Henfield Gardens and Arts Weekend
Having just unpacked from the previous weekend, it was time to pack everything up and set up for the weekend in the front garden of Apple Tree Cottage, (by kind permission of Maggie and David Blake). Actually it felt like we did not stop at all that week as between us we all spent the intervening evenings making products to sell as Spring-watch had depleted our stocks.
Most of the Friday on the eve of the event was spent getting everything together, even though it is only just down the road for most of us the preparation is still the same, ensuring you don’t forget that tool or item which you will need first thing. The day dawned fine and sunny and in no time at all the front lawn of Apple Tree Cottage looked more akin to
a woodsman’s clearing than a picturesque Sussex garden in the summertime.
On the Saturday, Malcolm manfully worked the pole-lathe, turning out dibbers and making a mess and getting a load of verbal insults from all areas (part of the normal banter when the Woodianders are out and about). I was busy making bird feeders, flowers or bullrushes depending on what was required from the sales team. Phil Knight was working away
on some walking sticks and ensuring his son Malcolm kept to his task, whilst Jo and Helen manned the sales table and order book, with occasional time off spent cutting out tin can flower petals, Mark also brought along his moth trap to show the public how it worked and tell them all about moths. I am surprised that he had the courage after his last visit to help at Gardens and Arts. His story has already entered into Woodlanders history. Mark had been out the previous
afternoon and evening watching England play football and was the worse for wear the next day, and with a monumental hangover, went for a lie down in the churchyard opposite. I think he felt closer to the dead than the living that day!
We all had a treat as there was a wedding in St Peters church, which is opposite our stand, and as our kind hosts where providing the cars for the happy couple we had a good view of everything going on. As the bride was Chinese, it was something to see traditional dress from the far east being worn at a wedding in a Sussex village. As the photographs were being taken in the churchyard, the Morris Men who had been dancing at another venue came by and decided to do an impromptu dance which they perform for weddings. There can’t be many people who have seen Morris Men dancing in a churchyard at a wedding whilst doing green woodwork. After a very eventful and busy day, packing up time seemed to come round very quickly, thankfully we where able to leave some of the stuff at Apple Tree Cottage which helped both in the evening and setting up next day. When it came to tallying up the takings and looking at the order book over a cold beer I could not believe what a successful day we had had.
Having had a good night’s sleep, we were raring to go next morning, and with the sun out it makes you keen to get set-up. Sunday saw a change of personnel with Brian and Dave joining us for the whole day along with Maggie. Malcolm and co. kindly covered a slot around lunchtime when I was able to sneak off to another venue where I was exhibiting some sculpture in a garden. Jo and Dave were allowed time off for a ploughman’s lunch at Hackett’s (well, it was his Father’s Day treat). You have to allow the staff a few perks now and again, I suppose. Our setting up time clashes with the arrival of the worshippers at St Peter’s church for morning service. There is no other show where we are setting out our stand to the sound of church bells.
We all took turns to man the pole-lath during the day, and between us we made more bird-feeders, flowers and bullrushes. The bullrushes were so in demand that we even had to sell them without coating them in linseed oil. In fact we had a couple who came back on the Sunday morning who had ordered two sets to take away on the Saturday. They were visiting friends in Henfield for the weekend. We also had another customer who will be taking their bullrush set back to Ireland later this year.
Again the day just seemed to rush by and it wasn’t long before we were virtually all sold out and cleared out of leaflets, and low on business cards. I find it quite extraordinary when you talk to people at Henfield Gardens & Arts how far they have travelled to spend the day in a small Sussex village looking at the gardens and art on offer. This event is similar to Springwatch: a lot of work leading up to it, very busy and hectic when you are there but you always go away looking forward to next year’s event.
By Chris Burchell-Collins
