The New England region is set to gain national exposure, with the entire team from ABC TV’s Gardening Australia visiting Armidale to showcase local gardens, gardening expertise and the region’s unique climate.
Presenters Costa Georgiadis, Sophie Thomson, Hannah Moloney and Jerry Coleby-Williams will attend the New England Garden Festival on October 31 and November 1, as part of a seven-day filming visit across the region.
The visit will provide an opportunity to promote New England’s gardens and horticultural community to a national television audience, while attracting visitors to Armidale for the annual festival.
The team will film a special episode highlighting local gardens and the challenges and rewards of gardening in the region.
“This is for a special episode on the New England that will go to air next Spring,” Gardening Australia producer Linda Ross said.
“The team will take part in a special Q&A at the festival on Saturday, October 31.
“They will also be dropping into many gardens as part of the festival’s open gardens trail.
“Gardeners will be interviewed to get a flavour as to what it’s like to garden in New England.”
The visit will also give local gardeners access to expert advice, with Coleby-Williams and Moloney conducting workshops on cool-climate and dry gardening, answering questions and providing one-on-one guidance during a garden visit.
Georgiadis and Thomson will film at the festival and meet stallholders, providing further opportunities to showcase local growers, businesses and gardening products.
Held at Armidale Racecourse, the volunteer-run festival attracts up to 4,000 visitors over two days, supporting local tourism, hospitality businesses and community organisations.
This year’s event will feature up to 100 stallholders, horticultural workshops, food vendors offering locally grown produce and entertainment from regional performers.
Festival president Marie Colless encouraged people to plan ahead to take advantage of the opportunity to meet the television personalities.
“It is a huge coup for our region to have the entire team of Gardening Australia at our festival,” Marie said.
Beyond the national exposure and potential tourism benefits, the event will also support local charities, with all money raised going towards community organisations.
The New England Garden Festival will be held on Saturday, October 31, and Sunday, November 1, at Armidale Racecourse in Barney Street.
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