Windsor & Eton Express

Royal seal of approval for 115th flower show

Windsor: Countess of Wessex and TV’s Alan Titchmarsh to open York Club event

- By Kieran Bell kieranb@baylismedi­a.co.uk @KieranB_BM

The Countess of Wessex will join TV’s Alan Titchmarsh to open the Royal Windsor Flower Show this weekend as the event marks its 115th edition.

Prince Edward’s wife will be present in the York Club at Windsor Great Park to officially kick off the horticultu­ral show tomorrow (Saturday), which runs between 10am-6pm.

This year also marks 130 years of the Royal Windsor Rose & Horticultu­ral Society, which runs the show, while following on from patron Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee celebratio­ns last week.

The Society was founded by Queen Victoria in 1892 and has received the backing of six other monarchs during its history.

This year’s Royal Windsor Flower Show will feature a range of competitio­n classes for all ages, as well as demonstrat­ions from expert designers, horticultu­rists, chefs and artists.

Classes of note include The Master Gardener Cup, which recognises the importance of Britain’s large country estates, and is open exclusivel­y for estates and Royal households.

There will also be a competitio­n for children with the help of the Windsor-based Busy Buttons charity, with classes covering gardening, cookery and arts and crafts.

Meanwhile, schools across

the Royal Borough will be battling it out in a range of contests at this weekend’s show.

Budding photograph­ers may also be interested in the ‘Encapsulat­ing the British spirit’ photograph­ic class to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee.

The winning photo from this class will see their image printed in the Slough and Windsor Express, with entries judged by Express photograph­er Ian Longthorne.

Meanwhile, a dedicated Platinum Jubilee garden, representi­ng Her Majesty’s love for the natural world, will be available to view.

The garden, designed by Alan Williams, will be accessible to walk through at the show and is set to feature the Union Jack flag.

It will also feature a sculpture signifying the seven decades of Her Majesty’s reign, with planting around this portraying Her Majesty’s love of roses.

Look out for pictures and coverage from the show in next week’s paper and on our website, www.windsorexp­ress .co.uk

For more informatio­n on the show, visit rwrhs.com/ flower-show

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Sophie, Countess of Wessex, at the Royal Windsor Rose and Horticultu­ral Society's 112th annual show in 2017.
Ref:128409-20 Sophie, Countess of Wessex, at the Royal Windsor Rose and Horticultu­ral Society's 112th annual show in 2017.

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