Flower Power Fairs - Welcome

Hello and welcome to Flower Power

I have a really exciting calendar planned for 2012 with a total of 15 wonderful plant fairs now being held in Cheshire, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Durham and Teeside, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Shropshire.

The fairs continues to grow and prosper and I’m really excited about next year as I have five new venues for you to visit. Flower Power has a tremendous following of dedicated gardeners and I can’t wait to show you these new gardens, three of which are not usually open to the public and all of which are of the highest quality, charm and innovation and diversity of planting.

The season starts in March at Tudor Holme Pierrepont Hall, Nottingham, famed for its delightful spring gardens and then moves up to Yorkshire for firm favourites, Newburgh Priory and Sutton Park. I’ve chosen a new venue up in Co Durham at Hardwick Park, near Sedgefield, a delightful park full of wildlife, walks and follies, followed in early May by the 45 acre estate and magnificent gardens of Abbeywood Gardens, Delamere in Cheshire. At the end of May Flower Power moves to Combermere Abbey, nr Whitchurch to a garden not normally open to visitors. It’s a delightful peaceful garden, full of interesting plants and shrubs and also has an exciting fruit garden.

At the end of June Flower Power visits the five acre garden of Jim and Linda Bennett, Sykehouse, nr Goole who also own B J Nurseries specialising in herbaceous perennials in all shapes and forms. Their garden is packed full of wonderful plants and you will be able to purchase them from the fair and nursery. Then its up to North Yorkshire to the private home of the Murray Wells at Ness Hall. This delightful garden has evolved over several years through the family and is a plantsmans’ paradise. Hariette, the new owner, has recently created her own water garden which will be revealed in July.

With other popular venues such as Doddington Hall, Lincoln and a new location for the fair beside the Tudor Gatehouse and inside the wonderful gardens; Thornton Hall Gardens near Darlington (another private garden) and if you haven’t visited, then please come, it’s a breathtaking and inspirational garden. I’ve changed the date for Lytham Hall, Lytham St Annes to see if we can escape the rain and again I’m really excited as they will be holding their Grand opening of the newly restored Italian Garden the day before the plant fair. So I am certain of an exciting season for all and I hope you will be tempted to come and enjoy at least one of the fairs.

I can honestly say that the majority of plants on sale have been grown and propagated by the nurseries and specialists who attend the events. All are passionate plants-aholics who have a great knowledge of their plants, so please ask them for advice. They’ll be delighted to tell you.

I shall also be holding one or two “Gardeners’ Question Time” sessions at some of the venues. These will be announced nearer the time.

2012 leaflets are now printed so if you would like one, please send a request on the CONTACT PAGE. Any of you who are members of a Gardening Club and ask for your Club to be put on my mailing list will receive two complimentary tickets to the fair of your choice and please let me know how many leaflets you would like me to send. New for 2012 will be a monthly newsletter, so please express your interest and I’ll put you on the list. Your details will not be passed on to anyone else.

I give a series of talks and have some garden related talks: one on the history of a Cheshire garden and a new talk on the trials and tribulations of running plant fairs! Another talk is currently being created too on “Gardens Well Worth a Visit”.

Meanwhile, enjoy the winter period and I look forward to seeing you all again next year.

Judy Popley