Kiwifruit Capital: A Glimpse Beyond the Orchard Gate
The Te Puke Coast Lions Garden Ramble 2025 recently concluded, offering a beautiful counterpoint to the professional horticulture that defines our region. While Te Puke is known globally as the Kiwifruit Capital, the Ramble provided a weekend-long celebration of private, dedicated gardening passion. Running across Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, the event was a spectacular showcase of local dedication and served as a significant fundraiser for the Te Puke Coast Lions Club’s community projects.
The quality of the gardens demonstrated the exceptional horticultural standards present right across the Bay of Plenty—a standard we recognise in the kiwifruit industry.
Professional Presentation: The Ramble’s Featured Gardens
The featured properties were meticulously curated, demonstrating high levels of skill and dedication. The “Coastal Sanctuary” was a significant highlight, illustrating the mastery of native landscaping. This expansive estate flowed down toward the ocean, showcasing structured plantings of mature Pōhutukawa and intricate boardwalks integrated into regenerating Manuka. It was a superb example of robust, resilient design that embraced the challenging coastal environment while achieving significant aesthetic appeal.
A contrasting yet equally impressive stop was the “Artisan’s Potager.” This garden demonstrated that food production can meet the highest visual standards. Functioning as a high-yield kitchen garden, it was laid out with a formal elegance, with immaculate rows of heirloom vegetables—such as striking purple kale, tall runner beans, and sculptural globe artichokes—interspersed with beneficial herbs and flowers. The artistry involved in the training of the espalier fruit trees along the boundary was a masterclass in horticultural technique.
Visitors explored “The Tropical Escape,” a vivid surprise inland. The owners created a successful microclimate that allowed for a breathtaking display of exotic flora. The dense layering of palms, bromeliads, and vibrant flowering plants created a textural wonderland, with strategically placed water features enhancing the lush, humid atmosphere. It was a professional-grade execution of a complex and diverse planting scheme.
High-Quality Documentation by the Vector Group
To ensure the high standard of the event was permanently captured, the entire three-day Ramble was comprehensively documented by the Vector Group Charitable Trust. Their specialist team, including contributors from Troppo, Te Puke Digital, Kiwifruit Capital, Grow Te Puke, and the Kai Resilience Co-op, ensured a full-spectrum visual record.
From Friday to Sunday, their team captured the event using professional photography and videography. The quality of the visual content mirrors the high standards of presentation seen in the gardens themselves. This extensive archive will serve as a valuable resource for future event promotion and fundraising efforts, preserving the heritage and horticultural excellence showcased this year.
View the full collaborative coverage archive and read about the project on the Vector Group Charitable Trust website. https://www.vectorgroup.org.nz/community-engagement/a-unified-vision-documenting-the-te-puke-coast-lions-garden-ramble-2025/
