Flower Show Forum will sow seeds of change for gardening clubs around the UK

Picture courtesy of Iwerne Minster Produce and Horticultural Association’s Summer Show.

On Thursday 17 March representatives from the Royal Horticultural Society’s Affiliated Societies team, Britain’s largest network of gardening clubs and horticultural societies, will join a Flower Show Forum at Castle Gardens in Sherborne, Dorset from 2pm – 4pm.

Chaired by Mike Burks, managing director of The Gardens Group, the Flower Show Forum will offer gardening clubs, which are currently seeing a decline in entries to their garden competitions, a chance to share their concerns and devise a plan to rejuvenate these traditional shows.

With success stories of initiatives from around the UK, advice on resources from the Royal Horticultural Society and ideas to reignite interest and entries, the aim of the Flower Show Forum is to give gardening groups and societies the tools to help them organise ever more successful shows in the future. Mike explains;

“Last summer we were invited to some excellent garden club shows around Dorset and Somerset. When we learnt how hard organisers were having to work to put these shows on, we thought it would be useful to hold a forum to bring about change and entice more people to get involved and celebrate what they’ve grown in their gardens and allotments. On speaking to the RHS, we realised that this is an issue experienced on a national scale, therefore we hope that our forum will inspire other regions to bring their knowledge and expertise together to maintain Britain’s great tradition of local gardening competitions.”

After the forum has taken place a Facebook group will be created for the discussions and ideas to continue, encouraging green shoots to flourish among the gardening clubs.

For further information about The Gardens Group please visit www.thegardeneronline.co.uk.