A spring plant fair at a border gardens was a huge success with over 1600 visitors, organisers say

Hergest Croft Gardens near Kington, marked a major milestone as its Annual Spring Plant Fair celebrated its 30th anniversary on Bank Holiday Monday, May 4 with a record-breaking 70 exhibitors.

Now ranked as the 10th largest plant fair in the UK by exhibitor numbers, the event has firmly established itself as the oldest and most respected plant fair in Herefordshire and the West Midlands, attracting visitors from across the region and beyond.

A spokesperson for Hergest Croft Gardens said: “We had over 1600 people through the gates and a huge amount of plants headed for happy homes. We were all extremely happy by the end of the day, albeit a little exhausted!”

The fair showcased an exceptional range of specialist nurseries offering rare and unusual plants, shrubs and trees not typically found in standard UK garden centres.

Alongside the horticultural highlights, visitors also enjoyed high-quality county crafts and artisan food producers, creating a vibrant and varied day out.

Entry to the fair included full access to the 70-acre award-winning Hergest Croft Gardens, which were at their seasonal best, with rhododendrons, tulips, azaleas and camellias providing a spectacular backdrop.

The gardens are home to the second largest privately owned arboretum in the UK, including National Collections of maples, birches and zelkovas.

David J Griffiths has been attending the Hergest Croft Gardens Spring Plant Fair for all of its 30 years.

He said: “I love coming to the plant fair, it’s the people you meet and you can talk about gardening all day long. I had a wander around early this morning to see what other traders have on offer and you learn new things on trend or available.

“This plant fair has improved year on year it was much smaller when we started coming here.”

Hergest Croft Gardens is a member of Mid Wales Tourism (MWT Cymru), an independent membership organisation representing more than 600 tourism and hospitality businesses across Powys, Ceredigion, Meirionnydd and the Welsh Marches.