A Somerset-wide initiative inviting residents to celebrate their gardens will feature at The Frome Independent next month, with free activities and some rural May Day traditions.
Somerset Garden Day and The Frome Independent will encourage market visitors to make the most of their outdoor space this spring. The market on Sunday 6th May will host free activities including Maypole dancing, and an all-female Morris dancing side. Somerset Garden Day will be running a free flower crown workshop to show 500 market visitors how to make their own May Queen-inspired crowns using fresh, seasonal flowers.
The area outside Frome Library, which has become known as “The Village Green” on market days, will be the setting for these special activities, which have been inspired by traditional, rural traditions. The team from Somerset Garden Day will be present with enough freshly cut flowers to create 500 flower crowns. Visitors can drop in throughout the market day, and learn how to make themselves a fresh flower crown in the style of a traditional May Queen.
The market team say they are ‘incredibly excited’ that the market will host performances from Boss Morris, an all-female Morris dancing side who have performed at events and festivals across the UK. In addition, they will also be welcoming students from Oakfield Academy to dem-onstrate Maypole dances.
Tabitha Clayson, director of The Frome Independent is looking forward to inviting the community to celebrate rural springtime traditions and meet the team from Somerset Garden Day.
She said, “Frome and Somerset are beautiful in the springtime, and there is so much rich tradition and history in this part of the country. We are thrilled to be working with Somerset Garden Day to help our fellow Frome residents celebrate this.”
Somerset Garden Day is now in its second year, and takes place on Sunday 13th May. The organisation’s ambition is to encourage Somerset residents to enjoy the diverse pleasures of their gardens, and step back to admire the hard work that goes into keeping them special. Following a very successful first year, with hundreds of people taking part, the campaign has garnered the support of many notable gardeners, including pioneer of no-dig growing, Charles Dowding.
He said, “In this age of convenience and consumerism, we have become disconnected from nature – especially but not only if living in cities. My organic vegetable garden is not only my oasis and sanctuary, it provides us with healthy organic fruits and vegetables, and a beautiful place just to enjoy. I encourage everyone to switch off the phone or computer and head outside, into your garden or a friend’s garden and feel the joy of watching and listening to nature this Somerset Garden Day.”
The Frome Independent’s May market takes place on Sunday 6th May from 10am until 3pm. The May market and its related activities are free for all to enjoy. For full information, visit www.thefromeindepen dent.org.uk.
Somerset Garden Day takes place on Sunday 13th May 2018, for more information, visit www.garden day.co.uk
