A special evening of Filipino food, entertainment and storytelling will descend on the Ashburton Domain on Saturday 7 November as New Zealand's first public Filipino Hut Garden is unveiled, and all are welcome to attend.

Representatives from Mid Canterbury's Filipino community have partnered with the Ashburton District Welcoming Communities programme to install a garden that celebrates Filipino culture and creates welcoming public spaces.

The garden will feature miniature Bahay Kubo (or Nipa Huts) as well as symbols and colours from the Philippines flag. It will be a temporary garden that will be on show until Easter 2021 (weather permitting).

Pictured: The Bahay Kubo (Nipa Huts) being set up in the Filipino Garden at the Ashburton Domain.
The garden will become the second culturally themed garden planted in the Domain as part of Welcoming Communities activities - the first being an Indian themed garden back in November 2018.

Council Community Services Group Manager Steve Fabish, says the themed gardens are intended to reflect the district's growing cultural and ethnic diversity where newcomers and locals can feel welcome, make connections and learn more about one other.

"The Ashburton Domain is one of our most important public spaces and as a diverse community, it's fitting that people from all walks of life can see themselves celebrated in the local facilities they engage with.

"We are very proud to be working with our Filipino community on this project and hope to see many people come along for the official opening."

The garden will be located near the Council Open Spaces depot off West Street.

Members of the local Filipino community have been working on the garden design for more than a year. The vision for the garden is to express culture and identity while also signifying putting down new roots for a bright future in Mid Canterbury.

Although most of the plants in the Philippines are tropical and would not bode well in Mid Canterbury, the Council has been able to source sub-tropical species and flowers that represent the colour and vibrancy of Philippine culture.

The project has been made possible thanks to the involvement of the United Filipinos of Mid Canterbury, Filipino Dairy Workers New Zealand, Hakatere Multi Cultural Council, Office of Ethnic Communities and Ashburton District Council.

The garden will be officially opened at 6pm on 7 November. In the event of bad weather, the opening will be moved to 21 November.

The garden launch is open to all members of the public.​​