| The 84th 
				Southport Flower Show - 2013Photographs by Patrick 
				Trollope.
 
								 THIS years Southport Flower 
				Show was the 84th event held on Victoria Park and it ran over 15 
				August and 18 August 2013. The theme this year we where informed 
				was 'Pride' and that is just what the people of Merseyside, 
				poetically Southport should feel when you talk about this show. 
				Looking at how many people the show attracted over its 4 days, 
				it is not surprising that the Flower Show is still the UK's 
				largest independent flower show. With over a million blooms 
				according to the organisers, and featured more than 350 exhibitors and 18 
				show gardens, this was a heavy fever sufferer’s nightmare, but a 
				botanist’s heaven. At this point we have to say well done to the 
				this year's amateur and society displays, as we think they out 
				classed themselves, as they where outstanding. That is not 
				knocking the professionals who also delivered equally high, if 
				not higher standards of exhibits than in previous years. The 
				spotlight should also be focused on HM Prison Kirkham's garden 
				display, as it was phenomenally well planned feature, which 
				showed great imagination along with both extremely high 
				horticultural and artistic skill. It was not all flowers as the 
				event also had other entertainment to offer the shows many 
				visitors. This years event's North West Book Festival and North 
				West Food Festival. The gourmet food festival was very popular, 
				featuring a marquee that had a full working kitchen in it, where 
				celebrity chefs whipped up their signature dishes. But it was 
				not just the food and flowers that brought people out to the 
				show as local and national authors took part in the book 
				festival area, organised by the leading independent book shop, 
				Broadhursts of Southport. If all that was not enough, the event 
				was opened by Carol Vorderman and other top UK TV stars 
				attended, with Coronation Street's Jennie McAlpine – ‘Fiz’ and 
				others appearing over the other 3 days. It was very hard to cram 
				it all in, as when all that was on you also had in the main 
				arena entertainment medieval knights jousting and birds of prey 
				and dog displays... plus other side shows, including live 
				musical performances on the bandstand that provided a rich and 
				varied programme of easy listening music. Not forgetting the 
				chance to sample wines at stands like Pieroth Wines, who have 
				consistently had a stand at the show for as long as we can 
				remember… This years coverage by us is going top be split over 2 
				editions. To see Part 1 please click on 
				
				
				here now!
 
 for more information about the Flower show and for dates and 
				updates on future shows we suggest you visit these 2 links:- 
				
				Facebook and the official
				
				
				website for the show.
 
					
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						B.O.A. 70th Anniversary DVD  
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						| 
						
						 THE video footage we 
						have taken at the 70th BOA events this year in Liverpool has 
						now been 
						fully edited is 
						available to buy, on a DVD, from our Online 
						
						
						
						Shop, 
						on Mersey Reporter very soon.  For 
						each DVD sold, £3.00 will go to the Liverpool's Lord 
						Mayor's Charity Appeal. (Registered Charity No. 229539)  
						At this stage we can only do UK postage options, but if 
						you are outside the UK, you can still order copies, but 
						only by emailing 
						us to:- 
						news24@merseyreporter.com 
						with your FULL address and we will get back to you with 
						a postage cost and a payment link, should you wish to 
						continue. |  |  |  |