Festival Programme
FRIDAY 28th October
09.00 Garden stalls commence set up in the Makana Botanical Gardens.
15.30 Pam Golding Hall and Annexe at the RU Environmental Learning Centre (ELC) open to Flower Competition exhibitors.
18.30 Closure
SATURDAY 29th October
07.30 Pam Golding Hall and Annexe pen to Flower Competition exhibitors.
09.00 Garden Stalls, Food Court, Festival Restaurant and Children's FunFest open to the public in the Makana Botanical Gardens.
09.00 BotSoc Indigenous Plant Sale commences in the Makana Botanical Gardens.
09.00 Pam Golding Hall and Annexe close to exhibitors
09.00 - 14.00 Open Gardens:
Winners and runners up in the Gardens of Grahamstown Competition.
Open Grahamstown Homes & Gardens.
09.00 - 17.00 Art Exhibition:
Artworks by local artists on show and for sale in the Glass Box opposite Eden Grove Blue Lecture Theatre, RU.
09.30 - 10.30 Judging of Flower Competition exhibits.
09.30 - 11.00 Guest speaker - Tanya Visser:
New trends, eco-gardening and getting the most out of your garden, Eden Grove Blue Lecture Theatre, RU.
10.45 Flower Competition in the Pam Golding Hall and Annexe, and the Festival Tea Room open to the public.
11.30 - 12.30 Workshop - Don Green:
Indigenous Medicinal Plants & Basic Phytotherapy Treatments, ELC Amphitheatre.
12.00 - 12.30 Book Launch:
Veld, Vlei and Rose Gardens, with Vernon Marais and Sid Penney, Eden Grove Blue Lecture Theatre, RU.
12.30 - 13.00 St Andrews' Pipe Band, Main Avenue, Makana Botanical Gardens.
14.00 - 15.00 Guest speaker - David Davidson:
The Chelsea Experience - South Africa Blooms Abroad, Eden Grove Blue Lecture Theatre, RU.
14.00 - 14.30 Children's Workshop - Warren Lange:
Fun with Plants, ELC Amphitheatre.
16.30 Official Opening and prize-giving in Eden Grove Blue Lecture Theatre, RU.
17.30 Closure
SUNDAY 30th October
09.00 Festival grounds open to the public.
Pam Golding Hall and Annexe, Food Court and restaurants, BotSoc Indigenous Plant Sale and Children's FunFest open to the public.
09.00 - 14.00 Art Exhibition
Artworks by local artists on show and for sale in the Glass Box opposite Eden Grove Blue Lecture Theatre, RU.
10.00 - 14.00 Open Gardens:
Winners and runners up in the Gardens of Grahamstown Competition.
Open Grahamstown Homes.
10.00 - 11.00 Workshop - Elmarie Retief:
Say it with Pizzazz!, Eden Grove Blue Lecture Theatre, RU.
11.30 - 12.30 Family Workshop - Prof Rob O'Donoghue:
Bug Busters: Preventing insects from becoming BUGS!, ELC Amphitheatre.
11.30 - 12.15 St Andrews' Prep Marimba Band, Food Court, Makana Botanical Gardens.
14.00 - 14.45 Kingswood College Jazz Band, Food Court, Makana Botanical Gardens.
14.00 - 15.00 Guest speaker - David Davidson:
Floral Festivals in the Far East, Eden Grove Blue Lecture Theatre, RU.
15.00 The Festival closes.
WELCOME ADDITIONS TO FLOWER FEST
The 2011 Grahamstown Flower Festival boasts two first-time appearances and great new additions that are likely to attract much interest among festival goers - a book launch and an art exhibition.
Hot off the press is the beautifully-illustrated coffee-table book Veld, Vlei & Rose Gardens, edited by Jacqueline Kalley and rose legend Sheenagh Harris, and published by Johannesburg-based Otterley Press.
Of local interest is the inclusion of local rose cultivator Vernon Marais, whose smallholding is situated just outside Grahamstown. His rose estate, Arequipa, joins 40 other rose gardens from across South Africa on the pages of the book.
The book will have its official launch at the flower festival on Saturday 29 October at 12 noon in the Eden Grove Blue Lecture Theatre. Copies will be on sale.
Another big attraction will be the art exhibition that will be open during festival hours. The exhibition is being co-ordinated by Ginny Reed, and will feature artworks by local artists - these artworks will be on show and will be offered for sale.
The art exhibition will be held in the Glass Box from 9am to 5pm on the Saturday, and from 9am to 2pm on the Sunday.