Shopping Extravaganza

Plantspeople and Nurseries 
in great quantity for the plantaholic purchaser

The Three Counties Showground offers the perfect opportunity to shop till you drop in one location - and a beautiful one at that. Where else can you experience the equivalent of a major shopping complex out in the open air than here in a dedicated venue, with such a variety of goods to choose from. Particularly plants of course. For after all, the Malvern Autumn Show is dedicated to the harvest; and that surely relates to sowing and growing. My list of things I want to look out for grows by the minute, the nearer the weekend of September 27th and 28th looms. Maybe it's the same for you, too.

Food stalls always attract large crowds - be prepared with 'cool bags' 
for such perishable commodities as local cheeses and fresh meat

With the Showground divided in roughly seven themes, you can rest assured that there will be something to suit the tastes of every visitor. (And that of course includes you!) To run through them again - you will find a celebration of food, gardening, harvest and nostalgia, each with their own shopping areas; and SHOPPING itself. The 'live' shows also all have their ancillary stands and sales pitches, as do the refreshment areas, plus the undercover halls. Wherever there's space for a stall, you're sure to discover something that takes your fancy. 

Nostalgia in so many areas of the Showground

The thing to do is to come to the Show with an open mind - setting your heart on exactly what you want to find might lead to disappointment. I was surprised last year by just how much I could discover related to my second love (mixed-media art), and in unusual places - antique fabrics (in the nostalgia section), handspun yarns, knitted jackets, retro-kitchen furniture, and crafts of so many genres. Not in just one location, but throughout the Showground. Snap up what you see when you see it - I was disappointed that the beautiful hand-knitted cardigan I fell in love with had been sold by the time I went back to where I remembered seeing it. Maddening.

Enjoying the 2013 Three Counties Caravan Show, and the local area

And before I forget, there's a special offer for those of you who might like to bring your caravan or motorhome and wish to visit the Autumn Show, the Three Counties Caravan Show the following weekend - AND stay on site for the days in-between, during which time you can enjoy exploring the local area. Camping for ten nights!  Or call 01684 584924.

My socially created postcard celebrating 
the 2013 Malvern Autumn Show

This final preview for the 2014 Malvern Autumn Show has been my 'swan-song'; it is time for me to move on to pastures new. I leave you with a reprieve of the 2013 harvest celebrations (my 2013 collage, above), and thank you for following all my posts for various Malvern shows over the last two years. If you enjoy reading my show-related stories, why not follow one of my personal blogs - maybe "Grandma's Eco Gardening Notes" - which will lead you to other garden-related pages, and my blogs on travel and creative mixed-media art (amongst others). It's been good to have you with me since January 2013; maybe our online paths will cross again sometime.

On the way home ... but not quite the end of an era

Actually, I will still be visiting the Showground and writing my show-stories, but not in preview, and not during the actual Shows. Instead they will appear as time-capsules in the spaces in between. I cannot imagine ever forsaking the Hills. I could not; for they have in fact been a major part of my existence for the last fifteen years or more.