MRS BEVERLEY McCONNELL

MNZM, QSM, VMM, AHRIH (NZ)

Plants woman, Garden designer & director,  educator, artist, gardener, advocate and patron

Bev, tonight we want to honour and thank you for being our Patron for the entire life of the Society, since its’ inception in 2002 – that is 17 years!

You have lent us your grace, wisdom and fine reputation as a plants woman, garden designer & director of Ayrlie’s Garden, educator, artist, gardener, advocate and patron.

I have been particularly aware of your influence as an advocate for gardens, horticulture and young leaders in those fields through my involvement with not only this Society, but also the RNZIH, the NZ Gardens Trust, the various iterations of the Flower Shows and the YHoTY award programme. Wherever you go, you have an intelligent question or even a witty challenge to how things might be done better, but always with a warm smile and a generous twinkle in your eye.

Bev, your garden Ayrlie’s is a triumph. It was one of the first gardens to open to visitors as part of the NZ Gardens Trust, and Society members have been thrilled to visit you there. It has been awarded the 6 star rating as a garden of International Significance for NZ - its scale and complexity is wonderful and would daunt most gardeners, but not you!

You have been making your mark in the garden and plant world for several decades. The awards you have received in recognition of your leadership and advocacy are tremendous: The RNZIH made you an Associate of Honour in 1998, and vice-patron in 2010 alongside the Governor General. You were awarded a Queen’s Service Medal for services to Horticulture in 2010, and then the prestigious Veitch Memorial Medal in 2012. You were made a Member of the NZ Order of Merit in 2015.

Your book ‘Ayrlies, My Story, My Garden’, provides a heart-warming and heart–breaking account of the development of your garden, first with your husband Malcolm and then after his death. It is not only a book about plants but a human story of your life, your family and five decades spent creating this outstanding garden.

In developing your garden Bev, you have created a place that New Zealanders and overseas visitors love to visit. You have also developed quite a number of young gardeners who have increased their knowledge and developed their skills from working with you, many of whom have gone on to create their own gardens or manage other gardens. You and your trustees have developed a scholarship programme to enhance this learning and leadership training for some of your young gardeners.

Again, we wish to honour your career and achievements, and thank you for your time and input as our Patron by awarding you a Life Membership to the Garden Design Society of New Zealand. Please come up to receive your award.

Mrs Beverly McConnell

Patron

Garden Design Society of New Zealand (GDSNZ)

May 2002 – June 2019 (17 years)

Read on the occasion of the award of Life Member on 18 June 2019 by Penny Cliffin, President Prepared by Penny Cliffin, President, Garden Design Society of New Zealand.