More than 90,000 keen gardeners, growers and plant lovers enjoyed sunshine and the odd shower at BBC Gardeners’ World Live at the NEC Birmingham last month, sponsored by Lexus.
With 40 Show Gardens, Showcase Gardens and Beautiful Borders, some brand new features, and the ever-popular BBC Gardeners’ World TV presenters and Magazine editors live on stage, visitors were spoilt for choice for inspiration and ideas to take home.
In the Floral Marquee, sponsored by Legal & General, Plant Village and Houseplant Hub, specialist nurseries, growers and retailers wowed the crowds with their stunning floral displays and vast array of plants to browse and buy. More than 100 exciting brand-new plants were the stars of the Hot Off The Potting Bench gallery, all entered for this year’s Peter Seabrook Award for Best New Plant at BBC Gardeners’ World Live. Hydrangea macrophylla First Editions® Eclipse® scooped Herefordshire grower, Allensmore Nurseries, the top prize. Visitors got the chance to vote for their own personal favourites, with Eclipse Hydrangea crowned the People’s Choice winner. Runners up were Rose ‘RNLI 200th With Courage' by Peter Beale Roses and Osteospernum Tradewinds Yellow by Syngenta. The People’s Choice Show Garden winner was Notes from the Mediterranean by Katerina Kantalis and JG Landscapes.
An exciting new highlight at this year’s BBC Gardeners’ World Live was the UK International Orchid Show, featuring thirty spectacular displays by top UK and international orchid growers and societies. The RHS Orchid Committee awarded eight Certificates of Cultural Commendation and two highly sought after Awards of Merit for Anguloa Turner’s Chalice ‘St. Thomas’ owned by Henry Oakley and Cattleya lobata ‘Jeni’ owned by Clive Lloyd (see full awards list in notes to editors). The Orchid Society of Great Britain won Best Orchid Show Display and a Platinum award from the BBC Gardeners’ World Live floral assessors’ panel.
Top of the ‘must-see’ list at this year’s event was The Chef’s Table, Adam Frost’s ‘plot-to-plate’ themed headline Show Garden. Packed with seasonal fruit, veg and edible plants, with thanks to plant supplier, Hillier Nurseries, the popular BBC Gardeners’ World presenter’s design combined his passion for growing and cooking. In a celebration of the joy of sharing good food with friends, chefs from sister event, Good Food Show Summer, joined Adam each day at the garden’s outdoor kitchen for foodie chat and live cooking demonstrations, all inspired by the garden’s ingredients.
Town and city gardeners had their own dedicated space at this year’s event with a new Urban Gardening area, sponsored by Blue Diamond Garden Centres. Teams of leading young landscapers created inspiring, climate change-themed Urban Showcase Gardens, designed by award-winning designer, Cherry Carmen, and Blue Diamond Gardening Centres showcased their capsule urban plant collection with a stylish feature garden and retail space. At the Urban Gardening Stage, host Ade Sellars and a lineup of experts including Frances Tophill, Kim Stoddart, Jason Williams and Manoj Malde shared their top tips and advice.
Also new for 2024 was the Get Growing Stage. Celebrating the joys of glorious home-grown produce, host Chris Collins (Garden Organic) shared the stage with leading GYO experts who had all the ‘grow-your-own’ lowdown, from organic gardening with Hannah Reid to mushroom growing myths with Caley Brothers. For visitors wanting to boost their gardening and growing skills, workshops with BBC Gardeners’ World Live’s resident Plant Experts, Lucy Chamberlain and Saul Walker, were another new addition.
Winners of the always popular Health for Life School Wheelbarrow Competition were Allens Croft Nursery School, Victoria School, and St Bernard’s Catholic Primary School (People’s Choice), all located in and around Birmingham. The annual competition is a fun way for budding young growers to show off their creative flair and teamwork skills and enjoy the satisfaction of seeing their creations on display for BBC Gardeners’ World Live’s huge audience to enjoy.
Rachel Poletti-Gadd, Portfolio Director at Immediate Live, organisers of BBC Gardeners’ World Live, said: “We absolutely love hosting BBC Gardeners’ World Live each year and it’s been great to hear visitors’ feedback on this year’s exciting new highlights. Seeing and hearing people enjoying themselves as they explore the gardens, floral displays, stages, workshops, book signings, shopping and more really is a magical experience. Whether you’re a first-time visitor that’s new to gardening, a seasoned allotment grower and show regular, or you come for the delicious food and a free sample or two at Good Food Show Summer, it’s a great day out. We can’t wait to do it all again next year, and if you can’t wait until then, our seasonal Fairs are worth a visit too!”
The next date for the diary is the BBC Gardeners’ World Autumn Fair, in association with English Heritage, at Audley End House and Gardens in Essex from 30 August – 1 September 2024. The BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair returns to Beaulieu in the New Forest, Hampshire from 1 – 3 May 2025. BBC Gardeners’ World Live returns to the NEC from 12 – 15 June 2025.
