Show dates: 2nd – 4th September 2011
Somerset, UK.
The National Gardening Show is an ideal day out for gardening fans - the event showcases the finest in Autumn gardening, with lots of features that are unique to the show, advice from experts, and help on how to grow plants and vegetables. Experienced and beginner gardeners alike will enjoy the event, as will food lovers and people hoping to learn new crafts and discover hidden talents!
Key show highlights include:
Bright Green Shoots is an exciting new feature which brings together four entrepreneurs who are making their names in the horticulture world with their gardening skills and creative flair. The project is the brainchild of Jo Thompson, one of the country’s rising stars in garden design and winner of a Gold medal at last year’s Chelsea Flower Show for the Best Urban Garden, who is always on the look-out for new talent and ideas. The four pioneers are: Mark Diacono who set up the award winning Otter Farm, Armando Raish, the founder of Treebox, and Fabrizio Boccha and Georgie Newbury from Common Flower Farm - all of whom are unified by a passion to create something that will help make a difference to the environment and get people gardening, whether it be wild flowers, an olive grove or an eco vertical allotment. There is not only a chance to meet them all at the show but also to hear about their work in the Lecture Theatre.
A new Poultry Show will be launched as part of the event, for people who want to become more self-sufficient – ideal for those who are thinking about rearing hens and having their own free-range egg supply! The new South West Autumn Poultry Show will feature a hundred classes giving visitors a unique chance to see the Finest Poultry. This will be part of the flourishing Smallholders area which will be showcasing pygmy goats and birds of prey.
Foodies wishing to join the rush to grow their own veg will be able to learn about growing techniques and allotments, as well as how to cook tasty fresh meals with accomplished well-known chefs from the South West in the Cookery Theatre. The three chefs are Alex Taylor from the Severn & Wye Smokery, Josh Eggleton, the award-winning Michelin star chef from The Pony & Trap, and the highly skilled, James Finch.
The ‘Best of the West’ will also be showcased in the Food Halls, including mouth-watering national delicacies such as cheese, chutneys, jams, Cornish pasties, fudges, liqueurs and cider. Two highlight exhibitors this year are Peter Osgrow who will be serving more exotic treats such as delicious ostrich, kangaroo, crocodile and springbok steaks and burgers, and Piescream who specialise in gourmet pies and mash with a twist in the shape of an ice cream!
The National Dahlia Society Show will take place within the main show. Dahlias are unique flowers with such a wide range of form, size and colour, from the two inch globe of the pompom to the massive 18 inch diameter giants. Walking into the National Dahlia Society Show is a special experience - it is the oldest of its kind (established in 1881) and holds the largest and most varied collection of the National Shows. Simply enjoy the riot of colours and the beauty of these stunning blooms, or be inspired to speak to experts about how you could start growing dahlias.
See the countries biggest vegetables! The UK National Giant Vegetables Championships is a real show highlight for everyone from amazed children to keen foodies! Competitors return to the show in the hope of breaking world records and smashing their personal bests, with absolutely huge vegetables from carrots to cucumbers, and melons to marrows! Science and pure dedication is involved, and at last year’s event a gigantic 8.3lb (3.76kg) spud broke the world record! It was grown by Peter Glazebrook who is a full time giant vegetable grower - so come to the show, see the mammoth exhibits (which often need to be carried to the scales on fork lift trucks!) and find out how to grow bigger veg.
Another unusual record breaker on display at the show is the world’s largest
spade made by Bulldog Tools, Britain’s last working forge. Measuring 3.610m (11’8”) tall, with a blade of 59.8cm (23.5”) and weighing in at over 180KG (28st 4.8lbs) the spade was designed and manufactured to celebrate Bulldog’s 230th anniversary.
Sarah Raven, the high profile gardener will be making a guest appearance on the second day of the show. Sarah will not only be revealing her hottest tips for flower arranging but also signing copies of her latest book which will give visitors the chance to meet her. Other authors include Alastair Sawday, Jake Hobbs and Anthony Woodward and local writers Alan Gloak and Joe Hashman. In the Lecture Theatre there will be a host of experts such as Rachel Brewer, Pommelier for the National Trust, Charles Dowding, expert on No Dig Gardening, Alan Down, owner of Cleeve Garden Centre and gardening correspondent for the Western Daily Press, as well as diverse subjects from carnivorous plants to garden design.
In The Studio there will be an exhibition of botanical art, with the chance to buy, from Sally Pinhey one of Britain’s foremost botanical illustrators, Ros Ford, the Bristol artist specialising in prints of your garden and Maria Bruker, the botanical watercolourist.
The Show and Feature gardens will once again be a major highlight of this year’s show. Designed to inspire gardeners and demonstrate just what can be achieved with a little imagination and flair, the Gardens are being created by, HMP Guys Marsh, Somervale School and Designs in Stainless.
Another exciting new gardening highlight this year is the Instant Garden Challenge. Sponsored by Park Garden Centre from Cheddar and Almondsbury, there will be a competition on each day of the show with different competing teams. Drawn from landscape gardeners and gardeners on the first day, schools on the Saturday and gardening clubs on the final day, the gardening teams will be tasked with creating an instant garden from a selection of plants and flowers supplied by Park, augmented by items chosen by the teams from exhibitors at the event.
Lots of people want to learn about traditional crafts and skills and this is the ideal show to visit to learn about crafts such as basket making in the Gardening Pavilion and flower arranging with The National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies. Visitors can then browse the array of beautiful flowers in the Floral Halls – everything from the nation’s favourite varieties to exotic blooms. And in the showground’s apple orchards, visitors can learn all about making cider.
The show is designed to provide a fun day out for all the family. Children will especially enjoy the popular Scarecrow competition featuring interesting and unique scarecrows. This year's themes are nursery rhyme characters and traditional and the scarecrows will be displayed and judged at the Show. There is also a Woodland Trail for children, story telling and a new competition whereby children can bring their home grown sunflowers to the show - with the heaviest sunflower head declared the winner.
The Natural Theatre will also be out in force to provide sparkling street entertainment throughout the show with performances from gnomes to 'Bill & Ben'!
ENDS
Website: www.bathandwest.com
Ticket hotline: 01749 822222
Ticket price: £10 for a ticket to the show on the gate or £8 in advance. Children under 16 get in free.
For more information, please contact:
Hammond PR
Stephanie Charteris / Suzanna Hammond
stephanie@hammondpr.co.uk
07944 860 839 / 0207 630 6633
Show details:
The National Gardening Show
The Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset