Tatton Park
Ladybird4
Posts: 36,850
Off to Tatton today - my annual pilgrimage. Pockets full of money. Only problem, how do I resist everything when my garden is pretty much at max! Fingers crossed it stays dry.
Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
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Have a great day. I've only been once - 2007 with a group of friends from the old GW boards wnd we met up with others and had fun. I bought a picea abies Rydal Water which is doing very well and some "hardy" grasses which turned out not to be. Maybe in Cheshire but not here. Penstemon ditto.
A very good show tho with lovely people and atmosphere. http://s211.photobucket.com/user/Obelixx_be/library/0707%20Tatton?sort=2&page=1
Hope the weather holds for you.
Last edited: 21 July 2016 09:48:57
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
I remember that one too Obelixx - I was just plain Buttercup then!
Daughter and I were debating whether to go, but we've decided to, give it a rest for a year or two as we feel we're gettiing a bit jaded.
We didn't find the gardens very exciting last year and as our plant knowledge has expanded, the floral marquee has more old friends than interesting new acquaintances. We also get very cross at the way innocent novices get ripped off by annuals and tender plants being sold without proper info and at prices that suggest they will last longer than a few weeks.
I am already looking forward to Chatsworth next year though
I spotted the name change so knew it was you. I didn't go to Chelsea for a couple of years as I got jaded too and missed the one after the 100 years' anniversary show as I found that very disappointing and not just because I was in a wheelchair with my new feet and couldn't see everything. The following year turned out to be one of the best ever - of course.
Don't suppose you have any news of Yakram and Trillium?
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
Someone else who enjoyed Tatton as much as I did! In answer to Muddle-up the Back to Back gardens were 6mx4m. The show was wonderful. Lots of lovely people having a great day out. Plenty of entertainment and the flowers!!!!!!! What really hit me all around the show was the predominance of 3 plants - Agapanthus, Hordeum and Hydrangea. Wherever you looked these three were either incorporated into displays or were spotted bobbing and weaving their ways in various trolleys, carrier bags and arms around the show. Had a marvellous time and will be booking again for next year.
Obelixx - PM
I went yesterday with mum and two sisters. It was my first RHS flower show and I was so overwhelmed and excited when I walked in! I loved every minute and every detail.
The gardens were fantastic but oh so small compared to how they look on TV! The floral marque a bit clostrophobic for me, but still lovely. The flowers and plants were stunning.The crowds were very manageable.
The prices were much cheaper than I expected ( but so were the pot sizes).
I agree there was a rip off feel about the information being lacking when buying plants, apparently everything would grow anywhere with minimal care!
I also agree, and noticed, an abundance of hordeum and hydrangea, and agapanthus with hindsight. I really wanted to try agapanthus but didn't feel I'd get good advice on which was best for me (easy and tall, any colour).
I felt the gardens were planted with things which would naturally be in flower now, just how a garden should be! Whereas watching Chelsea on TV I had the impression a lot was forced and flowering from the skill of the gardeners - hence the displays were not fully replicable (please comment on this notion I had especially if I'm wrong!).
Spent up and came home happy. Will post some photos later.
If you are an RHS member its cheaper - but I do agree that £32 is a great deal of money - more expensive than the Gardener's World show at the NEC.
Mrs Garden, this is always the case for flower shows I think, a combination of chilling and forcing to get plants to look at their very best but often unrealistic for the keen amateur. Still fab though!