Wellington, March 9 NZPA - If All Blacks and Crusaders rugby halfback Andy Ellis seems a little slow clearing the ball, perhaps his green thumbs are to blame.

Ellis, 26, followed eye-shadow wearing Ma'a Nonu and nude painting poser Anton Oliver in showing All Blacks can have a gentler side, by today winning a gold medal at the Ellerslie International Flower Show in Christchurch.

The 10-test All Black and co-designer Danny Kamo were in elite company with The Last Laugh, a statement about the impact humans are having on the environment and its natural resources.

They joined international designers Chris Beardshaw and Koji Ninomiya as gold medal winners.

Convenor of judges Robert Hillier from England said there was an extreme diversity of gardens, making it interesting but also difficult for the judges.

He praised Ellis and Kamo for The Last Laugh, saying "the concept and delivery of this garden is amazing", while Ninomiya's western Japanese garden was the best he had seen him design.

"Chris Beardshaw's An Englishman's Retreat is perfection in terms of detail and finish," he said.

"To win gold you need attention to detail and finish, innovative ideas -- well delivered, and that is exactly what these Gold medal winners have done."

Ellis, who is completing as Bachelor of Landscape Architecture at Lincoln University, put his design career on hold five years ago when called up to play for the Crusaders, then the All Blacks.

He grew up on a farmlet in Harewood, Christchurch, where his grandparents grew asparagus and his parents tomatoes.

"I always remember being outside doing things in the garden and planting things," he said at last year's flower show.

Ellis met Kamo playing touch rugby. The pair design for John Marsh Landscape Architects.

Gold awards:

Exhibition Gardens: An Englishman's Retreat, Chris Beardshaw; Sei Sei Tei II, Koji Ninomiya; The Last Laugh, Andy Ellis and Danny Kamo.

Starlight Marquee: Christchurch Botanic Gardens

Hort Galore Marquee: Stratford Garden Club, NZ Alpine Garden Society

Floral Art Marquee: Ikebana International Ikenobo School, Avon Floral Art, Jenny Harris.