STUDENTS PERFORM THEIR MAGIC AT SPRING FLOWER SHOW

Floristry students from across the North of England are coming together to create their magic at Harrogate Spring Flower Show.

They are taking part in a large-scale exhibition dedicated to ‘Swords and Sorcery: Fantasy Heroes’ in the show’s Floral Art Pavilion which will host the largest display by florists and flower arrangers in the country.

Students from nine colleges are busy preparing their themed displays for the show which takes place at the Great Yorkshire Events Centre, Harrogate on 24 to 27 April 2025.

East Yorkshire based Bishop Burton College’s floral installation is inspired by the Lord of the Rings films and television series, adapted from the books by J.R.R Tolkien.

The installation includes recycled materials with students using tried and tested and contemporary techniques as well as new adaptations to create a captivating display.

Floristry lecturer Helen Smith said: “The design will focus on good versus evil with the ring taking centre stage. There will be elements that reference Mordor and the darker side of the stories as well as the lighter side with its elfish magic and beauty from the shires, bringing middle earth to life.”

Merlin’s Magical Realm is the theme of Wigan and Leigh College’s installation, developed by Level 2 and Level 3 floristry students.

Lecturer Sarah Hughes said: “Lotions, potions and spells will be represented through a floral display which will feature an array of flowers and foliage to create an enchanting colour scheme.”

The other colleges taking part in Swords and Sorcery are Askham Bryan, Shipley, Doncaster, Northumberland, East Durham, Southport and Leeds City.

The Spring Flower Show runs at the same time as Whitby Goth Weekend which has entered one of the floral art classes with its ‘From the Darkness’ exhibit – a florally-dressed six foot tall mannequin painted black.

Organised by the North of England Horticultural Society (NEHS), the Harrogate Spring Flower show attracts over 40,000 visitors each year.

Highlights for 2025 include the spectacular Floral Hall featuring seasonal displays of stunning spring blooms, inspiring Show Gardens and Creative Borders and the biggest exhibition of creative floral art in the UK.

Offering inspiration for everyone, visitors to the show can also be immersed in everything from growing for the non-green fingered to cooking up a storm with homegrown produce in a host of fantastic talks and demonstrations by expert speakers and creators across four exciting live stages.

Visitors can enjoy creating their own floral masterpiece at free workshops and the opportunity to win some fantastic garden prizes and tickets to the Autumn Flower Show at Newby Hall in The Great Garden Giveaway.

About the NEHS

Established in 1911, the North of England Horticultural Society (NEHS) is a charity dedicated to promoting and supporting horticulture in the north of England.

The society's Spring show was first staged in 1920 and provided northern growers with their own platform, independent of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). The Autumn Flower Show was launched in the 1970s as the 'Great Autumn Flower Show’. Both shows have since become pivotal events in the national horticultural calendar with the Spring event heralding the start of the gardening season and the Autumn show celebrating the season's successes.

The NEHS hosts the Spring Flower Show and the Autumn Flower Show every year. The Autumn show is held at Newby Hall and Gardens, Ripon. Attracting a combined audience of around 70,000 visitors each year, the Harrogate Spring and Autumn Flower Shows showcase the very best in gardening and horticulture. From spectacular plant nursery displays and stunning floral features to talks and demonstrations plus inspiring garden shopping, the show makes the perfect day out for gardeners.

In 2023 the NEHS provided over £350k of charitable support to horticulture in its delivery of the combined Harrogate Flower Shows, a figure only achievable through ticket admissions. Through this delivery, the charity supports and finances the work of specialist societies and groups, providing a platform for these volunteer organisations to showcase their knowledge and skills, as well as promoting charitable horticultural organisations and a range of educational opportunities across the north.