FlowerScapes at the Floral Fringe Fair

Last weekend saw the Floral Fringe Fair at Knepp Castle. Our company FlowerScapes advised event-goers how to plant nectar and pollen rich flowers to help our declining insects. The fair was a great success and had a lovely mix of wildlife, vintage, yummy food, plant and craft stalls. Knepp Castle is privately owned by Sir Charles Burrell, and has been in his family for 220 years. Until recently most of the land on the Estate was devoted to traditional arable and dairy farming, but in 2001 they shifted their focus entirely, and embarked on a series of regeneration and restoration projects aimed primarily at nature conservation and a less intensive way of meat production. This method of re-wilding has been successfully introduced in Holland.

Strange and unusual plants being sold

Knepp Castle

Our FlowerScapes stall, before being prettied up with flowers

Not just vintage cars but people too.

Vintage bus

View of the castle and fair

Willow weaving

Lots of plant stalls

Vintage brocante

Steve in action at the FlowerScapes stall

Although there was a constant stream of people, because the stalls were spread out, the atmosphere felt relaxed

I want one!

Wood and willow weaving stall

Restored camper van, yep, want one of these too!

A nice event and the event goers really nice too, all very interested in creating more insect-friendly planting.

Going to the Show

Last Thursday to Saturday saw the 81st annual National Honey Show, in Weybridge, Surrey. This show isn't just about honey, although they do have exhibitions of honey, wax and many other bee related displays.

It's a real competition, with many cups to win! 

Mead - a traditional honey drink dating back to medieval times

I entered 4 photographs, top middle one is mine! I won an award too.

Two middle ones with the bees on helenium flowers are mine, one with a 'Very highly commended'

And the one in the middle with the white mount, all mounts of which I cut myself!

Steve gave a talk about gardening for pollinators on the Friday afternoon and so spent the day mooching about the show taking in the other talks and browsing the trade stalls before his talk, whilst I headed up to the show on the Saturday with a couple of my colleagues.

There were many and varied trade stalls selling everything from beekeeping equipment, books and jewellery to cosmetics containing hive products.

There were some good speakers, for instance Keith Delaplane, Marla Spivac (the mother of breeding honey bees for hygienic behaviour) and, of course, my colleague Margaret Couvillon, speaking about her work at the bee lab at Sussex University.


For more photos see the National Honey Show website