A HORTICULTURAL extravaganza that pulls in thousands of people to South Lakeland every year has bloomed for a final time.

Organisers of the annual Holker Garden Festival at Cark-in-Cartmel have taken 'the difficult decision' to bring the event to a close after 24 years.

The Board of Directors at the Holker Estate have decided instead to devote more time and energy to refreshing the annual events programme across the estate.

Holker has played host to an incredible variety of public events over the years, from horse trials and historic car shows to a hot air balloon festival and more recently the BBC Antiques Roadshow and concerts at Cartmel Racecourse.

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The first garden festival was held in 1992. It was inspired by the popularity of the Lakeland Rose Show and quickly became established as the ‘Chelsea of the North’, attracting some of the UK’s top horticulturalists, nurseries and specialist growers.

Holker Group chairman Lucy Cavendish said: “The garden festival has been part of my life for many years and I have many cherished memories but horticultural and other outdoor events have proliferated in an already congested early summer season.

"This has put the festival’s long term prospects in jeopardy. We therefore took the view that it was better to end now on a high."