SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS CAPE TOWN FLOWER SHOW GOURMET RAVE

Not only will this year’s South African Airways Cape Town Flower Show taking place at Lourensford Estate from Thursday 26 October to Sunday 29 October be the garden party of the year, but it also promises to be a “gourmet rave”.

The new Shoprite/Checkers Horticultural Marquee will be a vibrant hub for showcasing the best in horticulture and will include food tasting, ideas for innovative foods, fresh organic produce and new products, healthy eating and quality food production with experts providing hands-on demonstrations and advice on growing, preparing and serving great food.

Produce on offer at the Fresh Fare division will include everything from the freshest baked breads and pastries to organic salads, fresh berries, juices and nuts. Around the corner at The Edible Garden, fruit and vegetables will be on display with vegetable growers creating edible displays of fruit, vegetables, flowers, foliage and plants with menus to tantalize the senses. This will be a celebration of all things edible.

Visitors to the marquee will be offered a complimentary tasting of nouvelle cuisine accompanied by a shot of wine at the Shoprite/Checkers Sushi Bar with boerewors rolls, steak rolls and cheese and wine platters on sale for those wanting a more substantial snack.

There will be something for everyone in the Shoprite/Checkers Horticultural Marquee, including a walk-through shopping area featuring items from their House and Home Garden Lifestyle Centre and in The Checkers Flower Market a vibrant array of beautiful fresh-cut flower bouquets. The Flowers for Africa division will feature exhibits of commercial and home-grown cut flowers, new and unusual plants for the house and garden and wild flower specimens

submitted by individual exhibitors as well as garden clubs, nurseries and nature reserves. Single Genus exhibits will showcase the breadth in variety of specific plants, including lilies, irises, fragrant herbs, and popular annuals. It is also an oportunityopportunity for garden clubs to showcase what they are doing and to encourage people’s interest in horticultural groups.

Cutting-edge, contemporary and classic floral art designs created by the region’s master floral designers will also be featured and Checkers Hyper/House & Home will join forces with top floral designers to present glamorous tablescapes featuring opulent floral centerpieces for amazing and dramatic table effects. Talented local amateur and professional sugar artists will design cakes and other forms of sugar art that focus on flower or horticultural themes in the Blooming Cakes category.

The comfortable Amarula Lounge and Bar, will be offering tastings of South Africa’s favourite home-grown liquour and Appletiser too will be represented in a state-of-the-art display.

Lourensford Winery’s Days of Wine and Roses Garden featuring fountains, natural stone patios and a gazebo wine bar will give visitors the opportunity to sample some of the estate’s award winning wines.

The show opens at 10am and closes at 7pm with an entrance fee of R40 for adults, while children under 12 enter free. Senior citizens will pay R25 on presentation of a pensioner’s card. Tickets are on sale from Computicket (www.computicket.co.za) or at the gate. Secure, free parking will be available all day. To book flights to Cape Town visit flysaa.com. For general enquiries contact the Cape Town Flower Show office on +27 (0)21 422 0390 or visit www.capetownflower.com