BEATRIX Potter, Charlotte Brontë, William Shakespeare – and local historian, author and Free Press columnist Hilary Binding – all featured in Carhampton Flower Club’s flower festival.
The bi-annual festival, entitled ‘Authors, Poets and Playwrights’, drew local people and visitors alike poured into St John the Baptist Church, Carhampton.
Nearly 20 floral displays drew inspiration from a wide range of literary genres – from John Keats and Charles Dickens to Agatha Christie, Julia Donaldson and A A Milne.
A booklet explained each exhibit, which included one dedicated to Hilary Binding who lived in Carhampton and died in December 2014.
Lucy Parker, the club’s team leader, said: “This year marked important anniversaries for several great authors – the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare, the 150th anniversary of the birth of Beatrix Potter and the bicentenary of Charlotte Brontë’s birth.
“Works from all these authors were incorporated into the festival.
“We had invited people to write down their favourite display but many said that because they were all so good, it was quite impossible to choose!”
The club is known for producing imaginative floral displays, often quirky and humorous, and the church was filled with an array of colour and a large number of artefacts.
And with tables and chairs set out in the church for lunches and cream teas, visitors were able to enjoy the exhibition at their leisure.
“As always it was a wonderful team effort. We are lucky to have so much talent in our club. We were particularly pleased by all the flattering comments we received,” said Lucy.
To cover the cost of the flowers, club members held a social evening at the beginning of the year. The final figure has not yet been confirmed but donations and the sale of refreshments, produce and bric-a-brac at the festival had raised over £900 for the church.
Pictured is part of the Agatha Christie display