Posted on 7 October 2026
EventsOur StaffMelbourne International Flower and Garden Show head judge and Open Polytechnic kaimahi (staff) Megan Parker celebrated her 10-year involvement at the event, earlier this year.
Megan, who has been a judge for six years, started attending the large-scale event in 2016.
A decade ago, she was invited to Melbourne to the Marjorie Milner College—the oldest flower school in the city—to present a weekend demonstration and then spend a few days in the classrooms sharing a New Zealand approach to floral design.
“That visit built strong relationships,” Megan says.
“The following year I applied to present a non‑judged stand at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, representing both my own work and New Zealand Professional Florists.”
This year’s event in February 2026, had 108,000 people in attendance.
The theme, “Kaleidoscope”, was running through both the Great Flower Hall displays and the outdoor gardens.
“Judges were looking for bold repetition of pattern, strong groupings and designs that drew people in and held their attention, whether in floral artistry or garden construction,” Megan explains.
Her responsibilities included assessing exhibits against the published criteria and the year’s theme—looking closely at design principles, sustainable techniques, professional finish, overall impact and that all-important “wow” factor.
“Most importantly, it’s about professionalism: Being consistent and respectful of the competitors, the materials used and the final exhibit on display,” Megan says.
Megan also enjoyed attending the show, outside of her judging duties.
Photo: Judge Lynne Dallas with Megan.
"Beyond judging, it’s a wonderful opportunity to connect with the wider industry—keeping a finger on the pulse of new ideas, sharing knowledge of flowers, and bringing inspiration back to our ākonga (learners) and programmes at Open Polytechnic,” Megan explains.
Megan likes working at Open Polytechnic, where she has been for nine years.
“I’m still impressed by how Open Polytechnic keeps evolving—always lifting the learning experience and outcomes for ākonga, while staying ahead of the ongoing challenges and opportunities that come with technology,” she says.
“Because floristry is creative, people sometimes assume it’s just arranging flowers —but there’s real skill and science involved; understanding flower behaviour, conditioning, mechanics, design principles, and what will and won’t last.”
Open Polytechnic offers the NZ Certificate in Floristry (Level 2) zero fees and the NZ Certificate in Floristry (Level 3) (some material costs required). Conditions apply.
According to Megan, within Open Polytechnic’s floristry programmes, kaimahi are passionate about flowers and about ākonga.
“We value every learner who enrols, and we work hard to nurture their confidence and commitment,” Megan says.
“And the outcomes are incredible. Over the years we’ve seen ākonga go on to work overseas, prepare florals for superyachts, open their own businesses, and even branch into our organics and horticulture programmes to learn how to grow flowers themselves. It’s pretty special.”
For Megan, standing on the stage and introducing herself at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show as Megan Parker, Master Florist, working for the only fully online floristry provider in the country, was a proud moment.
“Representing Open Polytechnic in industry spaces like that is a real honour and privilege,” she says.
“Personally, I feel privileged to work alongside colleagues who genuinely love what they do. I also really value the flexibility we have within our work environment, and the trust placed in us to deliver excellent programmes.”