The 8th year of our much loved English Country Garden Festival was greeted by the sunshine and the rain on the 1st and 2nd of June this year - but what a weekend we had, and what a showcase we were thrilled to share with our visitors.
A brigade of hard working volunteers, supporters and good friends of Coombe Trenchard all helped us to welcome just under 3500 visitors through the gates of our West Devon home.
The festival received one of the best footfalls to date - with visitors travelling from Devon, Cornwall and Somerset to join us and explore the exhibitors, stall holders, vintage cars and more, that enabled us to put on a terrific showcase throughout our tranquil gardens and grounds.
The Festival has always upheld a panel of exhibitors and stall holders of the highest quality innovation - and our 2019 collective was strong in both number and in substance, with 85 talented artisans, makers, artists and growers joining us for the weekend.
Many will know that Lorna and I work hard to ensure each stand is a true and vibrant representation of our festival roots and our ethos, which is to fly the flag for quality, local, independent enterprise - the growers and the makers - via the creation of a beautiful, traditional, celebration of english country summer.
And whilst we are already working on fresh ideas and further improvements for the 2020 festival, we are so pleased that this years show was throughly enjoyed by all that came along.
Part of our on-going festival wish list, is to welcome a healthy number of new stall holders and exhibitors each year, to ensure repeat visitors (of which we have built up quite the following) can look forward to experiencing something different and something new each time they join us.
The additions this year were very much appreciated by us all, and included the Black Farmer, Tinkture Organic Rose Gin, Carl Austin Furniture, Bee Wrapped, Frog & Florets, Mr Fox’s Garden Decor & Art, Tor Garden Plants, Tamar Historic Transport Club to name but a few.
Festival partners this year included Seed Balls - whose dual-branded pouches of bee friendly wild flower seed balls were extremely well received by our visitors.
Our chosen charities for this years event included Childrens Hospice South West, Paws 2 Freedom, Made-Well, The Peredur Trust and Send a Cow - who all made some excellent connections across the weekend.
Tea on the terrace proved incredibly popular again this year, run by Childrens Hospice South West, who were able to make £4000 through the tea and cake sales, along with some very generous donations.
Extra special thanks must also go to my family, our most loyal stall holders and exhibitors, and to the team at Devon Life - all of whom place The English Country Garden Festival within their summer diary each year - and whose friendship and fantastic support we truly appreciate.
It’s a heady mix of all the above and more, that without doubt give our much loved event a helping hand along the way in this ever changing economic climate.
I am thrilled that the Festival recipe is still being savoured 8 years since we started, and with some careful ingredient adaption by us here at Coombe Trenchard, we will look forward to our 9th year of the show on Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st May 2020 with continued zest.
Heart felt thanks to everyone who came along this year - we hope to see you again in 2020, if not before.
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Wishing you a wonderful summer.
Sarah x
Images used within this blog post taken by Venetia Norrington Photography.
