May 2019
Nurturing budding horticulturists
April is a particularly busy month and May is going the same way. Busy as bees but all worthwhile activity around Team Harrogate groups from weeding, planting and litter picking to laying new footpaths, birds and butterfly counting.
First mention has to be for this year’s Harrogate Spring Flower Show. Many congratulations to Show Director Nick Smith and his team as the show gets bigger and better every year; full of inspiration and ideas as well as being a great family day out.
I was lucky enough to be invited to help judge the trade stands along with Lucinda Compton of Newby Hall and Simon Cotton MD of Harrogate’s HRH Group of hotels. We were supported by Mike I’Anson who made sure we kept to our route and didn’t miss a stand! It takes us nearly four hours and is thoroughly enjoyable.
It was also a joy to visit Horticap’s Lord of the Rings show garden and to chat to some of the students as well as Manager Phil Airey - a tireless Gandalf! This brilliant garden received a Premier Gold and was also awarded the President’s trophy. A well-deserved recognition for this amazing horticultural charity for people with learning difficulties.
We had a staggering 592 entries in our children’s art and design a garden competition. The winning design was created by Fleur Kean of Brackenfield School. With the support of sponsors Harrogate Flower Shows and Harrogate Council, Fearn will see her design come to life in a flower bed opposite Bettys on Montpellier Hill.
We are hoping to have use of this flower bed each year to plant up the winning design and Nick Smith has had the brilliant idea of linking colour themes to plant descriptions and let the youngsters make the connection in their designs.