Arundel Tulip Festival shares limelight with plant sellers at fair preparing for RHS Chelsea Flower Show

The best specialist nurseries in the south east will gather together for the Plant Fairs Roadshow at Arundel Castle on Sunday April 23 in time for the famous castle's annual tulip festival.

Visitors to the show will be able to enjoy the setting for one of the largest displays of tulips in the country.

Colin Moat, chair of the Plants Fairs Roadshow, said: "Arundel is such an iconic venue and an amazing backdrop for the event. The garden itself is exceptional, so there's lots for visitors to do once they've satiated their appetite for fantastic plants from the Plant Fair."

Paul Seaborne of Pelham Plants in Lewes will be exhibiting at Arundel on Sunday April 23 and said: "The Plant Fairs Roadshow at Arundel Castle will be a great opportunity for visitors to find new, interesting and unusual varieties of Astrantia, Brunnera and lots more. This will be the first time that we will have our tender pelargoniums and Plectranthus available too. The buzz of energy amongst the stalls, set just below the castle towers and amongst the riot of colour of the tulip festival is an excellent respite from the greys of winter."

Arundel is a warm up for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Blooming April and May is a busy time for the Roadshow with eight nurseries working together as a collective to showcase the Plant Fairs Roadshow at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show as the first time ever cooperative stand/display.

Colin Moat said: "Preparations are in full swing for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Working together as a team the momentum is really beginning to build - lots of nervous excitement and wonderful plants being nurtured, and the plans of what we are going to take are constantly changing due to weather and growing conditions. The epimediums and ferns are just slowly waking up, So there's eager anticipation at Pineview Plants."

Nurseries in attendance at Arundel will include Steve Edney and Lou Dowle’s No Name Nursery from Sandwich in Kent, Pelham Plants from Sussex, Miles Japanese Maples, Daisy Roots, Beechbridge Plants, Clare’s Chillies from Cowfold in West Sussex, Pineview Plants with Epimediums and Chailey Iris Garden.

Arundel Castle will be open on April 23: 10am - 5pm, visit arundelcastle.org The Plant Fair is included in standard garden or castle entry tickets, or £5 for fair only.