The Dundee Flower and Food Festival may have been muddy underfoot over the weekend but that didn’t dampen the spirits of the crowds flocking into the showground at Camperdown Park.
Swarms of visitors from the city and beyond made their way to the biggest show of its kind in Scotland to pick up some gardening tips, sample the great local produce on offer and catch a glimpse of this year’s headliners.
Currently on our TV screens in the Great British Bake-Off, national institution Mary Berry took fans through two cookery demonstrations on Saturday.
The author of over 50 best-selling cookery books and a regular TV and radio foodie, Mary said the secret of her success has been wanting to get the nation cooking.
”I try to think of the person making the recipe,” she said. ”I’m there to hold their hand every step of the way and get them through to the end.”
Her latest programme, the Great British Bake-Off, has prompted a surge of cake lovers reaching for the whisk to create culinary delights.
”I just want to get everybody enjoying cooking at home,” she said. ”The Bake-Off has got everybody baking because they (the show’s contestants) are all amateurs.
”I think people watch and think ‘I can do that.’ It’s the actual bakers that make the show.”
Mary, however, refused to be drawn on who was standing out in the new series.
”They are all doing well,” she said. ”It changes each programme because we judge on each individual programme. It’s just how they do on the day. They practise the signature dish and the show-stopper and it’s only the technical they don’t do before.”
While the Bake-Off features exotic macaroons, strudels and tiramisu, Mary was relying on a far more local larder for her demonstration on Saturday.
She said: ”I’m using all, or mostly, ingredients from Scotland. I’m doing salmon terrine for a starter and using some local chicken with five spice and then I’m going to do a chocolate roulade and a very easy cheesecake.
”I remember this part for Blairgowrie and the raspberries. They really are the best.”
Tom and Henry Herbert, The Fabulous Baker Boys, were another big draw. Their cookery demonstration was an attraction and they also signed copies of their books.
Away from the food marquee, celebrity gardener Alys Fowler joined visitors on a walkabout of the site, inspected the glorious blooms and show gardens and led a talk.
But it was the giant leeks and onions that really took Alys’ fancy.
”There’s some lovely stuff,” she said. ”The vegetables are really impressive for such a bad year.
”Nobody’s had enough sun this summer and there’s been so many slugs. It’s been a washout of a summer but this is really impressive.”
Alys specialises in vegetable growing.
”I trained at Kew Gardens and I really like eating so it makes sense to grow what you like to eat,” she said.
After her talk, Alys made straight for the food marquee to load up some goodies for the train home.
”The whole thing is quite delightful,” she said. ”There’s so much work has gone into it. I’m looking to get some of that lovely food to bring home.”
Gardening tips were also available from The Courier’s own gardening writer, John Stoa, who took a question and answer session towards the end of Saturday.
The Scottish Association for Mental Health community gardens were out to impress the judges at this year’s festival.
The two services Evergreen in Kirkcaldy and Chrysalis in Dundee provide vocational horticultural training for people who are experiencing or recovering from mental health problems, while Evergreen also offers therapeutic horticulture for those who may not be quite ready for work.
This year Evergreen’s design involved old office equipment including desks, filing cabinets and a computer monitor spilling over with flowers.
Chrysalis concentrated on wild flowers, taking inspiration from a traditional rustic shed to create their design.
David Ross, senior instructor at Evergreen, said: ”The Dundee Flower show is the biggest event in our calendar and everyone has worked really hard at getting the gardens ready for display.”
Alongside the flower show, the services hosted an information point and took the opportunity to chat to visitors about looking after their mental health, emphasising the benefits of physical activity such as gardening in staying mentally well.
Sunday’s final day had sun and an attendance of about 8,000, giving a total for the weekend of 18,500. This was about 2,000 down on previous years but organisers said that, allowing for the rain and mud on the first two days, the turnout was good.Click here for more photos