Scotland’s national flower show is flourishing and will this year celebrate its 10th anniversary. The event will feature more Show Gardens than ever before and amongst the nurseries and specialist growers from all over the UK who will take part in the biggest plant sale in Scotland are many who have never before exhibited at the Show.
The centrepiece of this year’s event will be a labyrinth created by the BTCV (formerly the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers) while many Show Gardens, miniature Pallet Gardens and other exhibits will feature edible crops in place of flowering plants.
Gardening Scotland chairman and BBC Scotland Beechgrove gardener, Jim McColl, said the rise in popularity of ‘grow-your-own’ and an increase in grass-roots gardening amongst community groups, schools and volunteer organisations was behind the upsurge in interest.
“Many people are turning to gardening at the moment and that is reflected in the strength of this year’s show,” he said.
“At the same time we are getting enquiries from companies with Chelsea pedigrees who want to widen their customer base beyond the south of England, as they recognise that Scotland has not been as hard-hit by the downturn as other parts of the country.”
Tickets cost £12/£10 in advance. Call the ticket hotline on 0131 333 0965 or visit www.gardeningscotland.com
Gardening Scotland 2009 takes place from 29 to 31 May at the Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh.