Ben Hoyle of Blue Gecko Landscape

Designer Ben Hoyle has been creating and building gardens for as long as he can remember.
Born and raised in a small country town in Northland, New Zealand, Ben has a natural affinity for the outdoors and a passion for plants and design. Moving to the Wellington region he studied horticulture and landscape design, graduating in 1997 with his Diploma.

At the age of 20 and fresh out of tertiary training Ben formed his own Landscape Design Company, www.bluegecko.co.nz in 1998. In the same year he exhibited at the Ellerslie International Flower Show winning his first Silver Medal. This would prove to be the beginning of an addiction for him, exhibiting a further six times to bring his current medal tally at E.I.F.S. to seven (triple gold), including taking top honours in 2006 in the Avenue of Gold section, (competing against other previous Gold Medal winners). In 2009 Ben’s latest Gold Medal achievement also included the Judges Supreme Award for Landscape Construction.   

In 2008, Ben was selected to represent New Zealand at the internationally acclaimed Singapore Garden Festival. This was Ben’s first overseas exhibition and the first time New Zealand was represented at the Festival.

In 2010 Ben switched roles to join an international panel of Judges at the Ellerslie International Flower Show, which proved to be an invaluable learning experience.

Over the years Ben has also been involved in television shows such as Maggie’s Garden Show and more recently T.V.N.Z.’s Good Morning program, creating magic garden makeovers as well as writing D.I.Y. columns for Fairfax’s Magazine Your Weekend. He also talks regularly to various gardening groups and horticultural societies.

In October 2010 Ben represented New Zealand in the inaugural Gardening World Cup held in Japan. With the show them ‘Gardening for Peace’, Ben’s radically innovative and thought provoking design ‘A Moment in Time’ was awarded a Gold Medal and the Supreme Peace Award.
 
March 2012 will bring the SHE LOVES ME, SHE LOVES ME NOT… display to Ellerslie.
Set aside all preconceptions and be transported to a place of tranquil serenity. Here the traditional outdoor room has been artfully morphed into a giant water lily where one or many can come together and reflect upon still waters. This floating sanctuary is inspired by nature and one’s desire to physically and mentally break away from ‘terra firma’ from time to time. This garden explores the human element, that love-hate relationship Cantabrians share with their ever changing environment and provides an innovative and hopeful perspective of adapting for the future.