CASTLE Howard is adding an eco-twist to its annual flower festival.

Creative director Fiona Pickles, a Yorkshire-based, award-winning designer, is promising a “quintessentially British explosion of flowers and foliage”, with added green credentials.

This year’s festival, titled An English Country Garden, aims to help visitors rediscover forgotten British blooms that have been grown in this country for hundreds of years.

Fiona said: “There is an enormous focus from within the restaurant sector about sourcing ingredients locally, so you are eating food prepared ethically and minimising unnecessary food transportation, but when you look at many floral displays, we are doing the exact opposite.

“We are insisting on mass-grown imported gerberas and only accepting perfect blooms. We often overlook traditional, British seasonal flowers and foliage in this unnatural pursuit of perfection, and miss the natural beauty of flowers, wonky stems and all.”

She is working with the stately home’s own garden teams to source items for arrangements in every room, corridor and public space in the house, but also plans to work with her network of artisan flower growers and arrangers around the country to deliver her ambitious plan.

Alongside the indoor installations, there will also be talks and workshops from local professional growers and arrangers, with a focus on English-grown flowers and plenty of hints and tips, as well as daily demonstrations from Fiona.

The Castle Howard Flower Festival runs from today, Thursday, June 28 until Sunday, July 1 and is included in the standard admission price.

For information about the house and the festival visit www.castlehoward.co.uk.