Plants, stalls, workshops to delight all at Grahamstown Flower Fest

THE annual Grahamstown Flower Festival will be held in the Makana Botanical Gardens next weekend, October 5 and 6.

The flower festival, held in October each year, joins several other festivals that give Grahamstown its unofficial title of "festival capital of South Africa".

The festival is organised in its entirety by members of local horticultural and garden clubs, most of whom hold down full-time jobs. This year passionate gardener Heather Surridge takes the lead. She has expressed her appreciation for the co-operation of residents, businesses and committee members.

"It is a Grahamstown festival and it is wonderful what we can achieve by working together."

Besides the ever-popular flower and plant competitions for both adults and schoolchildren, there are numerous commercial garden stalls, interesting and informative workshops, open gardens, food stalls and live music by school bands.

The workshops cover a wide range of garden topics, from vegetable gardens, landscaping and invasive alien weeds to worm farming, aquaponics and making full use of water tanks.

The copious tree-shaded lawns of the gardens will see many marquees and gazebos housing a host of garden stalls displaying and selling everything from garden tools, water tanks, plants, pottery, woodwork, cheeses and garden ornaments and furniture.

For more information, visit the website www.grahamstownflowerfestival.co.za