THE annual Ryedale Rose Festival erupted into a blaze of colour and scent at the RV Roger Nursery and Plant Centre in Pickering at the weekend.

Sunny skies brought out hundreds of visitors to see one of the premier national events in the rose growers’ calendar.

Incorporating the British Isles Rose Society’s flagship annual show and awards ceremony, plus the Amateur Rose Breeders Association display, the events were described by Ian Roger, managing director of RV Roger as the best yet.

He said: "One visitor remarked that he’d been to the RHS Chelsea and Hampton Court flower shows, but that the Ryedale Rose Festival was equally as good on a smaller scale. Other comments included 'A credit to you and your staff', 'Brilliant', and 'Most enjoyable, despite a few showers'."

Visitors were able to view the huge range and diversity of the nation’s favourite flower, and had the opportunity to wander through the RV Roger rose fields, and enjoy the spectacle of more than 50,000 rose bushes in full bloom.

Mr Roger said: "Our nursery celebrates 100 years of growing roses in the Vale of Pickering this year. Visitor numbers were thought to be well up on the previous year with as many as 1,500 adults and children passing through the gates of this friendly, free, and colourful show.

"The two-day event was bigger, better and brighter than ever, with a huge new marquee to house the top exhibits and silverware trophies for the class winners."

He added: "Crowds poured into the site all weekend, and while the sun shone, visitors enjoyed refreshments from the pop-up cafeteria, listened to live jazz music from the White Rose Jazzmen, watched talks and demonstrations, enjoyed arts and crafts stands, and wandered amongst a million flowers in the plant centre."

Children’s entries were well represented this year, with winning entries from Rosedale Abbey Primary School in the school’s class interpretation of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and from Toby Thorneycroft in the individual Jam Jar class. Andy Karavics, of Sledmere Hall, took the top prize in the head gardeners’ class with a stunning basket of roses.

Dates have already been fixed for next year’s Ryedale Rose Festival, which will be held on the weekend of the July 8 and 9.

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