From 14 to 19 September, Leeds Castle in Kent is celebrating its 900th anniversary with a spectacular ‘floral party’ throughout the principal Castle rooms for the popular Festival of Flowers.
“The Loveliest Castle in the World” has been celebrating 900 years of history throughout 2019 and the ‘Festival of Flowers’ is a floral fanfare to this landmark year.
An impressive line-up of internationally award winning floral designers will take over the rooms of the Castle and dress to impress with beautiful birthday styled blooms spilling out along the visitor route.
This year Leeds Castle welcomes some new designers in Dutch floral artist Conny van der Westerlaken and one of Australia’s leading Floral Designers, Matthew Landers. They will join a host of returning prestigious designers including Morgan Douglas Nuth from Old Oak Floral Designers in Ascot, Dennis Kneepkens from the Netherlands and Dr. Solomon Leong from Solomon Bloemen in Hong Kong.
Explore the fragrant Castle and join a programme of floral demonstrations, specialist talks and daily garden tours, included as part of the entrance ticket. There will be a guest talk on 14 September by English garden designer and television personality Joe Swift, taking place in the festival marquee. There will also be the opportunity to buy beautiful flowers, David Austen roses and garden accessories from a variety of stalls on the Pavilion Lawn.
This is the fifth consecutive year of the popular Festival of Flowers at Leeds Castle, which ran for many years from 1984 on a much smaller scale. In 1901, the first ever flower festival was hosted at Leeds Castle. Lady Olive Baillie was infamous for her elaborate floral displays at society house parties in the 1930s attended by stars such as David Niven, Errol Flynn, Prince Edward and Wallace Simpson. Lady Baillie’s love of flowers is a tradition continued by the floristry team today who provide floral creations to adorn the Castle rooms for the enjoyment of visitors as well as creating beautiful designs for over 200 weddings, corporate functions and events every year.
Leeds Castle is located near Maidstone in Kent just off Junction 8 of the M20, an hour’s drive from London. Grounds open at 10am daily and the Castle is open from 10.30am. A valid admission ticket to Leeds Castle is required for this event. Family admission tickets cost £74 for one adult and up to five children or two adults and up to four children. Tickets are also available to purchase separately. Book online for advance discounts at: www.leeds-castle.com.
