A blooming lovely weekend for everyone

Hartlepool Horticultural Show takes place at Rift House Recreation Ground, off Kingsley Avenue, on Saturday 21st August from 12.30pm to 4pm and Sunday 22nd August from 11am to 4pm. Entry to see the show – which is hosted by Hartlepool Borough Council - is free.

Visitors can expect stunning displays of award-winning flowers and vegetables from green-fingered growers across the North East and beyond.

The long-running show attracts hundreds of visitors each year and has over 100 categories for people to enter, from fuchsias, gladioli, chrysanthemums and roses to vegetables including shallots, cucumbers and leeks.

Cash prizes are up for grabs for best display within each category and the Tom Hammond Special Award for best display in the show. Plus for those with a sweet tooth there is a section for the best tasting home-made preserves such as jams and chutneys and cakes made with a vegetable.

Show Secretary Phil Orley said: “We are delighted that the Horticultural Show can go ahead for the first time since the pandemic. We know how much people have valued and relied on their gardens during the past year and there has been a huge increase in people taking up gardening or even just growing plants on their balconies or window ledges during the lockdowns.

“Whilst we do have some of the finest growers from the region taking part in the show, you don’t need to be a professional gardener to enter as we believe gardening is for everyone and love that people have a real ‘give it a go’ attitude when it comes to gardening, which I think the past year has proved!

“We also want to encourage more youngsters to get into gardening from an early age and we have dedicated children’s categories they can take part in including top fruit or vegetable man, a picture of a garden and best small cakes.”

Councillor Tim Fleming, Chair of the Council’s Adult and Community Based Services Committee, said: “It’s great to see the return of the Horticultural Show, which is one of the highlights of the Hartlepool calendar and is always a magnificent display.

“Whether you consider yourself the next Alan Titchmarsh, are just getting into gardening or simply enjoy the smell of roses, come along and enjoy a great event for all the family.”

The National Gladiolus Society will also be holding its Northern Exhibition at the show, attracting growers from all over England.

Copies of the show schedule and entry form can be downloaded at www.culturehartlepool.com , or call 01429 289626. The closing date for entries is Saturday 21st August.