The Dunedin Rhododendron Festival will be celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
Festival co-ordinator Victoria Bunton says the festival, which this year runs from October 30 to November 2, has continued to grow and develop.
Further evidence of this is the focus in 2008 on climate change and sustainability.
The festival opening event will include an address by rhododendron expert Lynn Bublitz, who will discuss the effects of climate change on rhododendrons.
Mr Bublitz will outline some of the factors that limit their success as garden plants and will suggest trends in selection of suitable rhododendrons.
A former deputy mayor of New Plymouth, principal of Inglewood High School and teacher of biology and horticulture, Mr Bublitz has had a long association with the Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust and chairs the board.
He has an honours degree in botany, which has led to a lifelong interest in gardening and plants.
Rhododendrons are a particular interest and he has travelled to China to observe them in their native habitat and study the environments in which they grow.
As garden plants, many varieties present a challenge that will be heightened as the climate changes.
Carrying on with the climate change and sustainability focus will be a symposium on the Saturday of the festival, sponsored by Nichols Garden Centre.
This will include speakers on various topics:
Lynda Hallinan: Eat, drink and be merry
Is it possible to prevent waste, save time and save the planet simply by growing your own food?
New Zealand Gardener editor Lynda Hallinan is living proof that you can cut your food miles to metres and save thousands of dollars by putting in a vegetable patch.
Paul Mutch: Carbon, a designer's perspective
Paul Mutch will share his knowledge on carbon credits and the Kyoto Protocol.
He will outline, from a practical point of view, the implications of how carbon credits affect us when planning a new garden or redeveloping an existing garden.
Alan Matchett: Botanic gardens and sustainability
This talk will explore how and where botanic gardens can influence the sustainable use of resources through plant management, education, training, garden design, operational practices and their application in botanic gardens in Australia and New Zealand.
Dennis Greville: Native New Zealanders
Dennis Greville will talk about the beauty of New Zealand native plants and the importance of doing our best to conserve New Zealand flora and fauna.
Dennis maintains that it is essential that we learn to love and use native plants in our gardens and protect them for future generations.
Back by popular demand
• Judith Cullen cooking demonstration and garden tour
• Tea, Talk & Tours at Larnach Castle
• Janet de Wagt painting in the garden
• Art in the Garden at Glenfalloch
• Lions Club of Port Chalmers and Districts garden fete
• Portobello plant fair
The festival
The Dunedin Rhododendron Festival has been running since 1984, when a week-long celebration focused on the Botanic Garden's Rhododendron Dell, which is acknowledged as one of the world's most significant plantings of rhododendrons.
Today the dell covers 15 acres of land where there are more than 3500 rhododendrons, comprised of 178 species and over 200 named hybrids.
The programme
There will be more than 30 events over the four days of the festival and the full festival programme can be viewed on www.rhododunedin.co.nz. Printed programmes will be available from the Dunedin Visitor Centre from mid-August.
