Grow Your Own trend see Gardening Scotland flourish (8 April 2009)

SCOTLAND’S national flower show is flourishing in the face of the economic downturn.

The Show, which returns in May for its 10th anniversary, will feature more Show Gardens than ever before and amongst the nurseries and specialist growers from all over the UK who will take part in the biggest plant sale in Scotland are many who have never before exhibited at the Show.

The centrepiece of this year’s event will be an allotment created by the BTCV (the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers) while many Show Gardens, miniature Pallet Gardens and other exhibits will feature edible crops in place of flowering plants.

Gardening Scotland chairman and BBC Scotland Beechgrove gardener, Jim McColl, said the rise in popularity of ‘grow-your-own’ and an increase in grass-roots gardening amongst community groups, schools and volunteer organisations was behind the upsurge in interest.

“Many people are turning to gardening at the moment and that is reflected in the strength of this year’s show,” he said.

“At the same time we are getting enquiries from companies with Chelsea pedigrees who want to widen their customer base beyond the south of England, as they recognise that Scotland has not been as hard-hit by the downturn as other parts of the country.”
The event’s organisers have responded to the growing appetite for vegetable gardening by introducing workshops, exhibits and children’s activities with a productive theme.

Meanwhile, ticket prices have been pegged at last year’s levels and prize money for exhibitors has risen to £23,000 with the introduction of three new awards, including one for the most environmentally-friendly exhibit.

Gardening Scotland Photos