Barry Lupton and Koraley Northen visit the Rare and Special Plant Fair

The clouds parted and stars aligned for this years ‘Rare and Special Plant Fair’. A nation of plant enthusiasts, coaxed from their beds by a long overdue sunny day, dusted off their sunglasses, rolled up their sleeves and set off for a day of cultivating inspiration in the wooded splendour of the Phoenix Park.

While the Gardai were receiving urgent calls to attend to the tragic events unfolding on the Naas Road, a lengthy tailback was building up outside the gates of Farmleigh. Perhaps it was the numbing effects of the weekly national hangover, or Dublin’s desensitisation to endless traffic jams, but there seemed to be an unusual sense of calm about the slow moving procession. Personally I think it was the placating energy of the Phoenix Park that dampened horns and quelled any potential road rage, or maybe that was just me. Having eventually deposited my overheating transport in car park Z, I joined the thousands of other eager early birds, who frustratingly had had the same ‘get there early to beat the crowds’ idea as me.

The Rare and Special Plant Fair, one of a number of increasingly popular events that are sprouting up across the land, has firmly established itself as one of the most important dates in Ireland’s planting season; and judging from the throngs of people milling about, there must have been a lot of calendars with the 7^th May circled. Now in its sixth year, the fair marks the end of the hibernation period for Ireland’s cottage industry growers. Emerging from their potting sheds and greenhouses, our nation’s unsung horticultural heroes descend upon the show like a dysfunctional, but close knit family. “The growers here are truly enthusiastic plants people. For us, the most important element of what we do is to grow plants. Of course we have to make a living but its secondary to our first love, cultivation. While the big nurseries churn out plants, we play an important role in ensuring diversity in the plant market”, commented well-known nurseryman Oliver Shurmann of Mount Venus Nursery.

What the fair lacks in attention to display detail - attention that would not be absent in a similar UK event - it more than makes up for with its down-to-earth, happy-to-see-you feel. Had the nursery teams actually spent more time tweaking their displays, it would have been lost among the swarms of punters snapping up everything in sight. “Its mad!” yelled Phil Havercroft of Leamore Nurseries, as he disappeared beneath a blizzard of cultivars and euros; while next door, a wilting Billy Alexander of Dicksonia Direct, fought for air as he was cornered by a crack team of women of a certain-age.

Elsewhere trestle tables were being stripped bare and biscuit tins were being stuffed with euro notes as a resounding chorus of ‘we’re glad we came’ echoed through the show. “Excellent, fantastic, far superior to last year’s show. We couldn’t be happier” said Deborah Begley, the respected plantswoman and owner of Terra Nova Plants and Garden. “We only brought the one van load with us” commented Sandy McCarthy of Perennial Plants. “At this rate we’ll have sold out by lunch…aah well, at least we’ll get to see the rest of the fair for a change”.

As eager punters jockeyed for position on June Blake’s stand, across the way David Llewellyn of Fruit of the Vine wished he’d brought a clone. “It’s a great day. Normally our bread and butter is our apple growing and cider making business, but we’ve had phenomenal interest in our vine collection”. As David enthused about the benefits of growing your own grapes it was all clones, cultivars and unusual specimens on the Gash Garden stand. Husband and wife team, Mary Keenan and Ross Doyle barely had time to draw breath between offering growing tips and closing sales.

Apart from the wealth of horticultural wares available for purchase, the day also offered up a fantastic farmers market. A regular fixture in the stately surrounds of Farmleigh, punters were more than happy to cram in a loaf of organic bread and some speciality cheeses with their Arisaemas and Polygonatums. Beyond the walled enclosures of the market, less hurried fair-goers lazed in the afternoon sun, happy to blow the froth off their lattes while soaking up the day.

There is something uniquely refreshing about smaller garden shows. Perhaps it’s the comfort of familiar faces, the hand written labels or the human connection: the connection between product and producers that seems to be disappearing in our global market. Whatever the reason, this year’s ‘Rare and Special Plant Fair’ represents a triumph for organiser Angela Jupe, for sponsors, An Bord Bia and for the hard working growers who arrived with full vans and empty biscuit tins and left with the reverse. Was Angela involved in the organisation of it this year? The first one May 2001 was her idea and it has snowballed from there.

While there was no official attendance count, due in part to the crowd pleasing fact that there was no entry charge, the unofficial head count was estimated at somewhere between 25 to 30,000. A positive omen for the season ahead and a great boost for An Bord Bia, who are busy with their plans for next year’s Bloom garden festival.