Garden Festival
May 2015Harrogate Autumn Flower Show
The North of England Horticultural Society was inaugurated in 1910 to promote horticulture in the north of England, and to organise shows in the north - it was felt that exhibitors from the north were handicapped when it came to showing at exhibitions in the south, where many nurseries had the benefit of more temperate weather.
The Autumn Show can trace its roots back to 1976, when the National Dahlia Society and National Chrysanthemum Society, along with seven other Societies, were brought together to organise their shows in one arena.
With nearly 35,000 visitors a year, the Harrogate Autumn Show is now recognised as the premier autumn event in the country.
Nurseries from all over the country compete for the NEHS Best in Show trophy. Vibrant autumn colours dominate, with many exhibitors specialising in seasonal favourites - gladioli, dahlias, and chrysanthemums. Giant vegetables are displayed with pride - there are fiercely fought competitions for outsize leeks, onions, and green beans.
70 per cent of the exhibition space at the Harrogate flower show is under cover, so autumn storms should not put off the gardening enthusiast, or prevent anyone from having a great day out.
