Chelsea winner helps hall plant fair

9:22am Friday 9th May 2008

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A CHELSEA Flower Show winner is helping a stately home prepare for its spring plant fair.

Pat Hutchinson, chairman of Ripon Flower Club, won a gold award at Chelsea in 2003.

She is helping Newby Hall, near Ripon, prepare for its plant fair which takes place on Sunday.

A regular competitor at national and international events, she will oversee a 45-strong team, including club members.

She said: "It is a privilege and a pleasure for the group to be involved in the Newby spring plant fair this year.

"We are a hands-on group and our philosophy is to make a contribution within the local community through the creation of beautiful floral displays.

"We take part in many local events, the most acclaimed being the Ripon Cathedral flower festival, and we provide regular displays for places such as Lister House for the elderly in Ripon."

Ripon members are creating floral displays to go inside the hall.

The plant fair will include talks and demonstrations by the Northern Fruit Group and the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.

Newby Hall's head gardener, Mark Jackson, will hold a plant forum looking at planting schemes and what grows well where. There will also be plants on sale.

The event runs between 10am and 4.30pm. Entry to the fair, which includes entry to the hall gardens, is 7 for adults, 6 for pensioners and 5.50 for children.