Vegetables replace flowers as Royal visitor sees latest trends

PRINCESS Anne, this year's Royal visitor, will see the changing face of society reflected at the show.

What used to be The Flower Show is now The Garden Show – taking in a lot more vegetables and allotment-related advice, in recognition of the booming grow-your-own movement.

The NFU has a vegetable show on its stand and professional growers will take turns giving talks and answering questions, including Tom Salmon, of Heddon Salads, on Humberside, will advise on pest control in the greenhouse.

Show director Bill Cowling said the flower show had come to look "a bit old-fashioned" and had "perhaps run its time".

"It was all about show-quality blooms, difficult for the average gardener to attain," he added.

"You walked up and down and saw wonderful things but there was not much information coming back to you.

"There is still interest in beautiful flowers and we will still have them. But there will also be some attempt to link gardening with horticulture and food and the interest in sustainability."

In preparation for the new-style tent, the Yorkshire Agricultural Society distributed grow boxes and vegetable seeds to a selection of Yorkshire schools and the best results will be displayed. TV gardener Christine Walken, from The One Show on BBC1, will choose a winner tomorrow.

However, one of the most coveted prizes on offer remains the Curzon-Howe-Herrick Bowl, for the best exhibit of roses.

Princess Anne will tour the show from 10.30am until 1pm today. The Queen visited two years ago.