All that is very well,” answered Candide, “but let us cultivate our garden.” -Voltaire 1759.

Inspired by this quote and imbued by a love for nature, Florence Micoud is now sharing her passion by creating outstanding private garden tours in the Wanaka district. “Post covid-19 has opened up new opportunities and catering to the local and domestic market is where we now have to look as overseas tourism takes a back seat“

Starting in spring and running to the end of Otagos’ flamboyant autumn, Beautiful Gardens of Wanaka will be offering guided narrative tours, to a maximum of 7 visitors per group, viewing 4 selected private gardens on a half-day tour.  This will create an inspiring visual experience, connecting people with nature while adding value and gratitude to the unique garden creations in the Upper Clutha district.

“I invite owners to submit their garden for consideration to be part of the tour”, Florence says.

Garden owners will receive a donation per visitor, providing an income stream for garden caretakers to support their ongoing development and their labour of love.

More significantly, “the garden tours are the occasion to showcase and share your beautiful garden and your dedication” adds Florence. “Keep gardening as you do, no need to make it perfect, it’s a living garden.”

Well-known for her community involvement for many things sustainable, Florence has a long experience and knowledge of gardening. For seven years, she worked as information manager for a French leading organic gardening company, producing a substantial magazine, publishing books and operating the visitor center; Terre Vivante. Florence led many guided tours at this centre featuring stunning gardens, eco-building, renewable energy and sustainable opportunities.

Florence has enjoyed gardening ever since and the idea of a garden tour for local and national visitors came from the deep joy she experienced from visiting and sharing the stunning gardens locally in Wanaka. This new business venture contributes to the widening new experiences now coming on offer to visitors in the Wanaka area. It also creates networking opportunities to garden caretakers – eg. carbon sinks, seed banks, plant swaps and sharing local plant knowledge.

“I will start with two tours per week and see how it grows, organically.” Now is the time to be part of the new Wanaka attraction! Florence invites local gardeners to submit their creations for consideration, ready for a start up with the emergence of springtime.

Visit beautifulgardenswanaka.com for more information and contact details.

Winnie Byanyima – is Executive Director of Oxfam International. Her interview on Radio NZ is life-affirming.

A few facts

8 men own as much as half of the world population
Shareholders steal the wealth from the economic system
Governments supports powerful rich lobbies by tax system
Business model: Companies supports stakeholders first, they take away from workers, from environment, from producers/suppliers (small companies)
3 billionaires own more than 28 million people!

Solutions

• Closing tax loopholes corporate tax reform
• Minimum wages–> living wages
• Slow but happening
• Transparency

Today 13 million people are in danger of starvation, because of conflict, and also drought, flood, drought ie. climate change
Because of inequality, mineral wealth capture.
Solutions for adapting to climate change exist. Local knowledge exist. Women are the frontline. Invest in supporting this local knowledge.

NZ has committed to zero emission by 2050, put laws in place to reach it!
Trump? Never mind, people will do it anyway raise your ambition to reduce the global warming. Story of inequality, injustice, opportunity to stand up.
180 years for an African man to create as much CO2 as an American man in one year
Today poor countries have more leadership than rich ones to reduce, adapt to climate change…

Good moment, great challenge!
The corruption is no greater in African countries than in US, EU etc example lobbying!
Citizen need to fight to get power back, in all countries!

OXFAM supports the people against poverty, climate change, corruption, Oxfam also support equality, women, children, fairness.  We can support Oxfam! I support Oxfam.

Go Winnie!