At the Autumn Show - First Morning

Just a few from this morning (and the mist has gone)

The Showground is heaving!  I'm off-duty really, post-previews, and doing my own thing; dashed to buy pumpkin seeds from Pennard Plants in the Good Life Pavilion (an under-cover marquee filed with the edible gardens and seed/plant companies and always a magnet for me). Alongside spotted the Westons Cider vintage display (top right), enjoyed the vintage merry-go-round and the gold-medal Rockford Rock Garden (middle left). It features the urban and rural landscape of Rockford City, Illinois, USA - an irregular grid seen from the air. I'll be writing about this elsewhere. Then spent over an hour listening to an informative talk in the Harvest Pavilion on 'Amazing Edibles' - fruit, vegetables and wild plants (weeds, actually) given by member of the RHS Council, Jon Wheatley. Did you know that in 20 years we'll be eating hostas? Now to more hours of enjoyment as I quarter the show ground, in search of this and that, making a few purchases here and there. It's so beautifully warm, encouraging one to linger.

"Overture and Beginners"

This is how most Show Gardens look when work starts
(all the images in this post were taken on Mon 22nd April)

My theatrical analogy used throughout many of these posts is apposite, and will perhaps be apparent to anyone who has been involved in stage or concert hall. In the gardening fraternity, too, here at Malvern, even though the performance is on such a large scale and, basically, an outdoor event. You have the Hills as a backdrop and the Showground as the stage, with so much action taking place simultaneously that you, the Theatregoer / Show Visitor, will be hard-pressed to organise your day. What you do will depend to a large extent not so much on what is put before you, but on what you most want see; and on the Programme in your show guide.

Another 'beginning' - a bare plot of ground from which a 
spacious garden is being created

Outside there are the immaculate Show Gardens and ingenious School Gardens, each and every one telling their own story. And under cover two Theatres: the Allotment Theatre in the Gardeners’ Shopping Pavilion, and the Plants & People Theatre in a large and spacious marquee. The scene will have been set; you will wait in eager anticipation for the show to begin – will there be music? Visuals? There is no script and you, the visitor, are not just audience, but vital participants.

A garden takes shape - buildings and 'props' are moved into place

Special effects are called for by many a playwright or composer - Shakespeare's Prospero initiates a tempest, in The Tempest: (ACT I SCENE I: a tempestuous noise of thunder and lightning heard)! Or the atmospheric music depicting a storm in the last of four Sea Interludes composed by Benjamin Britten in his opera, Peter Grimes. At Malvern, whatever weather the Showground is blessed with will be entirely natural, not conjured out of the imagination. Everyone concerned in any way, exhibitor or visitor alike, hopes and prays for sunshine and perfect temperatures.

Think sunshine and hot weather - these olive trees create a
restful atmosphere

There: after all these posts, I have at last alluded to it: WEATHER. I am not being pessimistic; but this is England, in Spring. Forecasts need not deter you (did you know you can obtain a Met Office  forecast specifically for the showground?) Gardeners are used to weather! Come prepared - sensible shoes anyway (ladies) for there is a lot of walking, a lightweight raincoat and maybe a brolly. None of these precautions may be needed and there are plenty of under-cover activities should the heavens open. I am of the opinion that it is better to be prepared than disappointed. I have visited the Spring Gardening Show on all four days for the last seven years and nothing would stop me from continuing to do so; the weather is a part of it, but in the immortal words of Morecombe and Wise, "Bring me sunshine."

All hands as the Show approaches: the Showground is kept in immaculate condition

'Overture and Beginners': the call to actors or musicians to make their way to the stage or orchestra pit. Some will be waiting in the wings, some will be backstage staff, some ‘front of house’; and innumerable others going unnoticed, yet without whom the Show could not go on. It is a huge logistical event when everyone and everything dovetails to bring delight, fun and happiness, to make you smile as you joyfully fill your trolley with plants, plants, plants, gardening sundries, art, elegant clothes, local food, anything and everything connected with a splendid day out in the Malvern countryside. And perhaps, first and foremost for you, listening to expert advice in the two theatres, chatting to experts - don't forget the helpful and knowledgeable RHS staff in the RHS / TCAS members' pavilion.

Gardens ARE finished on time -
though this is one of the permanent
gardens through which I love
to wander.

I, too, am waiting in the wings and one more pre-Show visit before writing the final pre-Show post – and then 'Curtain Up' on 9th May: the most magnificent occasion, long anticipated, months in preparation and production. Keep up-to-date by visiting the Show Website. I look forward to saying hello again in my final pre-Show post next week, and then I will be blogging live throughout all four days at the Show.

I'm contemplating the
theatrical feel I want
to convey, and how to pull
it all together

Helpful Informtion: Opening times - 9am - 6pm; FREE Car parking.Children go FREE (0-15yrs) – it is recommended that children aged 12 and under are accompanied by a responsible adult. FREE Shuttle bus from Great Malvern Station to the Show on Friday, Saturday and Sunday runs continuously from 9am - 6pm. Bus stop just outside station entrance. Show bus stop is by Red Gate. SatNav Postcode: WR13 6NW.

WHY NOT ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT THESE PAGES, TOO?  (Just click on the links):
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Malvern Autumn Show

Gardens, Garden Design, and more ...

A Show Garden from a previous year, peaceful and naturalistic

As the Malvern Spring Gardening Show approaches ever nearer (only four weeks away now), advance information flows thick and fast. Spring really does seem to be unfolding, though last week when I was at the Showground for the fantastic ‘CountryTastic’ it was so cold (with snow on the hills), it was hard to believe that all would be transformed come Thursday 9th May. But it will be.

Bicycles are 'in' (read on)

Knowing how much readers enjoy looking at Show Gardens, and pulling them apart, or disagreeing with the judges’ opinions(!) - I trawled through the Show image archives for gardens from the past that really inspired me for one reason and another. You will not see any of these designs at this year’s show, of course, but news of what is on offer arrives almost daily in my inbox.

A nostalgic planting - this reminds me of childhood

First – and a first for Malvern - the Malvern Spring Gardening Show has teamed up with the Cotswold Gardening School to offer gardening enthusiasts the chance to win a fantastic 'Introduction to Garden Design' or ‘Planting Day’ course at the school. This superb opportunity is only open to visitors who pre-book their tickets (saves £s on ticket prices anyway). You will have the chance of winning one of five day courses and there will also be another set of five Planting Day courses up for grabs for anyone signing up to the Three Counties Showground e-newsletters. What are you waiting for?

You could happily sit all day in this garden

As for an update on the Show Gardens: The 2012 Olympics has had a considerable impact on gardening. Of the 14 show gardens this year, 50% have a sporting theme whilst all of them mirror the naturalistic planting in the London Olympic Park; a must for those gardeners keen to keep ahead of horticultural trends.

Equally inviting

THEMES are varied, though Sport – particularly cycling – is predominant taking inspiration both from Team GB’s cycling success as well as this year’s Tour de France, which celebrates its 100th anniversary. Sustainability, up-cycling and the environment continue to be popular themes with a natural burial site and solar paving the subject of a further two gardens. One of the show gardens pays tribute to the beloved Timelord complete with Dalek, for this year is the 50th anniversary of the cult TV programme, Dr Who.

A touch of quirkiness, and wild flowers, too.

Naturalistic planting is common to all of the gardens; herbs, vegetables and fruit trees are no longer segregated but feature within flowerbeds and throughout the gardens themselves. Formal trees and topiary provide strong, architectural lines in many of the gardens. Grasses are popular, too, whether they have an English woodland or Mediterranean theme to them. Herbs, especially lavender and those that provide scent, are much in evidence. Edible flowers, such as calendula and courgette blossoms – anything which looks and tastes good will be a challenge, and salad plants happily grow in flowerbeds alongside more formal planting.

Such fun!

You will find inspiration all around you in all the Show Gardens. And to further whet your appetite, the newly designed (for 2013) Malvern Spring Gardening Show website goes from strength to strength, so keep checking it every day, or you might miss something truly intriguing.

WHY NOT ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT THESE PAGES, TOO?  (Just click on the links):
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Malvern Autumn Show

AND PLEASE KEEP VISITING Ann's Malvern Jotter: I’ll be blogging again next week; and as the Show builds, I recommend regular clicks onto the Spring Gardening Show website for regular updates and more breaking news.

Malvern - a Shopper's Paradise

Buying hostas - the green of Spring - from a knowledgeable 
specialist in the Floral Marquee

PLANTS, PLANTS, PLANTS in marquee or pavilions; and for those who desire more than plants, an elegant shopping parade along which to linger, a feel for country living, or a browse around an Arts Market and Artisan Food stalls. There is so much to entice and beguile us all come May, it’s more a question of what to do first! And Malvern has that undeniable quality of location; you cannot miss the feel of Spring, or that sense of exuberance on the Showground, with the Hills so close, watchful and protecting.

There's plenty of choice in the Floral Marquee
from foxgloves to fritillarias, poppies to pelargoniums - and more

Garden and plant lovers more often than not head straight for the Floral Marquee or the Plant Pavilions. The former under cover – and the latter a row of tented nurseries with outdoor plantings in which you can see many of the plants growing in realistic situations. Intrepid plant hunters will know the ropes, but newcomers to gardening and first-timers at the Show may feel a little bewildered. So first, a few tips: wear comfortable clothing and sensible shoes. Cash in hand will speed up your plant purchases and there’s a plant crèche and porter service conveniently placed on Row 3 so you can snap up those ‘must-haves’, deposit them into safe keeping, and enjoy the rest of the day unburdened. (Don’t forget to collect them!) Alternatively, stalls abound selling trolleys or folding barrows, so there isn’t a problem if you get carried away!

Sampling the Plant Pavilions
(plant creche is in the 
black building middle left)

It would be invidious - and unfair - to single out specific nurseries or plant exhibitors for there are so many, and we all have our favourites,  'must haves' and an understandable penchant for different plants. But a suggestion to make the most of having so many marketing ‘live’ at a single location (as opposed to looking at their websites) is to take a look around your garden – now, today, and onwards until the Show – and list what you might want to look for: a shrub or climber to fill that gap where the neighbour has positioned an unsightly compost heap (important as they are); or perhaps grasses for a new-style border, or alpines for a trough. I’ll be looking for foxgloves (a love of mine since childhood, and this year’s Show emblem).

You can't mistake the Floral Marquee, but signposts around
the Showground will direct you

A few facts: there are around 30 Plant Pavilions and these are all located in Row 2, opposite the range of covered halls: Avon Hall packed with Floral Art, Gardener’s Shopping Pavilion with the Allotment Theatre and its ‘Dig for Prosperity’ theme, and the Wye Hall filled with food and wine stalls and the Three Counties Guild of Craftsmen - all with wares to sell. As for the Floral Marquee, it covers more than 7,000 square metres and accommodates 100 of the best nurseries from the UK and abroad. Exhibitors' displays are judged by some of the top judges from the Royal Horticultural Society, with many of the displays winning coveted RHS Gold Medals. A truly impressive sight and definitely not to be missed, if you are addicted to plants.

Enjoy the shopping experience along the 'Elgar Parade'

Shopping Paradise exists in other parts of the Showground, so leave yourself time to explore. The prestigious ‘Elgar Parade’ is this year re-sited onto Row 5 at the very heart of the Show with easy access from all parts of the Showground. It has new tentage, floral displays and incorporates entrance to the RHS/TCAS Members Pavilion. Shopping par-excellence. And the significance of Elgar? Classical music-lovers will be aware that Elgar loved the area all around the Malvern Hills, and explored the countryside on his bicycle in the early 1900s. He wrote far more than the music for ‘Land of Hope and Glory’. It is perhaps more fitting that his name is celebrated here, for he commented, "This is what I hear all day – the trees are singing my music – or have I sung theirs?" He is buried in a local Churchyard, within sight of the fields and wooded hills where he once cycled.

Self-explanatory and well worth it

Across from the Elgar Parade, at its intersection with Avenue F, is the chic and fashionable ‘Country Living Pavilion’ with numerous boutique-style stands. Associated with stylish ‘Country Living’ magazine, this area is for anyone whose heart is in the country; it offers a "unique lifestyle package, mixing homes and decorating with food and farming; crafts and gardening with fashion, health and beauty". A wonderful eclectic mix, whether you are seeking a new outfit, fabrics for your home, or art and nostalgic memorabilia.

Allow yourself plenty of browsing time inside 'RHS Life'

Stroll across to ‘RHS Life’ in the Show Garden area, for more shopping delights. As well as offering expert gardening advice, you will find details on RHS membership and quality gardening books to buy. Plus a range of specially designed and commissioned gifts inspired by the subject of gardens: from fine china to tea-towels and floral paper napkins – I am addicted to buying these and use them in my hand-made Malvern Journals. An Arts Market is also to be found in the Show Garden area, and Artisan Food Stalls by the striking Three Counties Centre. If you still have time, the rest of the Showground is host to numerous other exhibitors selling all manner or garden related products – no-one is likely to leave empty-handed! Have you booked your tickets yet?

AND PLEASE ‘KEEP VISITING’: I’ll be blogging again in two weeks time, and weekly after that. But meanwhile, I recommend regular clicks onto the Spring Gardening Show website for regular updates and more breaking news.

WHY NOT ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT THESE PAGES, TOO?  (Just click on the links)
Malvern Spring Gardening Show
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Malvern Autumn Show

On Show - On Stage ....

The Malvern Hills provide the perfect backdrop
to the Malvern Spring Gardening Show

Theatre is very much in evidence at the Malvern Spring Gardening Show. Look around you, and you will see how carefully and lovingly everything is staged. Nothing haphazard, nothing left to chance. From the backdrop of the stunning hills, to the immaculate presentation of nursery displays in the Floral Marquee to the innovative and inspiring Show Gardens. Even to the way tools and gardening equipment and sundries are displayed, everything is all so very carefully stage-managed. Breathtaking. 

If it weren't for all the visitors, you would think you were in an alpine rock garden

Regular visitors will know that expert advice is always available from stall holders, whether it is how to grow a specific plant to perfection, or how to nurture edible crops. For general advice, RHS staff on the Royal Horticultural Society stand are a mine of information on both mundane and esoteric topics; pick their brains; their help is invaluable, as I have discovered personally more than once. The enjoyment factor is much in evidence with knowledgeable experts to inform and entertain. Scheduled talks and question and answer sessions will feature throughout the fours days within TWO theatres – both with alluring ‘sets’ to beguile you - created by established garden designers. As I write, the designs are still under wraps but are sure to be as amazing as ever. 

Mark Walker (left) alongside his 'Somerset Pride' show garden, 
for which he received a 'Best Edible Garden' award in 2011 
- presented to him by Mike Warner, TCAS Chairman of the Board
and Elizabeth Banks, RHS President

A facelift is being given this year to the ‘Allotment Theatre’ in the Gardeners’ Shopping Pavilion  (on Row 2), with a theme of ‘Dig for Prosperity’ and a garden to match, designed by Mark Walker of Walker's Garden Retreats. Mark is no stranger to Malvern - his ‘Dig for Victory’ garden at the 2012 Autumn Show was a show-stopper, as was his 'Somerset Pride' (above) in 2011, for which he was awarded 'Best Edible Garden' and an RHS Silver-Gilt medal. Both gardens were overwhelmingly nostalgic, with such attention to detail, that I just wanted to stand and stare and drink it all in. 'Somerset Pride' depicted a rural farmyard setting with the use of authentic rustic materials - a trade-mark of Mark's garden designs. As a sneak preview for his 2013 theatre design, Mark says, “Grange Cottage is closely based on my mum’s childhood home in Oddingley, near Droitwich, where they grew veg, had chickens and worked the local land. We believe every garden has a story to tell, and its purpose for the allotment theatre is for talks on all things veggie, chickens and horticulture in general.”

Mark Diacono last Autumn, 
discussing culinary herbs 
with Kim Hurst of
The Cottage Herbery

Hosting all the entertainment in the ‘Allotment Theatre’ will be Reg Moule, gardening guru for BBC Hereford & Worcester. Reg comes from a family that has been involved in horticulture for several generations, and before this they were all farmers, back to the 1740s. So he knows his stuff. As does Mark Diacono who will be joining him at specified times every day. Mark D. says, “I am lucky enough to spend most of my time eating, growing, writing and talking about food. At my smallholding, Otter Farm in Devon, I grow unusual and forgotten food along with the best of the more familiar.” 

James Alexander-Sinclair (left, nearest camera) hosts
a question-and-answer session in 2012 in the 
'Plants & People Theatre'

As for the spectacular and tented ‘Plants & People Theatre', this is where you can listen to, and meet, more celebrities, each with a widespread knowledge on a number of subjects. The theatre seats fill fast, so check your show guide when you arrive for exact times, and grab a coveted front-row spot for some fantastic live entertainment. Your compères during the four days will be the elegant and amusing James Alexander-Sinclair, an established garden and landscape designer, writer, television presenter and speaker.

Katie Johnson in the 
P&P theatre

And when James is not on stage, sit back and enjoy the friendly interviews conducted by Katie Johnson, a farmer turned broadcaster and writer, and also a presenter at food, drink, and gardening events. 

Carol Klein, 
vivacious and ebullient

Specific and more general topics have yet to be announced, but you won’t want to miss either Chris Beardshaw on Thursday and Friday or Carol Klein on Friday and Saturday. Both are highly entertaining and of course, expert. Carol works as a television presenter and newspaper columnist and will be familiar to TV viewers of Gardeners’ World and Life in a Cottage Garden (her own).

Chris Beardshaw talking to a group of schoolchildren

Chris Beardshaw is also well-known to TV viewers, with a pedigree that includes BBC Two’s Hidden Gardens and The Flying Gardener, amongst many others. (Remember him leaping in and out of a helicopter?) He is also a regular voice on the weekly Radio 4 Gardeners' Question Time panel and will be joining the team at Scotland’s Beechgrove this Spring,  putting his unique horticultural mark on the garden. But Chris is also passionate about passing on his love of horticulture to youngsters, and at the Show on Thursday he will be involved in the theatre with a children’s presentation.

“All the World’s a Stage,” wrote Shakespeare in 'As You Like It' in 1599, “and all the men and women merely players”. Mere players? Everyone involved with the Malvern Spring Gardening Show is dedicated to staging an event ‘par excellence’. 

Don’t miss it. 

Why not book your tickets now?

AND PLEASE ‘KEEP VISITING’: I’ll be blogging again in two weeks time, but meanwhile, I recommend regular clicks onto the Spring Gardening Show website for regular updates and more breaking news.

WHY NOT ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT THESE PAGES, TOO?  (Just click on the links)


Malvern Spring Gardening Show
Love our Shows, Like our Page - Facebook.com/threecounties
Malvern Autumn Show

A Show with Feeling

Quintessentially English is the wild foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), which this year symbolises the Malvern Spring Gardening Show – and the Malvern Hills themselves. Come the actual Show (from 9th to 12th May) they will be flowering on the steep slopes, and down sequestered lanes of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire. Displayed on Show posters and leaflets, their presence speaks of late-Spring, and Summer-to-come; and on the Showground, too, their pink spires will remind us of lazy days cycling in rural places, as I did as a child.

Foxgloves in a
Malvern  showgarden

Their flowers beguiled me (and still do) – as a little girl, I would collect the fallen tubular blossoms, each speckled in their throat, and place them upside down on my fingertips. A handful of the countryside, and many childhood memories; and, without realising it, a life-long love of plants. So often, what you learn as a child stays with you forever.

The new Three Counties Agricultural Society chief uses pedal power

Pedalling allows one to absorb so much more of one’s surroundings, and by now, the new Three Counties Agricultural Society chief, Ken Nottage, is proving that pedal power is just the ticket, when it comes to circumnavigating his new working domain. Ken, who officially took the helm at the Society’s Three Counties Showground  on December 1st, is not fazed by the 90 acre perimeter site at the foot of the Malvern Hills, and is literally getting on his bike – astride a fully restored 1957 Royal Enfield. He said: “I was reading a copy of  ‘Three Into One’ – John Lewis’s excellent chronicle of the Society - and was amused to read that years ago, a former company secretary carried out his ground inspections astride a pony! I was inspired to follow suit, but with no equine prowess to my name, opted for an arguably safer, and definitely less temperamental, mode of transport. This is a beautiful place to work, but it’s also a large area to cover on foot, so a bike is a great way of getting from A to B quickly, without polluting the fresh air.”

It's easy to find your way around

How I wish I could give all first-timers to the Spring Gardening Show a quick guided tour by bike, a leisurely and gentle introduction to all that you will find once you arrive; but instead will outline what I term the four main ‘quadrants’, each with a distinct characteristic. The Showground is divided by hard-surfaced roadways – Rows and Avenues, and all sections are clearly signposted with large-scale maps at most intersections. Avenues run north to south, parallel with the Malvern Hills (good for orienting yourself), and Rows run from east to west. Stand in your imagination (map in hand) at the junction of Avenue 5 and Row 5 (Elgar Avenue) facing the hills:

Bikes are 'in' this year!

The quandrant to your right is ‘home’ to the RHS/TCAS Members’ Pavilion, The Severn Hall and the new Three Counties Centre, the RHS Botanical Art Exhibition), the Bandstand, Show Office, Artisan Food Market, excellent trade stands, and lots of catering venues.

Ahead of you will be the magnificent ‘Malvern Floral Marquee’ and to your left, Plant Pavilions galore (many are specialist nurseries); undercover, the Avon Hall (floral art`), the Gardeners’ Shopping Pavilion and Allotment Theatre, the Wye Hall – home to plant societies, food and wine stalls, and the Three Counties Guild of Craftsmen’. Plus the Eco Art & Garden area and innumerable trade stands related to horticulture.

The Plants & People Theatre always draws a large audience

Swivel on the spot with the Hills at your back and walk slowly away from then down Row 5. To your immediate right is the ‘Country Living magazine Pavilion’ and lots more useful trade stands.

One of many excellent School Gardens:  the children are so knowledgeable, and keen to talk to visitors

Whilst to your left (with your back to the Hills) are the eclectic School Gardens, the Learning Garden and Discovery Zone and Spring Gardens Coffee Court and then – across Row 7 the Show Gardens (including the Themed Garden category inspired by the Tour de France), RHS Life, an Art Market and the Plants and People Theatre. So much to absorb, so many activities, and in my next posts (during March), I will be describing some of these in more detail as news emerges. Click on all the links to keep up-to-date with all that is happening. 

Hello!

On the road to the Malvern Spring Gardening Show

What could be more exciting than setting out for Malvern, early on a Spring morning, the trees newly-budded and bluebells in the hedgerow verges? The buzz of excitement as you approach the busy Showground, wondering what the day will bring. Knowing that so much awaits you, no matter what your field of interest.

"We've each just bought the perfect plant!"

Is it that ‘must-have’ plant that you haven’t even seen yet? (It happens to us all, and many of us arrive with collapsible trolleys at the ready.) Or maybe some of the stunning collection of glorious Show Gardens – watch out for bicycles, for the theme this year, amongst others, is the ‘Tour de France’. How will talented designers interpret this cycling theme?  Or would you prefer sitting in the Show Garden Theatre listening to talks from celebrity specialists such as Carol Klein, Chris Beardshaw or Mark Diacono? Or searching for garden sundries, ornaments, a new greenhouse – or a rotavator to dig the allotment! Elegant clothes, perhaps, or just a wonderful day in the open air, away from it all. There’s so much crammed into this beautiful showground, and no matter what the weather, the hills cast their spell every time. Sit in the sunshine or stroll through the huge floral plant marquee. Whether you visit in a ‘garden club’ group, as a family, alone, or with a partner or friend, be assured that you’ll want to return. 

Now, the purpose of this blog is to bring you regular updates on what is planned, how the various aspects are progressing, and tips for making the most of your day’s visit.  A copy of the catalogue is sent a week before the Spring Show to anyone who has booked advance tickets, allowing you to plan your visit at leisure. Click HERE for ticket sales. But before you do, why not consider a complete break and plan to come every day: book into a local B&B, or local campsite if you are a caravan or motorhome owner. You can really cover all aspects of the Show and the whole Showground if you do so at you leisure.

The Plant Pavilions are always doing a roaring trade
 - and deservedly so

If you are a regular visitor, you will already be aware of what to expect, and where to seek what you are looking for; but ‘newcomers’ might find it all a bit bewildering. As I did on my first visit. I have it down to a fine art now: with catalogue in hand, I make for one of the eating areas, or the theatre, somewhere to sit and thumb through the catalogue to prioritise what I want to do. I suggest you do likewise; it's time well spent.

An award-winning show garden from 2011 where all materials 
and plants were sourced by the designer travelling around 
the local countryside on her bike 

From plants to gazebos - there is so
much to discover at the Show

To whet your appetite: In forthcoming posts, I’ll be introducing you to the Three Counties Agricultural Society’s new Chief Executive, and over the coming weeks will also be telling you more about some of the Showground areas – and highlights to expect in what has become known as ‘the plants and people show’.

So please ‘KEEP VISITING’: I’ll be blogging again in two weeks time, but meanwhile, I recommend regular clicks onto the Spring Gardening Show website for regular updates and more breaking news.