National award for ‘exquisite’ landscaping

Queenstown's Diva Landscapes has won a national award for its garden maintenance and management at one of Sir Michael Hill’s properties.

The Landscape of Distinction Awards, hosted by Registered Master Landscapers New Zealand, were announced in Christchurch on Saturday night.

The Wakatipu company won the premier maintenance and management award for its work at Arrowtown’s The Lodge at The Hills, beside Sir Michael’s private golf course, The Hills.

Judges commented Diva Landscapes had ‘‘installed and managed the exquisite plantscape’’ at the property and a decade after installing the design by Suzanne Turley, ‘‘the bold mass perennial planting still looks fabulous’’.

The irrigation, plant management and grooming were of the highest standard and under Diva’s monitoring of plant health and growth, the plant combinations were ‘‘thriving and indeed mesmerising’’, judges said.

‘‘We have a new company on the Registered Master Landscapers awards block for excellence in landscape management.’’

There were five landscape entries from companies in Alexandra and Cromwell which won gold medals, notably Cromwell’s Southern Landmarx, which picked up three — two for the Clutha River Views residence (construction and horticulture), and one for the Dunstan Vista residence.

Golds also went to Alexandra’s Weka Landscaping Ltd for the Reid residence, and Cromwell’s Lakes Landscapes for Lowburn Terrace.

The New Zealand Landscape of the Year 2021 supreme award winner was Humphreys Landscaping for its entry the Herne Bay House, which also won first place gold medals in the premier awards section in all three construction, design and horticulture categories.