Back to the good old days in an amazing show, April 21-24
Just like the best stories, there’s a happy ending, and Harrogate Spring Flower Show 2022 took us back to pre-COVID days and then some! We usually expect temperamental weather at Harrogate, but not today (Thursday). The day was wall-to-wall sunshine, and there was a general air of good cheer and ‘it’s great to be back’. Read about the 2023 show.
My favourite event of the season, here’s where you get the chance to splash out on plants and sundries at special show prices. Last year’s smaller Essentials event was held in May, and while it was lovely, it wasn’t the same. The show runs until Sunday, April 24 and I’ll be compiling slideshows of the show later on.
For those familiar with the usual layout at the Great Yorkshire Showground, there were some changes (for the better). There were fewer nurseries, stands and show gardens, so there was a much better use of space without crowding. There’s now a Food and Drink Quarter in Hall 2, with the food stalls, The Gardeners’ Kitchen and the cafe.
The Food Court and bandstand are now next to the show gardens. Here’s my only gripe – not enough seating, but that’s always been the case. Beat the crowds by eating early or late.
Harrogate Spring Flower Show 2022 – Show Gardens
Harrogate show gardens are lovely and not intimidating like the big RHS set pieces – they are translatable to ordinary plots.
The Three Little Pigs: designed and created by Horticap: Staff, students, and volunteers of gardening charity Horticap recreated the Three Little Pigs’ houses, with each plot having its own seasonal garden. As ever, the papier-mache models were the stars!
Under English Skies, by Hannaford Smith Design: A literary depiction of England, with gravel underfoot and broadleaf trees. A structured archway provides a frame to the pastoral view beyond.
In the Yarden: Bringing a touch of Miami to a drab urban back yard. White trellis and furniture contrast with the terracotta brick. Pots are full of easy-care plants.
Painting the Town: Inspired by travel advertisements of the 1950s and 1960s extolling Harrogate’s many charms.
Scorched Earth by Nicholas Edward Gardens: A visual telling of the damage which humans have inflicted on our planet. One side is lush and green, the other barren and lifeless, divided by a line of upright burnt sleepers.
The Fat Badger Beer Garden by Nicholas Edward Gardens: Celebrating Harrogate’s natural beauty and the town’s horticultural commitment with an outdoor bar hosted by one of the town’s favourite watering holes.
Plant Nursery Pavilion
This is the place to admire how the professionals do it and buy rare and unusual plants from the experts. The Dibleys Nursery display of Streptocarpus, Begonia rex and Coleus deservedly won Best in Show in the Plant Nursery Pavilion.
This is my favourite place, admiring the intricate stands and deciding which of the unusual plants to buy (see below in shopping)! There’ll be more pictures to admire over the next couple of days.
Harrogate Spring Flower Show 2022 – Floral Art Pavilion and Plant Societies
Harrogate Spring Flower Show has large-scale displays by flower clubs, National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies (NAFAS) areas and floristry colleges. I’ll be putting together galleries of my favourite designs over the weekend.
A Tropical Waterfall, a Secret Garden and a tiny Bejewelled dress ring were among the flower arrangers’ classes. Florist themes include a floral mask for a masquerade and a colourful celebration hand-tie suitable for winners at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Students from six floristry colleges will create a Masterpiece design for their large-scale displays, based upon a famous painting.
The Yorkshire Flower Club’s major display, Reflections, features a central pond. The four invited NAFAS areas focus on 20th Century Eras – the roaring 20s, frugal 40s, swinging 60s and the decadent 80s.
Shopping – plants, sundries and food
I must confess, I spent far more than I usually do! I did go hoping to get a fig and wasn’t disappointed, buying a Brown Turkey variety from Garth Cottage Herbs of Northallerton. The firm’s spectacular 50 Shades of Mint display also persuaded me to buy Moroccan mint (Mentha spicata ‘Moroccan’), chocolate peppermint (M. x piperita ‘Chocolate’, variegated ginger mint (M. x gracilis variegata) and lemon verbena.
Looking to liven up the shadier parts of the garden, I bought two ferns from York’s Alchemy Ferns. They are the American sword fern (Polystichum munitum) and the alpine wood fern Dryopteris wallichiana Jurassic Gold. The latter has wonderful rose-tinted fronds in spring, turning to gold, then green.
From the Yorkshire Pelargonium and Geranium Society, I couldn’t resist scented pelargoniums, Orange Fizz and chocolate plus a gold-leaved zonal, which, ashamedly, I’ve forgotten the name of.
Of course, it’s not all about the plants. I also bought a shabby chic pair of metal wall shelves from Salvage Gardens UK, and Gary treated himself to a 20ft telescopic brush. Yes, that’s correct – each to his own. From the Food & Drink Quarter, we brought back a selection from The Crusty Pie Co. and brownies from Wild Bills. Utterly delicious!
Harrogate Spring Flower Show 2022 – Tickets and parking
All in all, the best Harrogate show I’ve been to. Although there weren’t quite as many stalls as pre-pandemic levels, the fact we could be there at all, back to normal, was a priceless experience.
For more information on tickets (you can buy them at the gate) and parking, visit www.flowershow.org.uk.
