Gardening

J Barry Ferguson is the quintessential example of the caption, "New Zealand boy done good in New York." His first claim to fame may have been as Wellington's number one square dance caller in 1951, and his first floral business was on Hereford Street in Christchurch, but it was on Fifth Avenue that he really made his name. From his work as long-time curator of Greenacre Park, a lunch hour haven for Manhattanites, to his lavish floral decorations for highly visible events such as the re-opening of Central Park Zoo, or private functions like David and Peggy Rockefeller's fiftieth wedding anniversary, his client list included many of the city's most famous names and institutions. Having retired to the tranquil coastline of Northland, Barry has produced a fascinating memoir that illustrates how a combination of timing, good fortune and hard work, plus plenty of chutzpa, allowed him to seize unique opportunities, whether it was running a theatre company in Stockholm or a business designing flowers and decor for special events in Manhattan.