The Falling Garden will be a “floral dreamscape” installation. “Most of my installations are reflecting what’s happening in nature by looking at plant patterns or observing the way something grows. Then I imagine these themes in real life and times that by a thousand so that it becomes a fantasy.” 

Installed in the TSB Showplace’s Alexandra Room for the duration of the Powerco Taranaki Garden Spectacular, viewing the installation will be free, and open to the public daily from 9am until 5pm.

To create the installation will be a logistical exercise for Rebecca and her team of four, plus a team of more than fifteen local volunteers. Firstly, imported roses will be carefully dry packed for their flight to Auckland. Once in Auckland, the roses are re-hydrated in water in preparation for being trucked to New Plymouth.

Scheduled to arrive in New Plymouth on 28 October, Law and her team will be spending three days carefully suspending the thousands of roses from the ceiling of the Alexander Room in time for an official opening on Thursday, 30 October. 

The Alexandra Room and The Falling Garden will also be the venue for two events during the festival.