CRAFTSMEN, conservationists and plant enthusiasts spread their messages to thousands of visitors at festival of horticulture at the weekend.

Arley Garden Festival featured the chance to buy plants, speak to award-winning nurserymen and visit numerous food and craft traders.

Groups, including the Cheshire Guild of Woodturners, said events like the Arley's annual festival were vital for society's to get their message across.

"We are trying to publicise the craft and are always on the lookout for new members," said Peter Curnuck, from Weaverham, president of the Cheshire Guild of Woodturners.

"We sell our goods and often the money goes to charity but we don’t have a premises or shop so this kind of event with a large footfall is important to us."

Inside the Countryside Marquee Vikki Mack and Claire Broadhurst, from Norton Priory, told visitors about the importance of looking after bees and other pollinators.

Staff from Stockley Farm also placed a focus on animals at their petting zoo.

"We are just keen to educate people about looking after and caring for animals," said Lesley Tait.

For most visitors it was the plants, flowers and Arley’s own gardens that were the centre of attention.

Inside the Floral Marquee were a dazzling array of plants and nurseries with several Chelsea connections.

Among them was Stella Exley whose passion for camassias was spotted at Arley last year by Chris Beardshaw who asked her to produce 2,000 of the plants for his Chelsea garden.

"He let me choose the camassias that went into his garden and he won gold," said Stella, who runs Hare Spring Cottage Plants in the foothills of the Pennines.

"It all came about just because I attended Arley last year so it is a very special festival for me."

At the weekend Stella won a gold medal for her display based on her own cottage garden and there was a win too for Wybunbury Primary School, from Nantwich, in the popular schools garden competition.

Helen Begent, events manager at Arley, said the most important role of the festival was creating a family day out while maintaining a focus on the event’s gardening roots.

“Over the years we have added to the attractions to make the festival as much fun as possible for people of all ages,” she said.