Posted on 8 July 2026
80th AnniversaryWhen Bayley LuuTomes enrolled with Open Polytechnic, he never imagined that his career would one day take him onto international stages, television screens, and award-winning projects around the world.
After a few years in advertising, Bayley changed careers to horticulture more than a decade ago and has never looked back.
He worked as a gardener in Wellington, before enrolling in Open Polytechnic’s National Certificate in Horticulture (Level 4), which he completed in 2012.
The qualification provided Bayley with the technical skills, horticultural knowledge, and industry understanding that helped shape his professional career and eventually establish his own landscape design business.
Since then, Bayley has run his own business for the past decade, Bayley LuuTomes Design, and travels the world from his Christchurch base, designing gardens.
Photo: Bayley, left, on My Green Dream Home.
He has also appeared on the My Green Dream Home TV show and worked with Open Polytechnic Academic Staff Member in floristry Megan Parker on the Welcome Garden at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show.
Bayley has attended and won awards at national and international flower and garden shows, with a gold medal at the Singapore Garden Festival in 2016 a personal highlight. He also does public speaking and mentoring.
“Studying through Open Polytechnic gave me the foundation and confidence to pursue a career in landscape design,” Bayley says.
"From designing gardens in New Zealand to representing my country internationally, winning awards in several countries, and becoming the Garden Expert on My Green Dream Home New Zealand, the journey has been far greater than I ever expected.”
According to Bayley, reaching 80 years is an incredible milestone and a testament to the important role Open Polytechnic has played in educating generations of New Zealanders.
“Open Polytechnic made it possible for me to study while continuing to work, and that flexibility helped lay the foundations for the career I enjoy today, and for that I will always be grateful,” he says.
As someone who benefited from the flexibility and accessibility of distance learning, Bayley understands the value of creating opportunities for people from all walks of life to further their education and pursue their ambitions.
“Congratulations on 80 years of helping New Zealanders achieve their goals, unlock opportunities, and build meaningful careers,” he says.
“I am proud to be one of the many graduates whose lives have been positively shaped by Open Polytechnic, and I look forward to seeing future generations continue to benefit from the opportunities it provides.”