The annual Welshampton Plant Fair, which attracted a bumper crowd on Bank Holiday Monday, raised £8,748 – £500 more than last year.
The total takes the amount raised for charity by villagers over the past 12 years to an incredible £67,000, which includes more than £35,000 for St Michael and All Angels in Welshampton, more than £31,000 for Shropshire Macmillan Cancer Support and £500 for digital cameras for Welshampton Primary School in 2007.
“This year’s event proved so popular that we virtually sold out of plants and most other things on supporting stalls and the feedback from visitors was great,” said Gill Eleftheriou, plant fair co-ordinator. “Everybody seems to have really enjoyed the experience and even the sun came out mid-way through the event!”
A 50-lot auction of special plants, including rare specimens, some of which were unavailable to buy elsewhere in the UK, raised more than £1,000. Auctioneer was James Forster of Halls’ fine art department in Shrewsbury, who helped to produce the auction catalogue.
“Top two lots were the wonderful collections of plants donated by the Duchess of Westminster from Eaton Hall Gardens, including some especially split from the borders by head gardener Jan Lomas,” revealed Gill. “Trees, shrubs and rare collections also made good prices.”
The special plants were donated from national collections and noted plantsmen across Shropshire and surrounding counties. Examples this year included a variegated Davidia, or Handkerchief tree, a new cultivar donated by Lord Kenyon of Gredington, near Whitchurch.
There were also rare ornamental Malus (crab apples) from Ness Botanic Gardens, rare Podophyllum and Primula Seiboldii collections and border selections from Wollerton Old Hall.
Around 3,000 plants were sold at the fair, with the bulk grown by Mike and Jean Phillips, Gillian Webster, Diane Luff, Steve Smith, Keith Egerton and Gill and her husband, Nick.
“The plant fair is such a huge community effort, with so many people turning out on Sunday to help prepare the village hall for the event and then to clear up afterwards,” added Gill. “A big thank you goes to everybody who supported the event.”
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