Review: Southport Flower 2022 was a brilliant event which has been much missed

Review: Southport Flower Show 2022 by Andrew Brown, Stand Up For Southport 

Southport Flower Show – where have you been? 

It’s been three years since we were able to enjoy the UK’s biggest, and best, independent flower show at the magnificent Victoria Park in Southport, due to the Covid pandemic. It’s been much missed! 

It was brilliant to see huge crowds lining up to get into the park on Thursday morning as the four-day event re-opened. The flower show, and the many thousands of people it attracts, creates a huge boost to local businesses across the area including hotels, shops, restaurants and bars. 

It was a really lovely touch, especially after the sense of community we all fostered during the Covid-19 pandemic, to invite retiring Queenscourt Hospice founder Dr Karen Groves MBE to officially open this year’s event, a change from the usual celebrities from Coronation Street or other TV programmes, or TV stars from the culinary, gardening or dancing worlds. 

It has to be remembered that this event is organised by a local charity, with lots of local volunteers involved. Any proceeds raised go towards maintaining this beautiful public park for the enjoyment of local people throughout the year. 

It’s an incredible success story, with the event saved after being axed by the council in the mid-1980s. 

Southport Flower Show. Photo by Andrew Brown Media

I’ve been to Southport Flower Show many times over the past 20 years, but the absence meant I had forgotten just how huge this event really is. 

I went twice this year, first on the opening day with my wife, and then on Saturday as seven of us enjoyed a family day – that included four children and as Southport Flower Show runs a kids go free policy, it meant that four of our seven were admitted free. There’s not many events you can say that about! 

There was lots for children to enjoy too, with Justin Fletcher (Mr Tumble) performing on Sunday, and some great performances in the Arena from attractions such as the West Lancs Dog Display Team, Mercer Falconry and others. 

Southport Flower Show. Photo by Andrew Brown Media

Seeing the stilt walkers and other performers from Southport’s G Models & Casting Agency also put a big smile on visitors’ faces as they arrived, and they also marvelled at displays by the show gardens, the gardens inside the Grand Floral Marquee, and by traders including Pangea Sculptures from Ormskirk with their huge animal sculptures. 

The Garden Theatre gave a great opportunity to learn more about some amazing people through some interviews brilliantly conducted by TV presenter Paul Crone with top class guests such as Dr Karen Groves, Adam Frost, Christine Walkden, Daisy Desire and others. 

Cheap deals on advance ticket sales were great too, allowing visitors to make a substantial saving if they bought early, whether online or from outlets such as The Atkinson. 

You can buy tickets online now for next year’s Show for just £17 – that’s an impressive £10 saving on the gate price. Local residents with proof of a PR8 and PR9 postcode meanwhile can receive a discounted ticket for just £18, a superb offer for people in the town. .

The only difficulty was being able to get around everything! We walked in with a huge list of what we all wanted to see and do, but even after two full days there was lots we weren’t able to make. We would have loved more time in the Cookery Theatre, where they had a superb mix of TV celebrity chefs such as Si King (Hairy Bikers) and Ellis Barrie (Great British Menu), with local culinary stars including Alan Wycherley (The Grand), Attilio Sergi (Trattoria 51 / Pasta 51 Express) and Jemma Melvin, the Southport home baker whose Lemon Swiss Roll and Amaretti Trifle won the BBC’s Platinum Pudding competition to create the official dessert for the Queen’s Jubilee. 

Southport Flower Show. Photo by Andrew Brown Media

There were some really fun displays in the entertainment arena too which kept the young ones enthralled in front of some decent crowds and we could have stayed for more of that too. 

We were all amazed by the quality of the exhibitors in the Grand Floral Marquee and outside, with amazing sunflowers, cacti, bonsai trees, vegetables, tomatoes, and others, plus some stunning gardens designed by the likes of Alan Foxall – here 55 years after exhibiting at his first flower show! – James Comish landscape and horticulture, Edda and Bridge Inn Community Farm and others. 

Seeing the reaction from so many people in Stand Up For Southport over the past few days has been fascinating to see. 

Enchanted Fields at Southport Flower Show. Photo by Andrew Brown Media

The vast majority of the reaction has been really positive, people enjoyed being back: 

Dawn Benson said: “Absolutely loved it – first time going, and won’t be the last!”

Nicki Kiernan said: “Was amazing. Looking forward to next year.” 

Jackie Sutton said: “Really enjoyed the show, I have missed it sooo much!”

The Southport Rugby Club Garden at Southport Flower Show. Photo by Andrew Brown Media

One query that people raised was the fewer number of Show Gardens this year. It’s no wonder – since the pandemic, landscape gardeners are snowed under with work! It’s harder to persuade them to display at the event. But there were still some superb gardens on show, from the likes of Southport Rugby Club, Southport U3A, Macmillan, local schools, from Cutting Edge Garden Services and others, as well as some beautiful gardens inside the Grand Floral Marquee. 

Victoria Park has become an incredible events venue, with one big event after another. 

Time to take a break? Don’t hold your breath – coming up fast on the heels of Southport Flower Show are more big events, including Southport Classic and Speed (11th September 2022), the British Musical Fireworks Championship (23rd-25th September 2022) and Southport Comedy Festival (30th September-16th October 2022)! 

It’s fantastic to enjoy all these big events coming back to Victoria Park. 

Do you have a story for Stand Up For Southport? Please message Andrew Brown via Facebook here or email me at: mediaandrewbrown@gmail.com