Welcome to the first draft of 2011 events calendar.
I attend a wide range of shows, charity garden openings and plant fairs each year and I am somewhat picky about where I go!
I know my customers want quality as well as value and a nice garden, a good cup of tea, yummy cake and other like-minded nurseries all help to ensure a good day out. The venues listed below, some of which are new to me this year, fulfil most of these criteria and I hope that you will try some of them.
The Rare Plants Fairs are going from strength to strength. Now run by nursery people, they are the perfect, produce venues to see smaller, quality growers offering home grown plants and expert advice for everyone from novice to experienced gardener.
FEBRUARY
I will be joining Pennard Plants for some of their Potato Days around the SW in February and March, so I list the venues I shall be attending and at which ones I shall have my plants. If you want to order bare root roses [see list], or any other of my plants, if available, they may be collected from these venues.
5th, Saturday, 10.30am-2pm. Urchfont Village Hall, Urchfont, Nr Devises, Wilts SN10 4QU
Potato Day with seeds and many varieties of potato available by the tuber!
12th Saturday, 10.30am-3.30pm. Drimpton Village Hall, Drimpton, nr Beaminster, Dorset DT8 3RF
Potato Day with lots of extras including lunches, produce & childrens activities.
13th, Sunday 10am-2pm, Pylle Church Hall [A37], Pylle, nr Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 6SZ
Potato Day with several extra stalls, including me, with bare root roses, bulbs and other plants and veg larder bags
19th, Saturday 10.30am-2pm. Codford Village Hall [off A36], Codford, Warminster, Wiltshire BA12 0LD
Potato Day with seeds etc.
20th, Sunday 11am-3pm, Cheese & Grain, Market Yard, Justice Lane, Frome, Somerset BA11 1BE
I will have a stall at this potato day & seed swap. There will also be food stalls, books & gardening equipment. Admission will be £1, but you get a FREE packet of seeds!
26th, Saturday 10am-2pm, Marshfield Village Hall, Tormartin Drive, Marshfield SW14 8NN
Potato Day with seeds etc.
MARCH
6th, Forde Abbey, Sunday 10am-4pm. Forde Abbey nr Chard
APRIL has become a bit of a nightmare with venues moving dates to avoid the approaching Royal Wedding! Do not assume that everything will be on the date it was last year and some, like Bath Spring Show are cancelled altogether!
2nd, Saturday 9.30-1pm. Seager Hall, Chamberlain St., Wells.
Spring Cake & Plant sale in aid of St Margaret's Hospice. Get your Mother's Day gifts here!
15-16th, Friday & Saturday 10am-5pm. Compton Marbling, Lower Lawn Barns, Fonthill Gifford, nr. Tisbury, Wilts.
Lots of exciting and different goods & gifts, excellent homecooked lunches. I am with Snape Stakes.
16th, Saturday 9.30-2pm. Seager Hall, Chamberlain St., Wells.
Plant Sale in aid of Wookey in Bloom. [yes I am in 2 places at once!]
17th, Sunday 10am-4pm. Mapperton House, nr. Beaminster, Dorset.
The spring sale at this beautiful and popular venue, lots of lovely plants and a marvellous garden to admire - the food's good too!
23rd, Saturday 9.30-12 noon. St Margaret's Hall, Bradford-on-Avon, Wilts.
We're back in central Bradford-on-Avon for this Hardy Plant Society sale. Well worth a visit to buy gems from seldom seen nurseries.
25th, Easter Monday, 12noon-5pm. Abbey Cottage, Itchen Abbas, nr. Aylesford, Hants. Open for the NGS.
An Easter opening for this stunning 1 acre garden. People return year after year to admire Patrick Daniels' immaculate organic garden and eat yummy cake! Proof positive that alkaline soil is not as difficult as some would have you believe.
MAY
1st, Sunday 10 am-4 pm. Great Chalfield Manor, Boughton Gifford, Melksham, Wilts.
A wonderful spring feast of plants from specialist nurseries from all over the south west, set in wonderful surroundings.
7th, Saturday 11 am-2pm. Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney St., Bath.
Part of the celebrations marking the reopening of the newly refurbished and extended museum.
14th, Saturday 10am-5.30pm. Arts & Crafts at Stourhead, The Hall, Eagle pub courtyard, Stourhead House & Garden, Wiltshire.
The first of 4 superior craft fairs in this charming venue. I will only be there on Saturday, but the event runs on Sunday as well. Morris dancers will be performing on both days too!
15th, Sunday 11am-4.30pm. Plant Fair, Lytes Cary Manor, Kingdon, Somerset.
This popular annual event features plants from the gardens at Lytes Cary and Barrington Court as well as a diverse selection of local nurseries. House an garden are also open.
21st, 10am-5.30pm. Arts & Crafts at Stourhead [see above]
The second spring fair featuring a different selection of artists and craft people. I am there on Saturday only.
22nd, 10am-4pm. Rowde School, Rowde, Devizes, Wiltshire.
Very popular charity plant fair with lots of fine nuseries and WI teas and cake!
30th, 10am-4pm. Stoberry Park, Wells, Somerset.
A great garden with magnificent views over Wells, Glastonbury and the Somerset levels. All this and plants too!
JUNE
1st-4th, 9am-6pm. The Bath & West Show, The Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset.
A traditional agricultural show with something for everyone, including a Floral Marquee, where I shall be amongst a diverse selection of nurseries making exhibitions of themselves! Tomatoes etc. will be on sale - come early for the best selection.
5th, 11am-5pm, Conholt Park