Events

Malvern Spring Gardening Show

11 - 14 May 2006
Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcestershire WR13 6NW

Set at the foot of the scenic Malvern Hills in a designated area of outstanding natural beauty, the Malvern Spring Gardening Show is the prelude to the gardening year.

The RHS Malvern Floral Marqueee - a garden lover’s paradise of spectacular floral displays - forms the centre-piece of an event full of achievable design ideas, thousands of ‘must-have’ plant gems and real advice from those who garden for a living.

An eclectic collection of Show Gardens range from domestic to theatrical, traditional to contemporary, provided visitors with inspirational ideas to take home, and designers and growers took the spotlight in the truly Interactive Design Theatre, hosted by Joe Swift and James Alexander Sinclair (left). Other attractions include: floral art, open garden competitions, crafts, pottery and delicious food and wine.

Also new for 2006 was the Garden Life Pavilion - a superbly designed showcase of around 24 hand-picked gardening-related businesses selling specialist plants and individual accessories, and located in the Show Gardens area.

Show report by Merriel Gardiner

A total of 15 show gardens exhibited, and under cover the Floral Marquee covered an extensive 0.65 hectares. Bob Sweet, RHS Shows Director announced 39 Gold Medals had been awarded, ‘a record for the show’, and commented that despite a slow, cold start to the year, nursery growers had achieved ‘excellent results’. Some of the show highlights included:

The Emperor’s Water Garden (Gold) designed by Paul Dyer demonstrated dramatic use of Acer palmatum cultivars planted around a central water feature. The calm of the water contrasted with the hot reds used in the design, two ancient Pine bonsai added a finishing touch to the backdrop.

The All Year Round Garden by James Stead of Outdoor Living Space (Silver-Gilt Flora) was designed as a response to client demand for interesting, low maintenance planting lasting throughout the year. The circular garden rotated around a central stone seating area and included Acer palmatum ‘Sango-kaku’, Betula ermanii and Prunus serrulata and included many plantings for texture and foliage effect including a chamomile lawn.

A Monastic Garden (Silver-Gilt Flora) (left) designed by Bob Priddle and Richard Coleman on behalf of Neath Port Talbot College showed a self-sufficient garden, typical of closed monastic communities. Vegetables, herbs, fruit and flowers were attractively displayed in raised beds edged with lavender, rill and low wicker hurdles.

Reflections of Moonacre (Silver Flora) designed by Emily Mangles, aged just 13 was inspired by one of Emily’s favourite books - The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge. The garden featured a holy well, Glastonbury thorn tree, and bright pink geraniums and reflected symbolism from the book.

Awarded best exhibit and a Gold Medal, Ian Butterfield displayed an impressive array of pleiones. The stand used moss and gnarled wood as a backdrop for the orchids, four of which were new cultivars shown for the first time. Among the new introductions were Pleione Novarupta grex ‘Raven’ (left), with vibrant pink petals surrounding a mottled pink and cream throat (not yet available commercially) and P. Krakatoa ‘Wheatear’ in an unusual shade of light orange-brown.

Acer palmatum ‘Taylor’ (middle) a new cultivar exhibited by Hippopottering (Silver-Gilt Flora) has pale pink leaves patterned with light lime green variegation.

Bowden Hostas (Gold Medal) exhibited a wide range of hostas including new Hosta ‘Fire Island’ (right) with bright yellow green foliage, the petioles in a sharply contrasting speckled red.

Now in its 21st anniversary year the Malvern Spring Gardening Shows continues to go from strength to strength, reflecting the high standards of its many Westcountry exhibitors.

http://www.rhs.org.uk/banners/Goto.asp?ID=11