Volunteers are hard at work creating the stunning living wall archway that will welcome visitors to the 2023 Southport Flower Show!
Over 2,000 plants are being put in place at the huge entrance to Victoria Park in Southport ready for an estimated 55,000 people arriving at this year’s event.
Southport Flower Show takes place from Thursday 17th August to Sunday 20th August 2023, with celebrities including Rachel Riley, Pasha Kovalev, John Torode MBE and Lisa Faulkner, with advance tickets available online here: www.southportflowershow.co.uk
Twenty volunteers from Birkdale Civic Society, Hillside Improvement Team and Friends Of Bedford Park in Birkdale have been working hard to make the arch look perfect in time for visitors arriving from across the UK.
It will have a more natural look this year, to celebrate Southport’s impressive coastline and the nature that thrives along it.
Birkdale Civic Society Chair Charlotte Woods said: “We were asked if we could step in and create this year’s living wall at the main entrance of Southport Flower Show!
“I put a call out for some volunteers to come forward from the three different groups, and I had a great response.
“A dozen of us have been here working hard and we’ll be back again over the weekend putting all these plants in.
“After that, we will be creating our garden inside the Amateur Tent! It’s going to be a busy week for us.
“We have a total of 2,250 plants to put in at the arch, with a mixture of grasses and perennials.
Volunteers are hard at work creating the stunning living wall archway that will welcome visitors to the 2023 Southport Flower Show. Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
“The idea is to model it on Southport’s famous sand dunes.
“We spoke with Southport Flower Show and Victoria Park Events General Manager Alan Adams, who wanted to move away from the bedding flowers that have traditionally been in the living wall to a more natural looking coastal living wall.
“We were delighted to be invited to come in and help.
“We will always help Southport Flower Show in any way we can. We would hate to see the event not supported by the local community. We all enjoy helping Alan and his team.
“Not many people realise that Southport Flower Show is organised, and that Victoria Park is maintained, by a local charity.
“Alan and his team are keeping something going which has been a big part of our town for such a long time. Southport Flower Show is celebrating its 100th anniversary next year!
“The fact that they offer discounted tickets to Southport residents, saving them £10 on the gate price, is something I really like too. Not many events do something like that.
“I hope it’s really well supported this year.
“People don’t realise how much work goes into this event. It takes years of planning to organise all the infrastructure, all the celebrities, all the gardeners and exhibitors, it takes ages to get it all ready!
Volunteers are hard at work creating the stunning living wall archway that will welcome visitors to the 2023 Southport Flower Show. Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
“We are really glad to be able to be a part of it.
“I have enjoyed seeing some of the local landscape gardeners such as Jackie Knight, Greg Mook and Max Henshaw back again creating their show gardens.
“There is a great buy-in for this event from within the local community in Southport.
“People don’t realise how much of what goes on in Southport is supported so much by volunteers.
“It says a lot about our town and the community who live here about how much people are willing to give back.”
The 2023 Southport Flower Show will see celebrity guests including Rachel Riley and her BBC Strictly Come Dancing partner Pasha Kovalev among the star turns.
Volunteers are hard at work creating the stunning living wall archway that will welcome visitors to the 2023 Southport Flower Show. Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
Southport is the UK’s largest independent flower show and is famous for its stunning show gardens, grand floral marquee and keenly contested amateur competitions.
Visitors can enjoy a wealth of gardening inspiration from top experts including Gardeners’ World presenter Frances Tophill and Katie Rushworth from Love Your Garden.
They are joined by Garden Ninja Lee Burkhill, ‘cloud gardener’ Jason Williams and broadcaster James Wong plus Daisy Desire, the Drag Queen Gardener.
In the demonstration kitchen will be celebrity chefs John Torode MBE and Lisa Faulkner along with ITV This Morning chef Phil Vickery, Masterchef’s Gabriella Margiotta and Lizzie Acker from the Great British Bake Off.
Volunteers are hard at work creating the stunning living wall archway that will welcome visitors to the 2023 Southport Flower Show. Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
Kids go free to Southport Flower Show and younger visitors will be entertained by children’s TV star Justin Fletcher, who is returning with his acclaimed stage show.
With its combination of garden and floral displays, cookery demonstrations, shopping village, arena entertainment, live music and much more, Southport Flower Show is a great day out for the whole family.
For tickets please visit: www.southportflowershow.co.uk or call into The Atkinson on Lord Street in Southport.
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