Growers from across the country are preparing the fruits of their labour for the Harrogate Autumn Flower Show this September. Attracting more than 30,000 visitors over three days, the show brings together hundreds of exhibitors, competitors and volunteers, and celebrates the very best in fresh produce and flowers.
The Incredible Edible pavilion will be ripe with displays of perfectly grown seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables as growers compete across scores of classes to take home the honours.
Returning will be the giant veg competition alongside the National Onion Championships –firm favourites with visitors to the Autumn Flower Show which takes place at Newby Hall, Ripon on 19-21 September.
New for this year is The Makers Table, showcasing the benefits of growing your own and homesteading, the art of self-sufficiency. Experts will demonstrate the use of edible flowers and how to pickle and preserve as well as infused oils and vinegars.
Harrogate Autumn Flower Show is organised by the North of England Horticultural Society (NEHS) and this year there is a particular focus on inspiring the next generation of growers. Creative workshops will give children the chance to create their own posy, plant a mini garden plot and build a bug hotel to encourage garden insects.
Author, horticulturist and homesteader Stephanie Hafferty will host The Makers Table with demonstrations across all three days:
Edible flowers are not just about them looking pretty in salads. I’ll be showing how you can preserve them to use in many recipes, and even crafts for children and adults.
Pickling and preserving is a great skill to have. I’ll be explaining the dehydrating process and how you can make quick jams and pickles as well as infused oils and vinegars.
Everyone can grow their own at home, it’s surprising how much you can grow on a windowsill. Homesteading is all about growing stuff and using it in many ways. It’s good fun, reduces the use of chemicals and makes you more sufficient.
Stephanie will be joined on The Makers Table with other experts including Sarah Richardson of Leafy Couture who will demonstrate the art of floristry using homegrown flowers and plants.
The popular Northern Championships, hosted by the Northern branch of the National Vegetable Society, will again showcase produce grown on allotments, in gardens or by amateur clubs.
Dorothy Ambridge, secretary of the West Yorkshire District Association of the National Vegetable Society, said:
Most of our members enter the classes with high quality, in-season vegetables. There will be everything from cabbages, onions and leeks to lettuce, potatoes and peas.
Dorothy has been a keen grower since childhood:
There is such pleasure in going out and picking fresh from a plant such as peas from the pod.
You can’t get fresher and it’s a real sense of achievement.
Fruit show co-ordinator Hilary Dodson is expecting bumper entries across this year’s fruit classes. She said:
The pear crop this year has been amazing because of the warm and dry weather. I’m also hoping for large entries in dessert and cooking apples, plums and gages as well as in soft fruit and grapes. It’s been totally bountiful this year.
There are two classes for head gardeners from some of Yorkshire’s well-known estates – a large basket of fruit for presentation and a fruit-inspired table centre. These classes are intended to showcase the produce of the estates where the gardeners work.
As well as individual classes, there is an allotment category where communal entries are encouraged comprising a plate of soft fruit and three other plates. Novices are also encouraged to enter the classes.
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Hilary, a keen fruit tree grower, added:
I’m absolutely delighted to see so many people growing good fruit. Like all growers, we are dependent on the weather but it’s important to look after your trees. Make sure you prune, thin and feed them for a good crop.
Additional show highlights include the magnificent floral displays in the Grand Floral Pavilion, the return of the popular Human Gardener and Grow Live! stages and stunning floral arrangements throughout Newby Hall’s magnificent Adam interiors.
Tickets are £23 per person available online from https://www.flowershow.org.uk/ until 2 September or £28 on the door. Admission includes access to Newby’s gardens which feature some of Europe’s biggest herbaceous flower borders, 15 stunning garden ‘rooms’ and family adventure garden.
