Belvoir Castle opens its gates for new flower show

Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire will open its gates for the first Belvoir Flower & Garden Festival on 14 and 15 July. Set within the beautiful castle grounds, the event will feature around sixty exhibitors including nine show gardens, along with a wide range of popular nurseries, trade stands and much more. Perennial, the UK’s only charity dedicated to looking after all those who work in horticulture, is the show’s beneficiary charity.  

 

The show will be a fantastic day out for anyone that enjoys gardens. Highlights include the Perennial Garden, designed by Chris Gutteridge, which represents a calming place of sanctuary and a show garden for Rainbows Hospice by Karen Gimson and David Greaves. There will also be a host of well-known nursery and floral exhibitors in the grand Lakeside Pavilion such as Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants, Peter Beales Roses, Brooklands Nurseries, Coopers Nursery, Flowers from the Farm, The Hardy Plant Society, Thompson & Morgan and NAFAS, as well as Barcham Trees and CED Stone.  

 

There will be a Gardeners’ Q&A panel headed by John Stirland of BBC Radio Nottingham, with Mark Smith of BBC Radio Derby, Sean Murray, winner of the Great Chelsea Garden Challenge, Nick Hamilton of Barnsdale Gardens, son of the late Geoff Hamilton, garden designer Andrew Fisher Tomlin and more. There will also be plenty of opportunities for shopping with a wide range of trade stands brimming with garden products, sculptures, gifts and more.  

 

The show will be officially opened by Her Grace, the Duchess of Rutland on the Saturday morning. Military charity Highground, which provides horticultural therapy for injured service personnel, will also be there and local schools will be competing in the 'sow and grow' competition, encouraging young people to get into gardening.

 

Event organiser Andy Tudbury says: “We are very excited about opening the doors and welcoming visitors to the first ever Belvoir Flower & Garden Festival. We have got a fabulous line up of exhibitors creating some stunning displays that will offer plenty of gardening inspiration and ideas to take home. With the spectacular backdrop of Belvoir Castle and its estate, this is set to be a great day out for all the family.”

Visitors can explore the show’s different zones including an educational area and a craft and floral marquee. A varied programme of live music from local performers will entertain the crowds in the music zone and a wide choice of food and refreshments will be on offer in the food zone including everything from prosecco, quality coffee and artisan cakes to burgers from a master butcher.

Laura Garnett, Senior Development Manager at Perennial, says: “We are delighted to be involved with this new event that is set to become a highlight of the calendar for garden lovers. It is great to have the opportunity to raise the profile of Perennial among the garden loving public in the Midlands and beyond. The Perennial Garden, created for us by Chris Gutteridge, shows how Perennial can help people overcome crisis to reach a place of reassurance and calm.”

BALI supported charity Perennial is dedicated to helping everyone working in and retired from horticulture and all of its related industries. Its services are a lifeline for those coping with difficulties caused by debt, injury, illness, bereavement and other crises in life. All services are free, confidential and continue for as long as needed. 

 

Tickets for the show cost £15 for an adult, £5 for a child (4-16yrs) and under 4s are free.

Purchase online at :https://www.belvoircastle.com/the-belvoir-flower-and-garden-festival/

Address: Belvoir Castle, Grantham, Leicestershire, NG32 1PE