Sunshine and stars help the 101st Southport Flower Show bloom!

VICTORIA Park was a vibrant hub of colour, creativity, and celebration as the 101st Southport Flower Show drew more than 50,000 visitors from:- Thursday, 14 August to Sunday, 17 August 2025. Bathed in glorious sunshine, the four-day event, sponsored by Halliwell Jones Kia Southport, has been hailed as a phenomenal success, blending world-class horticultural displays with a star-studded line-up of celebrity guests.

The incredible weather created a fantastic atmosphere across the immaculately prepared showground, with visitors praising the high standard of exhibits and the diverse range of entertainment on offer.

Alan Adams, General Manager of the Southport Flower Show, expressed his delight at the event's outcome. He told us that:- "This year’s show was one of the best yet! We were blessed with 4 days of good weather and we got the crowds in. There was so much on offer at this year’s show, it was lovely to see so many visitors enjoying the event. Special thanks to all the sponsors, exhibitors, traders, volunteers, contractors and the team for pulling together and putting on the best show ever. We are already looking forward to 2026."

At its heart, the show remained a stunning showcase of horticultural talent. The Grand Floral Marquee was a feast for the senses, featuring breathtaking displays from professional growers, amateur societies, and even a local prison. The prestigious Brockhouse Gold Challenge Trophy for Best Show Garden was awarded to James Comish, while the coveted Salopian Trophy for The Best Grand Floral Exhibit went to Dibleys Nurseries for their exceptional display.

Outside, the innovative show gardens and raised beds overflowed with imagination and colour, presenting a significant challenge for the judges. A highlight for many was the Schools Design-a-Garden Competition, sponsored by Merseyrail. The winning design, selected from over 500 entries, came from the Gardening Club, at Trawden Forest Primary School, who sub sequentially were awarded a trophy as the public's favourite. Their garden, brought to life by a team of experts, will now be permanently relocated to Farnborough Road Schools in Southport, leaving a lasting community legacy.

It was not just the amazing flowers and hot weather that drew crowds, but also star power, which comprised a fantastic line up of famous faces from the world's of television, gardening, and cuisine. Celebrity Gardeners... Experts including:- ITV’s David Domoney, Nick Bailey from BBC Gardeners’ World, and Carole Baxter of BBC’s Beechgrove Garden shared their knowledge with enthusiastic crowds.

Famous Faces... Emmerdale actor turned farmer Kelvin Fletcher and his wife Liz, punk icon Toyah Willcox, Strictly winner Hamza Yassin, and ‘Steel’ from Gladiators, Zack George, were among the top attractions. Children’s TV legend Justin Fletcher also drew huge family audiences.

Culinary Stars... The Cookery Theatre, sponsored by Lancashire Tea, was a hive of activity with demonstrations from This Morning Chef Phil Vickery, Rosemary Shrager, and Great British Bake Off winner Nancy Birtwhistle. They were joined by Chefs from top local restaurants, including:- Southport’s 600 Degrees, Tik Taco, Volare, Coast, JT Akshaya and Cake Corner; as well as Nord and Manifest from Liverpool.

This year's event offered a packed programme beyond the flowerbeds. The outdoor arena captivated audiences with horse and dog displays and birds of prey shows. Live music from the Piaza Stage provided the perfect soundtrack for those enjoying a glass of Pimm's or a wine in the sun and live performances.

The showground was dotted with unique stalls selling everything from handcrafted goods and Lego flowers to hot tubs. A whimsical touch was added by a local knitting club, who decorated the bandstand with a vibrant and colourful covering. From the catering area, wafted tantalising aromas, inviting people to sample the wares.

For families, new additions proved a huge success. An interactive children’s trail featured a kids' potting shed, a live beehive exhibit, forest school sessions, and the chance to meet alpacas from Natterjack Alpacas.

The children’s trail, which was a huge success, featured:-

• The Kids’ Potting Shed, supported by Rotary Eco Group.
   

• Wetland Conservation, supported by Martin Mere.
   

• Forest School, supported by Gang of Elk.
   

• Scarecrow Festival, supported by Waterstones.
   

• Live Bee Hive/Bee exhibition, supported by National Museums Limited.
   

• Meet the Alpacas, supported by Natterjack Alpacas.
   

• Children’s Yoga, supported by Enchanted Fields.
   

• Doodle Wall.
   

• Tennis Skills with Sam P Jalloh.

Not only did author and international tennis player and coach Sam P Jalloh offer tennis to kids, the Victoria Park Crown Green Bowling Club held matches on the 2 large greens opposite him and the parks wildlife lake.

Altogether, the show offered a rich and engaging experience, and with such strong attendance and enthusiasm this year, more photographs from the event can be found on the following 15 pages. Plus more will be in next weeks edition as well. If you attended the 101st Southport Flower Show, please do let us know your thoughts about the event and what could be done to make it better. You can do this by emailing our Newsroom at:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com or send us a message on:- Mastodon, Facebook, or Twitter. We love to hear your views....

For those who missed out, the diary is already open for next year. The Southport Flower Show will return from:- Thursday, 20 August to Sunday, 23 August 2026.

Early bird tickets for the nation's largest independent flower show are now on sale. For more information, visit the official website:- SouthportFlowerShow.Co.UK.

More Photos