I’ve been talking to Diana Walton about the new look Malvern Autumn Show.
For some time, I’ve felt that the Malvern Autumn Show has lost its way (Reflecting on the Malvern Autumn Show). While it’s not billed as a gardening show but rather a celebration of the season, it seemed as though the gardening that was there was being squeezed.
Talking to nurseries, I know they were unhappy about it as well. The ‘cow shed’, as the Wye Hall is nicknamed, is a challenging place to display plants with low light levels and many felt they were sidelined in a corner of the Three Counties Showground.
The complaints were well known by the show organisers but the past few years have been devoted to revamping the RHS Malvern Spring Festival. Now, it’s the turn of the Malvern Autumn Show to take a new direction.
The most obvious difference this year will be the introduction of a proper canvas Floral Marquee for the RHS Flower Show, along the lines of the hugely successful one brought into the spring festival two years ago.
Sited by the main showground entrance, it will be 125m long with 40 nurseries from across the country booked. Their response to what is a considerable investment by the show team has been welcomed by Diana Walton, Head of Shows at The Three Counties Showground.
“The reaction has been absolutely amazing. We’ve got a waiting list.”
This comes after some years of being unable to shift nursery numbers for the Malvern Autumn Show above the low 30s.
Nurseries taking part include Malvern stalwarts, such as Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants, Fibrex Nurseries and Plantagogo, along with some who have not been for a few years, including Roualeyn Fuchsias and bromeliad nursery Every Picture Tells a Story.
There are also some making their RHS flower show debut. The Kitchen Garden, based at Newent, has only ever exhibited at small shows and has been given a bursary by the RHS towards its Malvern Autumn Show display.
“Where autumn has a particular relevance and excitement is that we are able to introduce nurseries that perhaps aren’t classed as ‘RHS nurseries’,” says Diana.
Unlike previous shows where food and gardening experts gave talks in separate theatres, the 2018 show will have a combined venue, The Autumn Potager Theatre, hosted by Mark Diacono.
Celebrity gardeners Carol Klein, Joe Swift and Alys Fowler will advise on growing while chef Valentine Warner will be among those giving cooking tips.
“It’s all about from the soil to the table,” says Diana.
The theatre is being ‘dressed’ by the team from Keyscape, who won Best in Show for their garden at the spring festival. They are working with RHS Ambassador Jamie Butterworth and plant firm Hortus Loci.
The marquee will be part of a new Gardening Village, which includes more nursery stands and the Potting Shed, where there will be a drop-in, informal series of talks headed up by Reg Moule. A new feature is a bulb market with “hand-selected sellers”.
“The gardening village will bring together all aspects of the gardening that were previously at the show but possibly were scattered in various areas,” says Diana. “It’s giving it the importance we think it deserves and bringing it together in one area.”
One of the other highlights of the Malvern Autumn Show is the display of giant veg, part of the Canna UK National Giant Veg Championship.
That too is being given its own marquee; in the past, it’s shared space with displays of apples and a talks theatre.
“We know that all our visitors, I think practically without exception, will at some point want to go and see the giant vegetables. So, we’ve given that the importance it deserves.”
There are four new classes this year with rhubarb, kohlrabi and aubergine judged on their weight and a contest for the longest radish.
Elsewhere, the Countryside Shopping has been moved into a bay of the Wye Hall, alongside the Guild of Crafts and the Young Farmers’ National Championships.
It will also be the site of the Floral Art and the Floral Fiesta, headed up by florist Jonathan Moseley with demonstrations throughout the weekend and displays by British flower growers.
After two very successful Spring Festivals, you can sense Diana’s excitement at what the Malvern Autumn Show may achieve.
“The Malvern word is out there and people are loving Malvern and enjoying Malvern and we’re loving organising the shows as well.”
• The Malvern Autumn Show is on September 29 and 30, 2018. For details and tickets, visit the website.