Golden anniversary celebrations will bring together five decades of flowers, fruit, vegetables and gardening inspiration at Newby Hall & Gardens.
The Harrogate Autumn Flower Show will celebrate its 50th anniversary this September with a spectacular showcase of horticultural excellence, combining much-loved traditions with exciting new features for visitors to enjoy.
The show’s story began in 1975 when the North of England Horticultural Society (NEHS) launched the Great Autumn Flower Show, with the first event taking place in 1976. At the time, its “show within a show” concept was pioneering, bringing together specialist gardening societies and competitive classes for flowers, fruit and vegetables under one banner. The idea proved hugely successful, creating a unique celebration of both ornamental and edible horticulture that remains at the heart of the show today.
Originally staged in Harrogate’s Valley Gardens, the event grew rapidly before moving to the Exhibition Halls in 1983 and then the Great Yorkshire Showground in 1995. In 2021, the show moved to Newby Hall & Gardens, where it continues to offer visitors a unique combination of outstanding horticulture and one of Yorkshire’s finest historic gardens.
Martin Fish, former Show Director and NEHS President (2006-2008), has been involved with the show for more than four decades. He currently hosts the Grow! Live stage at both the Spring and Autumn shows.
Martin said:
Harrogate Autumn Flower Show holds so many fond memories for me, from my first visit as a young gardener in the early 1980s to later becoming President of the NEHS and then Show Director. It is a real honour to be part of an event that represents the culmination of months, and sometimes years, of dedicated growing.
There is a wonderful harvest festival feel about the show, with beautiful blooms, immaculate fruit and vegetables and specialist nursery displays.
Now at Newby Hall, visitors also get to enjoy the gardens as they enter their beautiful autumn phase.
Flowers have always been central to the show’s identity, with the National Dahlia Society and National Chrysanthemum Society among the founding organisations that helped shape the event.
Ian Ledger, Secretary of the National Dahlia Society said:
The idea of bringing multiple gardening societies together under one umbrella show was brilliant.
The Great Autumn Flower Show created a unique opportunity to celebrate specialist horticulture together, and it remains an incredibly important event for growers.
From a dahlia exhibitor’s perspective, it is the best dahlia show in the country, and it is a privilege to display and judge these wonderful flowers alongside other specialist societies.
Fruit and vegetable growing has also remained a defining feature of the show. The National Onion Championship, introduced in 1983, has produced numerous world record-breaking onions, while the giant vegetable competitions continue to amaze visitors with their extraordinary scale. Alongside these giants, visitors can also admire the perfectly formed fruit and vegetables produced by master growers of the National Vegetable Society, showcasing the precision, patience and skill behind competitive horticulture.
The 2026 anniversary celebrations will include the return of these much-loved competitions, with hopes high that another record-breaking giant onion could take centre stage alongside other prize-winning fruit and veg.
Local celebrity chef and long-time show contributor Stephanie Moon will also celebrate the anniversary by cooking a selection of 1970s-inspired seasonal dishes in one of Newby Hall’s kitchen garden areas, kindly opened exclusively for the event by the Compton family.
Stephanie said:
The Autumn Flower Show celebrates nature’s bounty in all its glory. I have so many wonderful memories from cooking at the show over the years, from creating dishes using giant vegetables to introducing young chefs to the stage.
It is always full of energy, creativity and amazing seasonal and local produce – and it’s a joy to be part of it.
A spectacular floral art installation, ‘Grain & Grandeur…The Harvest Ball’, created by acclaimed floral designer Jonathan Moseley, will provide a centrepiece for the anniversary celebrations within the principal rooms of Newby Hall, reflecting the richness and beauty of the autumn season.
Families will also find plenty to enjoy, with the Little Nature Rangers Zone returning with more hands-on activities for children, including birds of prey, free face painting and floral crafts.
Nick Smith, Show Director, said:
Reaching 50 years is a remarkable achievement and we are incredibly proud of the show’s heritage. This anniversary is a celebration of everyone who has contributed over the decades – the growers, exhibitors, societies, volunteers and visitors who have made the Autumn Show what it is today.
We are looking forward to creating a very special event this September and welcoming visitors to celebrate this golden milestone with us.
The Harrogate Autumn Flower Show takes place 18-20 September at Newby Hall & Gardens, bringing together the very best in seasonal flowers, fruit, vegetables, specialist growers, family activities and gardening inspiration for a truly memorable 50th anniversary celebration.
