Sydney Blooms as First Australian Garden Show Opens

Sydney will be in full bloom, both day and night, as the inaugural Australian Garden Show Sydney opens in Centennial Park on Thursday 5 September. For four days and nights Sydney will celebrate gardening, flowers, sustainability and garden design.

Making the most of Sydney’s spring, visitors are also invited to experience the sights, sounds and fragrances in The Night Garden, with its pop-up restaurant and bar, open until 10pm.

Environment Minister Robyn Parker last tonight joined NSW Governor, Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, to officially open the Australian Garden Show Sydney and to announce the winning garden displays.

“The first ever Australian Garden Show Sydney will set a new benchmark for horticultural events in Australia over the next three years and is estimated to contribute at least $12 million to the NSW economy,” Ms Parker said.

“The stunning surrounds of Centennial Park are a perfect fit with the outdoors lifestyle we are lucky to be able to enjoy all year round in NSW.

“Congratulations to the award winners of the Inspirational and Urban Gardens and Environmental Excellence awards. The gardens created are stunning and definitely not to be missed.”

Chelsea Flower Show gold medallists Tom Harfleet and Jim Fogarty, three-times UK Designer of the Year and event ambassador Andrew Fisher-Tomlin, French vertical garden expert Patrick Blanc, expert balcony gardener and curator of The Kitchen Garden Ms Indira Naidoo, and a host of other horticultural, landscaping and design personalities will make The Australian Garden Show Sydney their home over the four days.

Minister for Tourism and Major Events George Souris said, “The Australian Garden Show Sydney brings a fantastic line up of leading international and national experts exclusively to Sydney, NSW in a never before seen event format perfect for new gardeners, garden enthusiasts and those of us who just enjoy the outdoors, to explore the best of garden, flower and landscape design.

“The Australian Garden Show Sydney is the perfect opportunity for visitors alike to make the most of their own backyard here, receive some great gardening tips and ideas and really enjoy the spectacular displays day and night.

"This event will also highlight the extraordinary diversity of gardening, landscape design and flower festivals in NSW by promoting more than 29 Regional garden festivals, including the Hunter Valley, the Blue Mountains, the Southern Highlands and the South Coast."