Sefton Park Palm House in first time display at Southport Flower Show

The Sefton Park Palm House display will be at stand 38 in the Grand Floral Marquee.

Sefton Park Palm House is making its first appearance at Southport Flower Show with an amazing display for the 2023 event this weekend.

‘Look Inside the Palm House’ will celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the Palm House’s head gardener Colin Hughes.

And it is hoped it will give visitors a sense of the beauty that the botanical expert has created for three decades at the Liverpool landmark.

“The display is a flavour of what the amazing palm House has to offer,” says Kate Martinez, head of external relations, “and we’re hoping it will encourage visitors from further afield.

Credit: Sefton Park Palm House / Southport Flower Show

“We are passionate about what the Palm House provides for the surrounding community, allowing an opportunity for visitors to connect to nature and improve their wellbeing. It plays such a critical role in improving the lives of our local community and we are hoping to spread this further afield through our display at Southport.”

The decision to display at Southport was made after Colin, 56, created a Palm House display for Houseplant Appreciation Week in January, designing a living room space filled with plants that can be of benefit to people in everyday life.

Naomi McAllister, from the Palm House adds: “The display was enjoyed thoroughly by visitors who had the chance to see it, so we thought it only fitting to once again allow Colin the chance to showcase his ingenuity and skill.”

Expert Colin is responsible for all the watering, pruning, general gardening and maintenance of the botanical collection of the Palm House, as well as all of the planting and floral displays inside and out.

And it’s a labour of love for the man who has spent his working life gardening from the age of 16. He started with Liverpool City Council 39 years ago, first working at Greenhill nurseries, and has worked all over the city.

Colin says: “I have had the most amazing journey in the last 30 years, and this just feels like such a fitting way to celebrate.”

The Sefton Park Palm House display will be at stand 38 in the Grand Floral Marquee.

The different plants people will be able to see will include a variety of palms – Lady Palm/Rhapis excelsa; Desert Fan Palm/Washingtonia filifera, and Canary Island Date Palm/Phoenix canariensis – and a variety of Bougainvillea, Bromeliads, hibiscus, and anthurium.

Colin says: “Lady Palm has a wonderful ability to grow in low light conditions making it a very popular indoor plant, and bougainvillea is a climber with modified leaves or bracts which surround the small simple flower.

“The Bromeliad family has more than 3,500 species ranging from delicate air plants to juicy pineapple.”

Southport Flower Show is taking place at Victoria Park, Southport from Thursday, August 17, to Sunday, August 20.

As well as flowers, there will be cookery demonstrations from some well-known chefs including This Morning’s Phil Vickery, and John Torode and his actress wife and Celebrity Master Chef winner Lisa Faulkner, alongside local stars like Gabriella Margiotta from Cucina di Vincenzo and Great British Bake Off’s Lizzie Acker, and more.

There’s a shopping village with more than 350 exhibitors selling a whole range of products and gifts from garden and home wares, to crafts and leather goods, jewellery, and plenty of delicious food; and live music will be available to enjoy throughout the festival, along with a packed programme of entertainment.