Southland The Ensign The work of a former Gore man who shaped southern public spaces was recognised on Sunday with an award from the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture (RNZIH). Gordon Bailey, the parks manager at Gore District Council for many years, was honoured with a RNZIH Associate of Honour for his work in many fields. Mr Bailey also served as parks manager for the Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes district councils. Mr Bailey established Bannerman Park’s rhododendron collection, which now has about 30 different species. Now living in Wānaka, he holds the Ian Galloway trophy for his work with public gardens and is a RNZIH Fellow. As long-serving chairman of the Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust, Mr Bailey has also has a leading role in developing an internationally significant rhododendron conservation strategy, centred on Pukeiti, in Taranaki and was recently awarded life membership of the trust. He has visited China six times to study rhododendrons in the wild and collect seeds.…