A popular week-long flower and garden festival is making a one-off return to Prittlewell Priory for the first time in over 20 years.
As part of the Borough's 125-year anniversary celebrations, the Southend Garden & Flower Festival will take place at the priory from 25-31 August for the first time since 1993.
At least six beautiful garden displays will be exhibited throughout the festival, with a special gardening competition on Monday 28 August, for which further entrants are still being invited.
The centrepiece of the show will be a small show garden celebrating the Borough and Priory Park, created by the Council's Parks Technical Section and the Landscape Teem.
The gardens will be on display from 10am to 5pm daily throughout the festival, with the exception of Bank Holiday Monday, which will be from 11am to 5pm. Entry is free on all days.
Cllr Ann Holland, Executive Councillor for Culture, Tourism & The Economy, said: "I'm delighted to see the return of this wonderful horticultural event as we celebrate 125 years since the incorporation of the Borough of Southend-on-Sea and 100 years since Priory Park was gifted to the people of Southend by local jeweller and philanthropist, R A Jones.
"It will be an opportunity for all the family to sample the wealth of gardening talent in the Borough in the beautiful setting of Prittlewell Priory, which itself is one of Essex's hidden historic gems.
"We're working closely with local allotment societies and gardening enthusiasts to bring this event forward but are still inviting entries from local gardeners to take part in the gardening competition."
Categories for the gardening competition include best basket of vegetables, funniest miss-shaped vegetable, best carved fruit/veg arrangement and more. Entries for this event must be at Priory Park on 28th August between 9am - 11am. There is no need to preregister, just bring you entry along on the day.
To apply for the gardening competition, please visit http://www.southend.gov.uk/gardencompetition
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