All Aboard for Malvern!

At last, it’s time for Malvern Spring Show, or Festival, as they have now re-named it! One of the highlights of our year!
I say “all aboard” as it is an easy train journey for us and so that frees us up to sample some of the other delights of the show. We both love visiting all the show gardens, but when it comes to the floral marquee, “Mr. Chef” loses interest. So he heads off to the Food and Drink hall, which is more his “cup of tea”. Although it’s not tea he’s seeking out! They do have exhibitors of local beers and ciders. And it would be so rude not to keep him company!

But first things, first – the show gardens!
There were 9 show gardens (fewer than in previous years, as we recall), 4 festival gardens and many lovely little school gardens. This is where our future gardeners and designers lie.

This was the “At Home on the Beach” garden by Villaggio Verde, the olive specialists. Yes, as you can tell by the grey skies, we have not been whisked abroad. This garden was the winner of “Best in Show” and it was easy to see why. The attention to detail was incredible – so much so, that the beach hut was actually selling paella! All it needed was a bit of sun and blue sky, and you could think you’d been instantly transported!

Now, this was another of my favourites. The next best thing to being transported abroad, by the previous garden. Named “A Fruity Story” it showed how a productive garden, complete with fruit, herbs, and salad crops, could still be a relaxing and entertaining area. I loved the intimacy of this sunken seating area, complete with pizza oven (which I’ve more than dropped hints about, I’ve made a direct request for! One can dream!) and comfy cushions. I would certainly love to have this in our garden!

This was the “Blush” garden, designed as an urban retreat, for relaxation, with a soothing colour palette of brown, pinks, and purples. I’m interested in your opinions! I know mine! While it was a very well designed and imaginative garden, and the planting was sumptuous, it was too pink for me! Pink in the garden looks best in the flowers! But it definitely made you notice!

By now, it was time for refreshments, so off to the Food and Drink hall. Once fed and watered, our shopping began. What epicurean delights were there! Our bags were full of sausages, smoked and marinaded meats, Welsh Oggies(which we’d never sampled before – a cross between a Cornish pasty and a Forfar bridie!) and to round it all off, chocolate flavoured with botanicals, such as violet flowers and orange peel with chilli!

At last it was my turn, and back to the Floral Marquee for a serious foray. Of course, I left with some new gems! Goes without saying!

I came back with Viola “Molly Sanderson”, a beautiful black one, for my cottage border, another Stipa gigantea, and a new one to me, Silene dioica, “Firefly”, a double form of the wild red campion, with beautiful magenta pink flowers. Should look wonderful in among grasses. And it was much admired, on the way home. Boy were we tired, but happy!

Now, this weekend will see these planted, and I have a new “toy” to play with too – show you later! And there’s Chelsea next week to look forward to (on telly – I’m not going!) And sunshine too! I intend to make the most of it! 🙂

Enjoy your hopefully, sunny weekends!