The 2022 Southport Flower Show opened today with thousands attending

The 2022 Southport Flower Show opened the gates today after the last two shows were cancelled due to Covid.

Dr Karen Groves from Queenscourt Hospice opened the Show. She was chosen as the show wanted a local person who has done a lot for the community instead of a celebrity.

Visitors will also find inspiration in the display gardens and from talks by knowledgeable experts, including Adam Frost from the BBC’s Gardeners’ World, ITV’s Love Your Garden presenter Katie Rushworth and Daisy Desire, who is known to thousands of Instagram followers as the ‘Drag Queen Gardener’.

Away from the fabulous floral displays, former Strictly Come Dancing stars Janette Manrara and husband Aljaž Škorjanec will bring some glitter ball glamour to guests in the Garden Theatre on Friday and there is a pop-up shopping village with more than 350 trade exhibitors, offering a vast range of unusual and unique products for home and garden.

Meanwhile, some of the nation’s best-known chefs will appear in the cookery theatre, including Hairy Biker Si King who puts on two shows on Saturday. Also appearing are TV chefs and Liverpool restaurateurs Ellis Barrie and Dave Critchley and on Thursday visitors can see Jemma Melvin, the Southport home baker whose Lemon Swiss Roll and Amaretti Trifle won the BBC’s Platinum Pudding competition to create the official dessert for the Queen’s Jubilee.

Kids go free at Southport and younger guests will be entertained by performers including Children’s TV favourite Justin Fletcher. The star of CBeebies is known to millions of young fans for his popular characters including Mr Tumble, and will return to Southport with a new live show for 2022 in the Garden Theatre on Sunday. There are also fun-packed science and discovery workshops with hands-on activities designed to keep kids busy.