Flower Show season starts

I know when it is time to go to the Harrogate Spring Flower Show that spring has really started and the garden season is under way.

Harrogate had some lovely weather this year and it was a real joy to walk about looking at the stalls and exhibits in lovely warm sunshine. Everyone was enjoying themselves - including Tom and Nell Cranny who used to run Brownmoor Nurseries in Crosby, Liverpool and who for many years were regular stall holders at all the major shows including Hampton Court and Tatton. For once they were just out enjoying themselves having retired. It was great to see them and from all at Reckless have a long and enjoyable retirement.

The May edition of Gardeners' World magazine has their free Gardens to Visit guide in it, this is always popular and this year the guide contains 239 gardens and is full of reviews, images and visitor information. Readers also benefit from a very useful 2 for 1 ticket scheme, which I have used in the past. Over 6,000 Gardeners' World readers voted for their favourite garden from each UK region and among the winners were the Eden Project, RHS Harlow Carr and Tatton Park.

The Flower and Plants Association will be spreading the floral word at several major forthcoming shows including BBC Gardeners' World in Birmingham and Hampton Court in July. The Association exists to spread the word of the benefits of having flowers and plants in the home. Look out for them at the shows.

In just a few weeks we will be off to Chelsea - which is the jewel in the crown of the year - and always eagerly looked forward to. What new trends this year I wonder? Will the credit crunch have an effect? We shall see. I have a hunch that somehow this year is going to be a stunner with lots of different gardens and new ideas - there are some interesting designers this year and I think the competition for Best Garden will be more open than it has been for years.

In the meantime get out in the garden, start the weeding, enjoy the spring flowers and remember, little and often - too much gardening all at once can cause aching limbs and for those with disability or health problems, it can be difficult to sustain a period in the garden. Thrive, the gardening charity, have just launched a new website which will help us all enjoy our gardens, despite disability or back problems - log onto www.carryongardening.org.uk and find out all about it.

Just to finish off take a look at the fantastic vegetables at the top - just one of the many excellent stands at the Spring Harrogate Show.