4/1/2026 12:50:47 PM
4 mins read
Free public event at Springfields Festival Gardens, Spalding, Saturday 11 April 2026
Springfields Horticultural Society is delighted to announce its Annual Daffodil and Spring Flower Show will take place on Saturday 11 April at Springfields Festival Gardens, Spalding. This year's show carries special significance: the Society — a registered charity (No. 253736) — marks its 60th anniversary, making 2026 a milestone worth celebrating.
The Society owns, manages and maintains the Springfields Festival Gardens, which it opens to the local community and public free of charge throughout the season. The Annual Daffodil and Spring Flower Show is a cornerstone of that commitment: entry is free for exhibitors and competitors, and once judging is complete, visitors are warmly invited to come and view the blooms and displays — again, entirely free of charge. The show is held in the marquee on the main lawn, just as you enter the gardens from the main shopping mall.
A Great Year for Growing
It has been a challenging season weather-wise, but the Society is still expecting a strong turnout of entries — enthused in no small part by the great success of last October's bulb giveaway, when hundreds of people took home five daffodil bulbs each. That initiative was designed to encourage people to have a go at growing and, crucially, to inspire them to enter the competition.
This year, Class 48 — traditionally open only to growers of the giveaway bulbs — has been broadened to welcome any daffodil you have grown yourself, not just those from the giveaway. Alongside this, there are classes specifically for novices and for under-16s, so there really is something for everyone, whatever your experience level.
Full details of all show classes and how to enter are available on the charity's website: www.springfieldsfestivalgardens.org.uk
“Over twenty years working here, I’ve watched this show become something genuinely special — not just as a horticultural competition, but as a moment when the community comes together around something they’ve grown with their own hands. Every year is different, and every year it surprises me. The 60th anniversary feels like a real landmark, and I’m very proud to be part of the team that keeps these gardens — and this tradition — alive and flourishing.” Andy Boyton, Garden Curator, Springfields Horticultural Society
Design Our Flag — Winner Announced at the Show
This year’s show also brings a special announcement: the winner of the Design Our Flag competition will be revealed during the prize-giving ceremony. The competition attracted a number of strong entries, and the Society is very much looking forward to celebrating the winning design. The chosen flag will go into production for display throughout the gardens, and a complementary display created in bedding plants will both be unveiled later in May.
“The Design Our Flag competition is exactly the kind of project we love — it gives young people a real stake in these gardens, something they can point to and say ‘I was part of that.’ Involving schools and younger members of our community isn’t a box-ticking exercise for us; it’s central to what the charity is here to do. We want these gardens to feel like they belong to everyone. We have more exciting events for young people coming up too, including a storytelling event in May — so watch this space.”
Becky Kirtland, Springfields Horticultural Society Education and Outreach Co-ordinator
A Week of Celebration: Archive Display and Living History
The celebrations don’t stop at the show itself. Later in the week, visitors will be able to explore a fascinating display drawn from the Springfields Horticultural Society’s own archive, including artefacts and tools traditionally used in the bulb industry. Garden Curator Andy Boyton will be on hand at various times each day to guide visitors through the archive and share the story of the gardens.
Visiting the Show
The show opens to the public for viewing from 14:00 on Saturday 11 April and will also be available to view on Sunday. Parking is available on site for a small charge, and food and refreshments are available in the shopping centre.
“The show is an exciting time in our calendar, but it’s just the beginning of what we have planned this year. We have a full programme of walks and workshops coming up in the months ahead, and the best place to find all the details is our website. Do follow us on social media too — that’s where you’ll find the latest updates and be first to hear about new events as we announce them. It’s a milestone year for us, and we can’t wait to share it with the community.”
Marion Durose, CEO, Springfields Horticultural Society
Arts, Crafts and Community: A Shared Anniversary
The following weekend, the gardens will play host to another landmark occasion. Spalding Arts and Crafts Society — one of the oldest established societies for visual arts and craftwork in the country — will be exhibiting at Springfields Festival Gardens on Saturday 18TH and Sunday 19TH April. The exhibition will be held in the marquee on the main lawn. Founded in 1916, with its earliest meetings held at the Johnson Hospital in Spalding, the Society is itself marking a significant anniversary this year, making this a fitting collaboration between two organisations with deep roots in the local community.
Springfields Horticultural Society actively welcomes interest from other charitable organisations wishing to use the gardens as a setting for creative and community-focused events. The gardens offer a beautiful and inspiring backdrop, and the Society is keen to hear from groups who feel they could benefit from the space. Enquiries are welcome at shs@springfields.net.
