A FLOWER festival opens today to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the wedding of two museum founders.

The theme of the event, which was launched by the Countess of Strathmore at the Bowes museum last night, is 'A Marriage of Hearts and Minds.' The Countess is a descendant by marriage of the Bowes family.

The festival has been organised by the museum's Friends to mark the fact that the marriage of John and Josephine Bowes took place on August 23, 1852. Chairman Lesley Taylor, who has helped organise the event and is creating an arrangement inspired by Dutch and Flemish flower painting in the museum galleries, said: "It commemorates the wonderful gift the couple made when they created the Bowes and filled it with a precious collection of fine and decorative art from their travels in Europe."

Teesdale Flower Club members Rita Braithwaite and Carol Dixon have designed the festival, as well as creating some of the exhibits.

One of the more poignant displays, created by Judy Alder of Eggleston, is a tribute to the Queen Mother, who was for many years a patron and regular visitor to the museum before her death earlier this year. Her life is celebrated in the piece A Royal Life, situated next to the reception desk.

The event, which is open from 11-5 today and runs until Monday, has been part funded by Teesdale Marketing, a non-profit making company formed to promote Teesdale and encourage economic prosperity.

Entry to the festival will be via the normal museum admission price, but staff are asking visitors to make a donation of £1 to the Friends.