Some Dates for Your Diary

Filling out the pages of this year's calendar reminded me there's quite a few brand new gardening related events to look forward to in 2012. Here's a roundup of some extra dates you might like to put in your diary...

March

There's no Red Nose Day this year, but there is Garden Re-leaf Day on Tuesday 13th March instead. All proceeds will go to the charity Greenfingers, which raises money to build gardens at children's hospices.

April

16-22 April has been designated as the first National Gardening Week by the RHS. Expect all kinds of activities designed to encourage us to get gardening - here's the schedule for what's happening at the RHS.

May

As I reported last November, May 18th is Fascination of Plants Day. The extensive list of participating organisations in the UK can be found here.

Various times and locations

This year's Diamond Jubilee celebrations include the creation of 60 'Diamond Woods' around the country. I'm delighted I've been invited to a tree planting session at the one closest to me: at Caen Hill near Devizes on February 12th. Check The Woodland Trust's Jubilee Woods website for more information.

Edinburgh is famous for it's Fringe Festival and many other festivals now offer an alternative point of view. This year the Chelsea Fringe will be joining it's famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show sister. Look out for pop-up gardens, installations, secret gardens and all kinds of mayhem in London from 19th May to 10th June. NB Chelsea Fringe is also participating in the Fascination of Plants Day.

Much of the talk this year will be centred around the Olympics. The gardens at the Olympic Park promise to be quite an eye opener if the talk given by James Hitchmough I went to a couple of weeks ago is anything to go by. (I also gave you a bit of a sneak preview here). For those of us who didn't manage to obtain tickets OR who might just possibly prefer gardening, the Olympics Committee has devised Garden for the Games, a countrywide community gardening initiative which forms part of the cultural Olympics events planned for this year.

Plus, if you miss this you'll have to wait 10 years for the next one...

I'm contemplating a trip to Holland for the Floriade. It lasts from April 5th to 7th October, so there's plenty of time to visit. I'm wondering if anyone's been before and can offer advice on whether it's worth the trip and the best time to go?

And if all that's not enough, you can always check my Perpetual Events Diary for all the regular gardeny events happening on our shores :)

However, that's not all...

This weekend it's the annual RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, which allows you to gainfully stare out of the window for an hour in the name of science ;)

I'm up for a local Potato Day too (in Marshfield on Saturday) - you can see if there's one near you here, or there's always the mega one put on by Garden Organic at Ryton.

And not forgetting there's the first of our monthly Salad Days get togethers here on Friday as part of The 52 Week Salad Challenge :)

NB The full list of Salad Days dates (fourth Friday every month) is as follows:
  • 27th January
  • 24th February
  • 23rd March
  • 27th April
  • 25th May (might include a 'spot the salad' from Chelsea!)
  • 22nd June
  • 27th July
  • 24th August
  • 28th September
  • 26th October
  • 23rd November
  • 28th December (might bring it forward to the 21st?)
Do you have a particular gardening event you're looking forward to this year?

Comments

  1. Helen/patientgardener25 January 2012 at 17:12

    I went to Floriade 20 years ago. It was part of a trip at tulip time and we went to the Keukenhoff etc. I dont remember Floriade making a huge impression on me or my mother unlike the Keukenhoff.

    I did look into going this year but its location over the far side of holland makes linking it to trips to Keukenhoff and Amsterdam less easy - well thats my view. I do know that Brightwater holidays are running a number of excersions

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP26 January 2012 at 09:22

      Thanks Helen - I think Newmarket are doing tours as well as Brightwater. I've looked at those on offer so far, but I think I'd prefer to go independently if I go at all.

      Delete
  2. Anna25 January 2012 at 20:20

    I was at the Floriade too in 1992 VP. To be honest I can't remember much about it and neither can himself :( Our visit coincided with the Wimbledon men's final. What we both can remember vividly is visiting a small garden festival in Bingerden, Holland a few years later. I think that it is an annual event and it was a most enjoyable day in a beautiful setting.

    I'm looking forward to going to our local garden festival at Arley Hall in June.

    Thanks for all the info :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. VP26 January 2012 at 09:23

    Anna - you're welcome and going to a local garden festival sounds perfect :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jane Perrone, Horticultural blog26 January 2012 at 17:52

    Now that is one useful post - thanks VP! Duly bookmarked ...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. VP26 January 2012 at 19:05

      You're welcome Jane :) This post is so I have everything in one place too!

      Delete

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