It’s less than eight weeks to go until the Cumbria Life Home and Garden Show (March 13-15 2020). It’s a time of year when I’m juggling Show tasks as well as new garden designs and ongoing projects for clients so, whatever the Cumbrian weather throws at me, there’s plenty to be doing.
Planning for the Show becomes very real once we’ve curated the applications and made a few invitations to fill gaps. Maureen and I are keen to maintain the variety and the quality of both the Home and the Garden offer as well as providing something new for past visitors to tempt them back. It all means extra work but it’s one of the most satisfying parts of the role, finding new and younger businesses and giving them a shop window.
This year, we have even more room than normal as the new Gallery space at Rheged is going to be part of the Show. As this blog goes online, we’re at around 100 exhibitors, which is a record and probably the reason why the planning meetings with the Rheged and Cumbria Life teams have seemed so busy!
Garden businesses feature in a few of the different Halls including the Mountain Hall, the area that’s downstairs from the entrance to Rheged, below the café and on the route to the main theatres. It’s an awkward shape but also one of the most accessible spots for heavy deliveries with the option of cooler outside space for secure storage too. No wonder it’s been popular with garden suppliers ever since we got involved with the Show in 2015.
The odd shape means there’s a bit of tweaking with angles and dimensions to make it work but The Pot Place team is keen to be in this space, as are Pine Tree Nurseries, Ruddick Garden Gifts and Tinnisburn Plants. This year, we’ll have two first timers, Lowther Castle and Hare Spring Cottage Plants, in the Mountain Hall too.
I also need to consider the best flow through the space so that no one is missed as visitors walk around. It’s a challenge but I’ve learnt what works best in recent years and I can more or less visualise how it’s going to work now that it is all planned out on paper.
I hope you’re looking forward to seeing this and the four other halls of exhibitors in March – have a look at the website and book your tickets in advance at the early bird prices if you can. You also need to book in advance if you’d like to take part in any of the extra master classes and workshops.
Buzy Lizzie and Wildroof Landscapes will be in the Mountain Hall and we’re counting the days and weeks – hope to see you at the Show.
- The Pot Place https://www.thepotplace.co.uk/
- Pine Tree Nurseries https://www.facebook.com/pg/Pine-Tree-Nurseries-52…
- Tinnisburn Plants https://www.tinnisburn.co.uk/
- Lowther Castle https://www.lowthercastle.org/to-see/gardens/
- Hare Spring Cottage Plants https://www.harespringcottageplants.co.uk/