Gerry Boyle is giving away hydrangeas from his unsuccessful fundraising venture. Photo by Gregor Richardson.

Bad timing and bad luck meant Gerry Boyle's hydrangea fundraising venture never really took root.

But it no longer bothers him - or the many visitors who take home free blooms.

"If you're not going to get a return, you're best to let somebody go in and help themselves," Mr Boyle (76) said.

In 2002, Mr Boyle was employed as manager at the now-closed Otago Salmon Hatchery Trust facility.

He decided to grow one hydrangea plant for every one of the 5000 salmon hatchlings released into Dunedin Harbour and give the profits from flower sales to the hatchery.

He came close to his target, planting 4945 plants on land offered by neighbours alongside his 0.1ha Blanket Bay property, 8km from Dunedin.

Hydrangeas were the plant of choice, he said, because they were cheap to grow and at the time international demand was high.

However, when the first flowers were ready for export, he was told the petals did not have the serrated shape in demand overseas.

Also the booming hydrangea markets in the United States and Japan were on the way down and rising transport costs meant the operation would not be profitable.

Seven years on, Mr Boyle has a thriving field of hydrangeas and is happy to give them away during the flowering season in January and February.

"I enjoy people coming here and helping themselves. They all have me on about growing flowers, but it's just been great."