YAWA: Your Events Diary for October

September's sunshine and lack of rain means the flowers are still going strong - just like my new Helianthus 'Lemon Queen' above - though the trees look like they're suffering from the lack of water. Now October's here, autumn's threatening to kick in properly, so I've had the You Ask, We Answer team hunkered down to find the best seasonal treats on offer this month:

4th: Mangold Hurling Championships, Sherston. Unusual sport with vegetables doesn't get any better than this traditional game from Somerset. The Mangold Hurling website tells you everything you need to know and more. However, Wiltshire is leading the way and the Gazette and Herald reports there's a bumper crop this year. Glutbuster recipes have been devised by the local chutney company (soup) and the pub formerly frequented by Prince Harry has mangold crisps on the menu.

8th: National Poetry Day. As last year, Flighty will be collating blogging contributions. This year's theme is Heroes and Heroines.

9-11th: Grand Designs Live at the NEC. The show of the popular TV programme has an expanded garden section this year, which I'll be investigating :)

11th: World Conker Championships - Ashton, Northamptonshire. Another of our noble sports and traditions gets an official airing this month, assuming the horse chestnut trees have yielded enough good quality conkers in time.

13-14th: RHS Autumn Show, Horticultural Halls, London. This was the first RHS event I ever attended, 2 years ago. It's a mixture of produce show - though the grapes come from places like Blenheim Palace - plant stalls, and art. I saw James for the first time (though not to speak to - I wasn't blogging then, so we hadn't 'met'); had a gentleman recite poetry to me; discovered there were other Heucheraholics out there; got told off by an RHS judge when I remarked to my companion that some potatoes on show looked like they'd been polished; and discovered the incredible work of Niki Simpson, not realising for a while our squeals of delight were being overheard by the artist herself. Great stuff and free if you're an RHS member.

14th: Bath University Gardening Club's monthly talks programme resumes. First up is Fergus Garrett :)

15th: Blog Action Day. This year's theme for your post is climate change.

21st: Apple Day. An event started by Common Ground to raise awareness of our fantastic English apple heritage. Whilst the 21st is the nominated day, events occur from September onwards with many throughout October. Lacock Abbey are having their celebrations on the 18th. It's also the Bramley apple's 200th birthday this year, a double excuse to celebrate all things pomme this month :)

25th: British Summer Time comes to an end and the clocks go back an hour in the UK during the wee early hours of the morning. Don't forget your extra hour in bed!

31st: Halloween. The annual sweetfest for kids and a certain blogger's favourite time of the year!

Comments

  1. Sue Swift3 October 2009 at 16:37

    Oh dear - I'm going to miss the Mangold Hurling. Can you pick who you hurl them at I wonder? Now there's an idea for a meme - who would you most like to hurl a mangold at. Hmmm...

    Came in to say thank you for the congrats and that you had my vote ... But you had amazing competition.

    Have been out of everything for months for all sorts of crazy personal reasons. Really hope I'll be able to get back to normal this autumn - but I said that in July... and August... and September. Oh well - life. I am back to my own blog again, but am still way behind with reading everyone else's. Sorry.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous3 October 2009 at 16:47

    I'm an Autumn gal and love your Lemon Queen. I would like to see the mangold hurling. Sounds comical. We have a hollering contest in a place appropriately called Spivey's Corner---which sounds so redneck.

    Looks like you have a very full month of activities to choose from and I'd be enjoying them all if possible.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Joanne3 October 2009 at 19:18

    Lemon Queen looks lovely

    ReplyDelete
  4. easygardener3 October 2009 at 19:48

    Lemon Queen looks lovely - a very clean colour. I used to regularly visit the RHS shows when I worked in London - haven't been to one in ages. I should make the effort as the Autumn one sounds an attractive mix.
    Mangolds - there's a word that conjures up yokely thoughts!

    ReplyDelete
  5. CanadianGardenJoy3 October 2009 at 22:11

    VP girl !!
    You are such a nutter to mention me .. and my OBSESSION ?? LOL
    It was amazing here today, but I hear from a friend near Shropshire that it has been amazing there with beautiful weather too .. but she knows it is a fluke and hates to think about what those long dark winter hours to put in again.
    I love your Lemon Queen too ! it is a beautiful shade of soft yellow : ) .. but alass .. it is October and ORANGE is my colour for now ? haha
    Joy
    PS .. mangold hurling , with or without ale ?? hehehe

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anna4 October 2009 at 10:35

    Now mangold hurling conjures up all sorts of weird and wonderful images :) 'Lemon Queen'is bright and cheerful - she was in abundance at the Malvern Flower Show.

    ReplyDelete
  7. VP5 October 2009 at 08:50

    Sue - I think it's a bit more like welly wanging! It's good to see you out and about again and understand perfectly that real life has to take priority :)

    FGG - that's sound fun. We have a variation on that - there's a town criers competition. Must find out more about it - and when the world welly wanging championships take place!

    Joanne - I first saw it at the RHS Inner Temple show last year and fell in love with it. I'm really pleased with how its turned out in my garden this year.

    EG - it's very yokely ;)

    ReplyDelete
  8. VP5 October 2009 at 08:51

    Joy - with lots of ale :)

    Anna - I'm not surprised she made an appearance :)

    ReplyDelete

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