To see photographs from this year's festival please click here.

 Once again we awoke to the sound of rain the morning after this year’s Festival. What a success the weekend was but what a challenge!

A mild sunny March followed by late frosts and weeks of heavy rain resulted in waterlogged fields and the cancellation of events all over the country. Our garden owners struggled on in the most challenging and inclement conditions, the car parking fields became increasingly saturated and then BBC Gardeners’ World confirmed that they would be filming the event!

Friday 11^th May: the delightful BBC crew, Patty, Gary, Gordon and Robin arrived to film the anxiety, trepidation and preparations for the Festival. Two days were spent filming around the village and gardens - all to be edited into a five minute slot to be shown in the Gardeners’ World Jubilee programme on the 1^st June.

Saturday 12^th May: An early start, filming of preparations on The Square began at 8am. Hurrah, what a relief...... the rain had stopped and the sun was shining! Visitors arrived in their dozens from all over the country (as far away as West Sussex and Devon and some from overseas) and were directed to park in the Festival car park which was slowly drying out.

Sunday 13^th May: the film crew had departed, an early morning cut in the field enabled us to extend the car park and the sun continued to shine.

After many months of hard work a record 36 gardens opened to visitors. I am extremely grateful to all those who so generously agreed to open their gardens and for their enthusiasm, hard work and support.

Once again the Flower Group rose to the challenge to produce another outstanding Flower Festival - on the theme of ‘With hearts and hands and voices’ - supplemented by music and our wonderful choirs.

The WI were magnificent, as usual, in providing sustenance for our visitors throughout the weekend together with a warm and friendly welcome in the Village Hall. This was supplemented by the hugely successful pig roast and BBQ at the Catholic Church and Pimms, strawberries and cream at the Village Shop.

The Square was busy both days with numerous stalls and ice cream sales - many thanks to all the stall holders who have contributed to our funds.

Approximately sixteen hundred visitors came to the Festival during the weekend and a total of just under £7,000 was raised for the maintenance fund of our 12^th Century Parish Church.

After such a successful weekend we are all looking forward to the next Festival in May 2015 when we hope to welcome new and returning visitors once again.

Catherine Fisher