Abbey Farm Flower Festival returns to Abbotsbury, Dorset

The August bank holiday weekend will see a three-day flower festival at the beautiful Abbey Farm, complete with a full schedule of talks, demos, walks, workshops and competitions.

Abbey Farm is set around the large Medieval Abbey Barn and is the home to Cherries Café, From My Mother’s Garden and Abbey Farm Flowers along with other artisan businesses.

There will be around 30 stalls and studios by makers who create art and crafts inspired by all things nature on August 24-26 from 10am-4pm.

Daisy the dog (Image: Abbey Farm)

The organisers are encouraging visitors to bring out their inner flower goddesses and dress in floral prints.

There will even be an award for the most creative flower-inspired outfit.

Floral outfit competition (Image: Abbey Farm)

 Entrants need to visit From My Mother’s Garden at Workshop 3pm to have their photo taken to enter.

Festival organisers said: “We would love as many people as possible to get into the spirit of the event and dress in floral clothes, hats, corsages, fascinators and perhaps any four-legged friends might also join in.”

The iris-istable festival is free to attend and parking is available in the Abbotsbury Village Carpark off Rodden Row.

Floral door decoration winner (Image: Abbey Farm)

The full line-up includes:

Talk: Behind the Scenes at Groves Nurseries with Charlie Groves

Talk: History of Abbotsbury Sub-Tropical Gardens by the 13th Curator, David

Pearce

Walk: Nature Journaling Wildlife Walk with Alex Boon

Talk: Roses by Rosa Cheney

Demo: Sustainable Flower Arranging by Flower Fusions

Talk: Herbs as Medicines by Sarah Hillyer

Talk: Dahlias by Dorset Dahlias

Walk: A Bouquet of Words writing walk with Ink and Page

Talk: Orchids by Isle of Portland Orchids

Demo: Sustainable Church Flowers by Charlotte Heavisides

Talk: What Can You Do For Bees and What Bees Can Do For You by Weymouth

and Portland Bees

Walk: Herb & Berry Walk with herbalist Sarah Hillyer

Talk: The History & Management of Abbotsbury Swannery by Charlie Wheeler

Winner of 2023 Floral Outfit Competition - Leanne Willshen (Image: Abbey Farm)

There are also five competitions taking place at the event with prizes.