Well what a fantastic four days we have had! I would like to thank the 650 odd people who came to my garden during the four day festival to view both my garden and my photography. What a great platform to expose my work to so many people. And hearing their responses to viewing my images did make my heart sing, I was particularly tickled by the elderly lady who just kept repeating "Yum!"

I would also like to thank my special friends who pitched in helping pull it all together, especially Deb Primrose, Tessa Blackett, Charlotte Manville, Kate Scott and my husband Philip Henderson. Thanks also to Kim Westerskov for his critical photographic eye; Jo from Carters Photography and Gill from l'imprimerie Fine Art Printing, and Wendy and Julie from Picture Frame Factory Shop for bringing my images to life with their exquisite printing and framing. Our garage was truly transformed into a wonderful viewing space.

And the garden and plants from which my inspiration comes looked fantastic too!

Happy to say we are all set and ready to open tomorrow morning for the first day of the BoP Garden & Art Fest! Its been a mammoth effort getting ready for this years festival after such a wet winter/early spring, but we've done it! The garden is looking great and photos are looking stunning!

Leigh warmly invites you to view her Fine Art Photography at the Bay of Plenty Garden & Art Festival 2016.

Leighs well-established coastal garden returns to this year’s festival as a garden and art stop. The garden and beachside location provide the inspiration for Leigh, a fine art photographer who exhibits her images in natural floral and seascape themes.

Where: Garden Trail Stop 55, Evergreen Landscapes

468 Papamoa Beach Road, Papamoa

When: Thursday 17th till Sunday 20th November 2016

Hours: 9.30-5pm Thursday, Friday & Saturday

9.30 -3pm Sunday

Successful Exhibition

New Zealand Garden & Art Festival

As a participant is this years garden & art trail, over four days from 20th to 23rd Nov we had a steady stream of visitors coming to view our established Papamoa Beach coastal garden and my inaugural fine art photography exhibition.

It was with trepidation I greeted the first viewers but my nervousness was quickly dispersed by the overwhelming positive reactions of people viewing my images – “are these photographs?” “beautiful images”, “very inspiring”, “wow, lovely flowers”, and “great paintings” – which I took as an affirmation that I had indeed elevated my form of photography beyond the snapshot and into the realm of fine art.

The themes I choose to display were floral and seascape images, to represent my connection with both the sea beside which I reside and my life long love of plants

It was the perfect platform participating in the festival as an artist as well as a gardener, as an instant connection was made with an audience who had purchased tickets to view both. And I was very delighted that I also made sales!

Images courtesy of Kim Westerskov

NZ Garden & Art Festival, Bay of Plenty

I warmly invite you to view Leigh Nicholas, Fine Art Photography exhibition during the upcoming festival from Thursday 20th Nov to Sunday 23 Nov 2014. As a professional landscape gardener I have been involved in this festival in the past, showing my own and my clients' gardens, partaking in an edible display garden challenge, and giving a workshop on vegetable growing. This year I will be showing both my own established coastal garden and my sea and flora photos. A wonderful synergy of all I love. We are Garden Trail stop #77, in Area 4 in the garden of Evergreen Landscapes, 468 Papamoa Beach Road, Papamoa Beach, Tauranga.