Harrogate's Autumn Flower Show opens its three-day spectacular tomorrow as one of the highlights in the show season.

On its 22-acre site at the Great Yorkshire Showground will be 14 national societies staging their autumn championships.

The show, first held 82 years ago in Harrogate, has blossomed into one of the country's biggest floral events.

The town hosted the first North of England Horticultural Society's show in 1921, which moved via the Old Winter Gardens and Valley Gardens on to its present site.

It went from the town centre gardens to the showground eight years ago amid protests from traditionalists.

But society chairman Sam Cryer said the event had outgrown the Valley Gardens and could not have expanded had it stayed there. The decision to move had been well and truly vindicated, he said.

The event traditionally brings down the curtain on the country's flower show season and last year attracted 33,990 visitors. Much of the show is under cover and there is parking for more than 8,000 vehicles.

It opens tomorrow and runs until Sunday, opening each day at 9.30am and closing at 5.30pm.

Tickets cost £10 each day except after 2pm on Sunday which is £5. The plant sell-off is at 4pm on Sunday.