Celebrating Autumn

Time to enjoy yourselves

We’re only just over a week away from this year’s Malvern Autumn Show and it looks to be a cracker –a captivating celebration of country matters: food, gardening and nostalgia. Over the last three months, I’ve been previewing the Show; this post should act as a reprise of the exciting mixture of activities and exhibitors that you will find over the weekend of Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th September. And if this is your first visit to Ann’s Malvern Jotter, then it will serve as a useful introduction.

Juice, cider or perry?

Celebrate in style: “taste it, relive it, grow it, buy it, harvest it, experience it - and love it!”  You surely will, as I have done for all the years I have been visiting and reviewing the profusion of delights that this Show always offers. Keep calm – it’s show time and you only have a day (or two if you are staying in the vicinity) to take it all in. So a few teasers to whet your appetite - and in no particular order, for all visitors will no doubt make a beeline for their favourite aspect and it would be inappropriate for me to focus on what I love most. 

Enjoying a pint

Free dance lessons

Feeling nostalgic? Seek out the Vintage Village. Why not pick up your dancing shoes and learn to jive, or if a sedate afternoon tea is more your style, seek refreshment from the World War II Village Hall & Tea Room. Stop by the Vintage Pavilion or take a stroll around the vintage cars, caravans and machinery. And there’s an Old Tyme Victorian Fair, too.

Perfect veg

Harvest It: The Harvest Pavilion showcases prize-winning blooms and perfect veg. New for this year is the UK National Giant Vegetables Championship. Also NEW is the Vegetable Trug National Championships where avid gardeners can fill a trug with a selection of finest vegetables from their autumnal haul. And learn how to grow your own as well. 

Experienced already ...

... and stepping out

Experience It: There’s plenty to see - step into the World of Animals where you can interact and learn about different breeds. There is something for everybody including the entertaining ‘Lamb National’, animal parades, elegant carriage driving, gentle heavy horses, fast paced dog agility and gun dog displays. Visit the Cafe Plaza the perfect place to soak up the atmosphere and relax to the sounds of Indigo Kings in the afternoon.

Ready for tea and cake

Katie Johnson of
Wot's Cooking

Taste It: Don’t miss the cookery theatre run by Katie and Glyn Johnson from Wot’s Cooking, with demos from the region’s top chefs. Also check out the delicious local produced food & drink, artisan food market, Orchard Pavilion with cider and perry - and the WI bake off.

Apples are sure to feature in an Autumn edible garden

Grow It: Malvern is always a plant lover’s paradise presenting charming edible gardens, including an outdoor kitchen, a Cornish tea garden and the Rockford Garden, showcasing the landscape in Illinois. Experience the RHS Flower Show with hundreds of beautiful plants from Britain’s best nurseries as well as Alan Gardner’s ‘Food Versus Flowers’ garden and David Neate-Stidson’s ‘Out of the Red into the Green.’ Mark Diacono of Otter Farm will be talking about seasonal recipes, and Mary Berry is the headline guest on Saturday 28th in the Good Life Pavilion, where she will be talking to TV gardener Joe Swift about their joint love of all things gardening.  And Landscaping Live returns showcasing the art of garden design, featuring two identical gardens, one complete and the other a work in progress.

Pumpkins are always in evidence at this Show

Never too young ...

Discover It: There’s plenty of fun for the young and the young at heart. From taking the mystery out of mushroom-growing to pumpkin carving workshops from the 3 Shires Garden Centre, together with the chance to make a ‘Jack O Lantern’ in time for Halloween.

You are invited ... book your tickets and join the celebration

Enjoy It: Last but not least, discover the high quality, diverse shopping experience with 600 trade stands selling plants, crafts, garden gadgets and home effects, including the Countryside Shopping Pavilion and the opportunity for first class Christmas  gift shopping. 

All images used in this post are reproduced 

by courtesy of Stuart Purfield.