Spring Plant Fair

As any gardener will tell you, now is the best time to plant a whole host of things. But that’s not the only reason why the Southease Spring Plant Fair, which annually takes over the village green in front of the round-towered Saxon church, has become such a popular event. “There are four local specialist nurseries involved,” says Adrian Orchard, event spokesman, “including my own.” Adrian specialises in helibores, ‘wonderful hardy herbaceous plants which add colour to winter gardens when not much else is out’. “Now is quite a good time to get them in,” he says. Beyond that, there will be ‘an enormous variety of interesting and rare plants on sale’, from Marchants Hardy Plants, Nutlin Nursery and Usual & Unusual Plants. “The nurserymen will be there to give advice on when and what to plant,” says Adrian, “rather like farmers in the farmers’ market. These won’t be the sort of plants you could pick up in a garden centre.”

“We’ve also got Kemptown Terracotta, Parterre and some people from the Compost Doctor Scheme,” he continues. “Oh, and Ben the Blacksmith. Last year he came with his anvil, so I suppose he will again this time.” And then there’s the soup. “A number of the villagers make their own. There was a particularly good pea soup last year. I’ll make a leek and potato, if I’ve got time.” Adrian will open his splendid garden to the public, which will cost £1.50. The money, as well as contributions from the stallholders, will go to the upkeep of Southease church. AL