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Great Gardens, Selected Specialist Nurseries |
We have some lovely garden venues for our fairs. As each event is staged by the venue, each is different with its own unique character and charm. Our only formula is for a friendly, interesting and value for money event. Each event has a different mix of nurseries and the nurseries bring a different mix of plants, so it is well worth visiting us more than once. All entry fees go to the venue or charity and in many cases provide valuable additional funds to maintain and develop the gardens. As nurserymen and gardeners ourselves we recognise that plant lovers want either free entry to a fair or where a fee is charged, they want a wonderful garden to enjoy and make a day of. Venues often offer visitors reduced price entry to the garden on the day of the fair, free entry to the fair, or a small entry charge which is deductable from the entry price to the garden. All this adds up to great value for money days out for plant lovers. As befits these lovely venues we select a great mix of expert growers for each event each with their own distinctive specialities. We aim for events where each stall is different and full of interest. A brief summary of each event is shown below or click on the links to see full details of each event, venue and the nurseries attending. |
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| 28th March: Ness Botanic Gardens:- Our season kicks off with spring flowers at this lovely Wirral garden. Rhododendrons and azaleas, camellias, magnolias, cherries and many other flowering trees and shrubs. Large rock garden. Spring bulbs and Primulas. This event features smaller local growers. Now is a great time for planting not just for spring colour but also summer flowering plants. Click here for full event details. | |
| 4th / 5th April: The Dorothy Clive Gardens:- Last year we welcomed over 2000 visitors to share with us this lovely spring garden maintained by the Willoughbridge Charitable Trust. So this year we have extended the event to two days - Easter Sunday and Monday. As usual this event will feature some of the best nurseries in the country. We especially loved the National Collection of Auricula. This year we have more nurseries and a wider choice of plants. Click here to find out more. | |
| 10th April: Arley Arboretum:- A brand new event for 2010. This tranquil garden and woodland in its beautiful Severn Valley setting on the borders of Worcestershire and Shropshire absolutely bowled us over. Fabulous trees, flowering shrubs and some of the most stunning English countryside views you can imagine. We have selected some terrific nurseries to attend and we hope you can join us at what promises to be a truly exceptional plant fair. Why not travel to the event of the Severn Valley Steam Railway? Click here for full details. | |
| 11th April: Bramall Hall:- Hot on the heels of the previous event, we switch to the opposite end of our "patch" at this medieval black and white hall in Bramhall near Stockport, Cheshire. The fair is set on the croquet lawn next to the hall in a chequer board pattern with 14 nurseries: both small local growers and specialists from further afield. Bramall is a hidden peaceful haven in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Bramhall. Click here for full details. | |
| 9th May: Arley Hall:- Not to be confused with Arley Arboretum, Arley Hall is one of the best-loved of Cheshire gardens. This event is organised by the Cheshire Group of Plant Heritage (formally NCCPG) and we are pleased to help bring it to the attention of all garden lovers. Click here for details. | |
| 16th May: Tweedmill:- St. Asaph Denbighshire, LL17 0UY. This event is organised by the North Wales Group of Plant Heritage (formally NCCPG) and we are pleased to help bring it to the attention of all garden lovers. Click here for details. | |
| 23rd May: The National Memorial Arboretum:- We are really proud to have been asked to help put on a Plant Hunters' Fair at this magnificent venue in the heart of Staffordshire. The Arboretum is an inspiring mixture of grandeur and intimacy from the hilltop Armed Forces Memorial to secluded, tranquil memorial gardens. We have invited nurseries from a wide area and there will be a sensational array of plants at this lovely time of year. Click here for details. | |
| 30th May: Adlington Hall:- The guided walks with Head Gardener Anthony O'Grady proved really popular as a great way to explore and find out about this grand and historic estate. The cream teas in front of the house were equally popular. This event near Macclesfield Cheshire attracts some of the most interesting nurseries from the local area and further afield. All in all visitors can expect a great value day out. Pictures from last year's event can be found here. Click here to see more details of this year's event. As an added attraction the hall will be open for guided tours (additional charge). | |
| 31st May: Stonyford Cottage Garden:- A lovely garden and nursery in the mid-Cheshire countryside hosts this event showcasing the best of small local growers. You are sure to find something different and unusual on offer from the enthusiastic and knowledgeable nurserymen and women attending. Click here to find out more. | |
| 6th June: Norton Priory:- Being sited just outside the walled garden makes this one of the most pleasant places to hold a fair on a warm early summer day. Another selection of local growers will be attending this free-to-enter event. We're always amazed at the peace and quiet here being so near to built up Runcorn. Click here for details. | |
| 22nd August: Bodnant Garden, Conwy:- Hosted by this spectacular National Trust Garden, this FREE to enter plant fair is organised by Plant Heritage North Wales Group. There will be a great mix of small specialist nurseries offering a great range of plants. Visitors to the fair will receive a discount on entry to the garden on that day. There are also guided tours of the garden (pre-booking direct with the garden is essential for the tours). Click here for full details. | |
| 29th / 30th August: The Dorothy Clive Garden:- Our second event here on the borders of Staffordshire, Shropshire and Cheshire, sees a completely different garden to that of the spring. Now the stunning herbaceous borders come into their own and the woodland becomes a shady sanctuary. Teas on the terrace. A different mix of nurseries to enjoy. Click here for full details. | |
| 5th September: Ness Botanic Gardens:- Our final event of the season sees us back on the Wirral with a Gardener's Day at Ness - talks, clinics, tours and lots of lovely plants from local specialists. Click here to find out more. |
