*** This competition is now closed, thank you to everyone who entered ***
I’ve paired up with the team at BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair on this competition where you can enter to win a pair of standard adult tickets to the Spring Fair which returns to Beaulieu this year. The tickets offered as the prize for this competition are valid for Sunday 30 April only, 9.30am entry, with a RRP of £48.00. For details of how to enter please see the ‘How to enter’ section further down in this post.
You can also use the discount code* SAVE10 for 10% off standard adult/concession entry tickets, for tickets on Friday 28 and Sunday 30 April for entry at 9.30am and 11.30am only, further information about using the discount code is also provided below.
I’ve attended the BBC Gardeners’ World Live show a couple of times now, though I’ve not been to the Spring or Autumn Fairs, so I’m also looking forward to visiting for the first time. The highlights of this year’s Spring Fair include the spectacular Hillier Secret Garden, Paul Stone’s edible showcase garden, Beautiful Borders, BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Stage, Plant Expert Tours, plant and garden shopping, mushroom growing and floral workshops, the BBC Good Food Market, live music, and all of Beaulieu’s attractions.
It sounds like it’s going to be a brilliant, informative and busy day. If previous experiences are anything to go by, I recommend wearing shoes comfortable to walk and walk and walk in, bringing a tote bag (or several) for anything which may ‘call’ to you and a camera to capture the inspiration on display, which if you’re anything like me will completely fill your phone’s storage!
What to see at this year’s Spring Fair
The Hillier Secret Garden: inspired by The Secret Garden, expect a stunning walk-through garden enclosed by high hedges and containing a display of colour-co-ordinated plants and shrubs portraying the movement of the sun during a spring day. Colours from cool whites and purples of daybreak to fiery reds and oranges of sunset, with trees featuring prominently.
Paul Stone’s showcase garden Theatre of Greens: the garden will be packed with veg and edible plants, alongside a programme of daily talks hosted by Chris Bavin. Guests will feature ‘grow your own’ gurus including Garden Organic’s Head of Horticulture and former Blue Peter gardener, Chris Collins and fungi experts The Caley Brothers.
All of the Beautiful Borders which offer inspiration for small gardens and challenging spaces with the theme of ‘My Garden Escape’, and on a micro scale, organic gardening charity, Garden Organic, will present a 1m x 1m design inspired by bugs, birds and biodiversity, featuring a veg plot, composting system and high-rise bug hotel. This is the part of the shows where MOH despairs of me, I like to see them all and can be quite methodical about making sure I have seen everything!
Budget-friendly gardens: Horticultural students from Kingston Maurward, Merrist Wood and Cannington Campus (Bridgewater and Taunton College) will create budget-friendly gardens, under the expert eye of mentor Cherry Carmen, the award-winning garden designer whose accolades include a Gold Award at BBC Gardeners’ World Live.
Plant Expert Tours: for an additional cost you can explore the Beaulieu gardens with half-hour tours led by plant experts, Lucy Chamberlain and Beaulieu Head Gardener Kelvin Yapp on the Kitchen Garden tour, or Saul Walker and Beaulieu’s Dan Turner on the Ornamental Garden tour.
The BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Stage features special guests, Frances Tophill (Friday), Arit Anderson (Saturday) and Adam Frost (Sunday), who will be joining the Magazine’s editors to share practical advice about ‘what to do now’ in your garden.
Add to all of this more than 100 exhibitors with outdoor and indoor plants, garden tools, kit and accessories, the BBC Good Food Market, live entertainment and everything that Beaulieu has to offer, I’ve a feeling it’s going to be a long, but rewarding and inspirational day!
How to enter:
To enter to win a pair of standard adult tickets valid for Sunday 30 April only, 9.30am entry leave a comment on this blog post sharing what you most enjoy about gardening or spending time in gardens, then click on the link below and complete your entry.
A winner will be chosen on 26 March and contacted by email.
Save 10% off standard adult/concession entry tickets
You can use the discount code* SAVE10 for 10% off standard adult/concession entry tickets.
* Discount is valid on adult/concessions standard entry tickets for Friday 28 and Sunday 30 April for entry at 09:30am and 11.30am only. Not valid on 1:30pm tickets, added extras, or with any other offer. Ends 23:59 on 10 April 2023. £3.95 transaction fee per e-ticket order. Details correct at time of publication.