Shrewsbury Flower Show 2013

When was the last time you went to a major flower show that wasn't RHS?  The sheer power of their media presence overshadows the fact that others exist. Yet, earlier this year, 2,342 of Which? magazine's online members voted Harrogate's Spring Show the best in the country, and relegated Chelsea to 8th place.

In 6th place was Shrewsbury's, where we found ourselves last weekend. Held over 2 days, the flower show has just passed its 125th anniversary and, according to some, is a shadow of its former self. A comment left on The Shropshire Star complains, "Shrewsbury seems to have forgotten that it's a FLOWER SHOW, now it's more like a car boot..."

Could a show "more like a car boot" be voted a better experience than the world's premier gardening event?

The show is held in The Quarry, a large sloping, grassy area held in a crook of the River Severn. It's a lovely setting. On the other side of the river, Shrewsbury School holds a commanding position; an iron bridge (paid for by Shrewsbury Horticultural Society, no less) gives access to a pub on the opposite bank.

To gain the greatest impression of the show's individuality, it's best to start by the river. Here the local element is strongest. Enormous marquees house the competition entries - best veg, honey and wine classes, along with information stands on local gardens, the Alpine Society, the Institute of Groundsmen...  

Here's a brief interlude of what we saw:

 

And flower arrangements, WI classes (with interpretation of Mary Poppins), and a tribute to Shrewsbury's famous Parks Superintendent, Percy Thrower.  

 
  

One Master D Dobson got a First and "This is wonderful" from a judge of the Plant a Boot or Shoe class:

There was plenty of entertainment of a non-horticultural nature, including free rides on Prince, an engine from the Festiniog railway, showjumping, precision riding by the Royal Signals White Helmets, and a full programme of music on the bandstand.  

 

 

So far, it's the sort of thing you find at a county show. What, you ask, of the Flower Show? Well, moving up the hill, slowly because of all the stands and stalls, you reach the main attraction: The Floral Marquee - 52 nurseries and growers. There's a preponderance of more northerly growers, as you'd expect, but many are familiar from Hampton Court and Chelsea. The displays matched anything you'd see at the RHS shows.

Valducci Brugmansias from Shrewsbury, recreated a Columbian garden (read more about Luigi Valducci in James Alexander-Sinclair's article):

Gladioli, from Pheasant Acre Plants, Glamorgan, who won Gold at Chelsea this year: 

 

Plant Heritage, whose Shropshire group looks after an impressive 28 genera, had a prize-winning stand which included many plants from the national plant collections in the county:

Every Picture Tells a Story, from Liverpool, specialises in Bromeliads and tropicals. They've won medals all over the place:

And, outside, six little show gardens, which I might cover in a different post.

So, more car boot than flower show? 

I can see where the comment came from. It cost £26 on the gate for a day's entry, which, if you were only interested in the Floral Marquee, would feel a little steep. Of the stands ranged around the grounds, most are garden-orientated - furniture, equipment, plants and bulbs - but there is a significant presence of home-ware and clothing. The "Ideal Home" tent, a disparate collection of furniture and gadgets, felt tatty and its situation, right on the edge of the grounds, seemed to acknowledge that it didn't really belong.

Criticism arises in comparison with past shows. Another comment at Shropshire Star describes it as receiving only half the visitors of the past and being "a parody of what it used to be". Former, greater glory is hinted at in an interview in this year's show catalogue. Ivor Davies, show contractor for over 60 years, remembers flower exhibits 50 feet long.

The main elements, though, seem not to have changed over the years (as you can see in a video clip of the 1969 Shrewsbury Flower Show). I'm sure the current formula is very similar to that of past decades, when trapeze artists and parachutists featured in the arena. Anyway, those of us who don't remember past shows can only compare it with current alternatives. 

Shrewsbury certainly doesn't compare with the RHS Big Two. Show gardens and controversy are not a feature, celebrities do not turn out in their hordes (Paul Hollywood joined Chris Beardshaw as a celebrity attraction). The number of growers and stalls is smaller.

But nor is it cramped; nor do you end the day on your knees from exhaustion. It's a proud moment in the Shropshire calender, and whole families attend. You could be only mildly interested in flowers and still enjoy it.

There's plenty of seating where you can listen to the full programme of bands and choirs or enjoy an ice-cream or coffee without feeling that you should move on to give someone else a chance to sit down, a children's area with a non-stop programme of entertainment (magic, songs, and Chris Beardshaw getting them to plant seeds), plenty of space around the grounds.

This is still a local show, in the way that Hampton Court and Chelsea never have been, and consequently feels far less commercial. Not everything there is trying to prise money out of you nor advertise itself to people with far more money than you have.

There's another attraction too - its situation right in the midst of quaint and (mostly) beautiful Shrewsbury. Get your hand stamped to allow re-entry and you can drift out into town for a look at the castle or a bite to eat, if the foodstalls within the grounds don't appeal.

Included in the price was an evening concert by multi-award winning folk band Bellowhead, followed by massed bands, and a spectacular display by Kimbolton Fireworks. Experts in synchronising fireworks with music, last New Year they set the firework display on the Thames for the Mayor of London. I watched open-mouthed at the perfect timing of Chinese gunpowder with Wagner's wilder passages. £26 suddenly didn't seem so steep.

Then, as a final farewell, a lone piper at the gate, to see (or maybe hurry?) the contented crowd on its way.

 

No, it's not Chelsea, and it's not Hampton Court (which was placed second after Harrogate); it doesn't absolutely live and breathe gardens and gardening, but it's centred on very high quality exhibits while remaining relaxed, friendly and a pleasure to spend time in.

It might seem sacrilege to say so, but as an enjoyable day out, I thought it did, indeed, deserve its ranking.

If you've been to Shrewsbury, or one of the non-RHS flower shows, how did you think it compared? Do comment below.

NB If you've never visited Shrewsbury and Shropshire, I highly recommend it for a holiday. Shrewsbury is always floriferously and beautifully dressed (The Dingle is one of our loveliest public gardens), with lots of medieval, Georgian and Victorian architecture and small shops. Shropshire is muscle-bound with history and has plenty of gardens, properties and areas of natural beauty to enjoy. Incorporate the Flower Show into your holiday to add the icing on the cake.

Comments

[Helen]

I've been meaning to go to the Shrewsbury show for a few years now but have either been away or it clashes with local horti show which I help organise. In fact we struggle to get veg judges as they are all at Shrewsbury.

Personally I'm not a fan of Chelsea at all and I rarely come across anyone who is apart from the London centric set and garden media. From your description of Shrewsbury it seems to have a lot in common with the Malvern spring and autumn shows. They are associated with the RHS but not really RHS shows and there are lots of homeware etc stands. The ticket price is on a par especially with the spring show and there is no evening entertainment included so it seems a bargain to me.

I suspect that its the locals who dont like change and everything was better back in the day but the show needs to attract people in and so has to offer a wider offering than just the floral/veg things.

[Helen]

Hi, Helen. I haven't been to Malvern, so I was wondering how like it was to the other RHS shows. I think you're right - things always look better in the rosy hue of hindsight. Shrewsbury almost closed down completely in the 70s for last of income, so I'm glad they found a way to keep it going. I hope you get the chance to get to Shrewsbury - I think you'd enjoy it. Thank you for commenting.

[VP]

I haven't been to Harrogate Spring Show, nor to Shrewsbury, but I have been to Malvern and I did manage to visit Harrogate Autumn Show when we holidayed in the area last year.

Shrewsbury looks very similar to these and I think they're more geared to pleasing visitors and ensuring they have a grand day out rather than being aspirational.

I think there's room for both kinds of show, just as there's room for all kind of local village and allotment society shows. Surely gardening is for all, not just an elite?

I've had a similar conversation recently about the world of cycling, where some factions only tolerate the sport at the elite, Olympic level, forgetting that it gets fed (and needs feeding) from all the other family, enthusiast, club etc events.

Plus £26 to include a concert AND fireworks is a bargain!

We holidayed in Shropshire for 2 weeks a couple of years ago - I agree, it's well worth it :)

[Helen]

Hi, Michelle, I totally agree, and you can argue that it allows people who would otherwise show no interest in gardening to see some of the best on offer.

Personally, I could do with Hampton Court being a bit more like Shrewsbury, especially on the eating and seating front!