The display house underwent a $120,000-$130,000 restoration by the Waitaki District Council and was officially reopened yesterday by Mr Familton and his wife, Heather.
Dawn Sutherland (left) and Dorothy De Maine, of Kakanui, got caught up the spirit of celebrations at the opening yesterday.
The restoration involved removing about 1400 panes of glass, checking and repairing the timber framing, repainting, then putting in panes of toughened glass.
The display house was officially opened in 1929 to display tropical begonias. Covering about 170sq m, it was the largest in New Zealand at the time. It cost about 2800 raised by a fete in the gardens in 1928.
Mr Familton's great-uncle, Herb Familton, represented the secretary of the gardens and handed over the key in 1929 to the mayor of the day.
The gardens were one of the district's best kept secrets and a "truly outstanding asset", he said.
He praised gardens curator Lucas Le Roux for his work and thanked those involved in the project.
