Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

SRGC Shows and Events => Events => Topic started by: Diane Whitehead on December 06, 2014, 08:11:08 PM

Title: London Plant and Potato Fair Feb 20 - 21
Post by: Diane Whitehead on December 06, 2014, 08:11:08 PM
The Daffodil, Snowdrop and Tulip Yearbook includes a notice of this show.

I think it is bizarre.  I attended one of the London RHS shows about 1999 -
it had wonderful displays of snowdrops.  When did they start displaying
potatoes?  Or do they show a different vegetable each year?

Diane Whitehead
Canada
Title: Re: London Plant and Potato Fair Feb 20 - 21
Post by: Susan Band on December 06, 2014, 09:00:28 PM
I won't think potatoes would be looking their best in February  :-\
Title: Re: London Plant and Potato Fair Feb 20 - 21
Post by: Maggi Young on December 06, 2014, 10:00:56 PM
 From the website of the British Society of Soil Science  : http://www.soils.org.uk/rhs-london-plant-potato-fair-2015 (http://www.soils.org.uk/rhs-london-plant-potato-fair-2015)

" The Society has been invited to be a Special Exhibitor at the RHS London Plant and Potato Fair at Vincent Square, London on Friday 20th and Saturday 21st February 2015.
The show is in two halls. The RHS Lawrence Hall will play host to a wealth of early spring plants, advice and inspiration, exhibited by some of the UK’s best nurserymen and growers, with an abundance of bulbs and plants to buy. The RHS Lindley Hall will celebrate the majesty of potatoes… and more! Visitors can learn about the many different varieties of potatoes, as well as compost, soil science and creatures that live in the soil, and buy a massive variety of seed potatoes and onion sets, mushrooms, root veg etc. "


Full  calendar for RHS  London Shows : http://84.22.166.235/shows-events/PDF/RHS-London-shows/Shows-Calendar-2015 (http://84.22.166.235/shows-events/PDF/RHS-London-shows/Shows-Calendar-2015)


    RHS London Plant and Potato Fair - 20–21 February 2015
    RHS London Botanical Art Show - 27–28 February 2015
    European Orchid Show and Conference - 9–12 April 2015
    RHS Great London Plant Fair - 14–15 April 2015
    RHS London Alpine Garden Show 26 April 2015
    RHS London Rose Show - 29–30 May 2015
    RHS London Harvest Festival Show - 6–7 October 2015
    RHS London Shades of Autumn Show - 23–24 October 2015
Title: Re: London Plant and Potato Fair Feb 20 - 21
Post by: johnw on December 06, 2014, 11:33:13 PM
I very much doubt we will attend the February Potatoe Fair in lieu of the former Snowdrop show.

johnw ;)
Title: Re: London Plant and Potato Fair Feb 20 - 21
Post by: Alan_b on December 07, 2014, 08:37:35 AM
For the last few years this has been the Plant and Design Fair with 'Design' in the second hall and not, I suspect, attracting a great deal of interest.  So now the RHS has swapped 'Design' for 'Potatoes'.  I would say this is a step in the right direction.  No reason to suspect that there won't also be snowdrops on display as usual (as the quote given by Maggi indicates) except insofar as the change to a Friday/Saturday timing is less convenient for some of the snowdrop nurseries that exhibit.
Title: Re: London Plant and Potato Fair Feb 20 - 21
Post by: Steve Garvie on December 07, 2014, 08:41:46 AM
Swapping design for tatties.
Aye, that should pull in the great British public.  :o

'Ave they got any chips? 
Title: Re: London Plant and Potato Fair Feb 20 - 21
Post by: chasw on December 09, 2014, 05:35:50 PM
Oooooh jacket potatoes for lunch then   :D :D :D
Title: Re: London Plant and Potato Fair Feb 20 - 21
Post by: brianw on December 09, 2014, 07:21:34 PM
Chips and jackets might not be so far out. At recent shows there have been odd food and drink stalls amongst the fruit, veg and plant and design stands.
Title: Re: London Plant and Potato Fair Feb 20 - 21
Post by: Maggi Young on December 09, 2014, 07:38:07 PM
The RHS' "Secret Sunday" events in London seem to have quite a concentration on food - judging by the way the RHS has been promoting them on Twitter, anyway.
Title: Re: London Plant and Potato Fair Feb 20 - 21
Post by: Jon Evans on February 21, 2015, 11:07:22 AM
I have posted some photos from this show, focusing on the plant rather than the potato related displays, in the discussion forum on the AGS website.

http://www.alpinegardensociety.net/discussion/atshows/RHS+Plant+and+Potato+Fair+/19856/ (http://www.alpinegardensociety.net/discussion/atshows/RHS+Plant+and+Potato+Fair+/19856/)

Title: Re: London Plant and Potato Fair Feb 20 - 21
Post by: Matt T on February 21, 2015, 11:11:23 AM
Such attention to detail on Avon Bulbs' stand - nice groupings, the moss, scattered leaves very naturalistic. Shame they feel they can't go on, but it clearly requires a lot of work.
Title: Re: London Plant and Potato Fair Feb 20 - 21
Post by: Maggi Young on February 21, 2015, 12:28:49 PM
I have posted some photos from this show, focusing on the plant rather than the potato related displays, in the discussion forum on the AGS website.

   I don't suppose you found it a huge sacrifice not to picture the spuds, Jon?
Title: Re: London Plant and Potato Fair Feb 20 - 21
Post by: Jon Evans on February 21, 2015, 12:56:22 PM
For me, once you have seen one spud, you have seen them all.  I only went into Spud Hall to look for coloured plant labels (to mark the ones I need to repot), but although not as busy as the plant hall, there were quite a lot of people there, and they were listening to lectures and eating spud pie.  So from the RHS point of view, with a remit to address and support all types of gardening, maybe there was some sense to this.  It would be a shame if it had to be at the expense of the snowdrops which used to make the February show so glorious though.
SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal