If you’re English and of a certain age, the summer Fete is baked into your psyche. It’s a traditional outdoor community event usually held in a village, that features games, food stalls and entertainments to raise money for local causes. With a bit of luck it’s warm and sunny.
There’s always somewhere, a big white marquee.
Inside the air changes. It’s a little cooler and scented with cut stems and earthy notes. Tables stretch the length of the tent. Crisp white cloths covered with vases, jars and bowls hold the floral contestants. Veg do battle for the longest runner bean and the straightest cucumber. Outside, the muffled sound of the band weaves among chatter of happy people, but inside there is a quiet reverence, a soft hush, as though everyone is visiting a cathedral made of petals and stems, built by nature and the devotion of gardeners.
Flower paintings by the ArtyImprovers class.
