GARDENING Scotland 2008
Scotland's leading gardening and outdoor
event takes place this year from May 30 until June 1 at The
Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh.
Over the course of three days, the Ingliston showground will be filled
with the colour and scent of hundreds and thousands of beautiful and
colourful blooms - all of them at the peak of perfection.
There are lots of new attractions lined up for this year as well as all
the favourite exhibits that visitors love to come back for, year after
year.
At the very heart of the Show will be the Dobbies Floral Hall, where
the top nurseries from across the UK, many of them specialist growers
who scour the four corners of the world to find rare and unusual
flowers, come to sell the plants they've lovingly raised.
This is the biggest plant sale of its kind in Scotland and the range of
plants and flowers on sale here is unrivalled anywhere in the country.
Meanwhile out in the showground Scotland 's favourite TV gardeners, the
team from The Beechgrove Garden, will be on hand to offer tips and
advice and they'll also be finding time to film a very special edition
of the Show.
Amongst the attractions they'll be turning their cameras on will be the
Show Gardens, where the cream of Scotland's design talent will be
providing inspiration to visitors with their creative solutions for
large and small gardens.
Meanwhile on a miniature scale, a record number of schools and
gardening clubs will compete for prizes in the Pallet Garden
Competition, sponsored by Klondyke Garden Centres, where the challenge
is to create a living landscape in a space no bigger than one square
metre New at Gardening Scotland 2008 will be a very special fashion
show, staged by students from Heriot Watt University's School of
Textiles in Galashiels.
The second year Clothing Design and Manufacture students will be
showing off their range of gardening clothes made from organic and
biodegradable materials.
Using fabrics such as hemp, jute and nettle fibre, the students'
clothing has been designed to end its days on the compost heap once its
working life is over.
More clever advice on how to live and garden in harmony with nature
will be on offer in The Living Garden where experts in every field,
from attracting bug life to keeping bees, will be on hand to help
gardeners and those who just want to do their bit for the environment.
Meanwhile The BBC Scotland Beechgrove Theatre will be back once again,
broadcasting some of its top shows live from Gardening Scotland and
also hosting workshops and demonstrations where visitors can get to
meet the Beechgrove Garden's team of experts.
Gardening Scotland is a Mecca for experienced gardeners, but it has
lots to offer the novice too and thanks to a vibrant craft marquee, an
international village selling delicious produce from around the world,
fun attractions for children, a food fayre and an impressive exhibition
of botanical art, it is a great day out for all the family.
Tickets to Gardening Scotland 2008 cost £14/£12. Call 0131 333 0965 or visiting www.gardeningscotland.com
From Gordon Clayton visiting the Gardening Festival 2008
Gardening
Scotland 2008
Although
too late for visitors to this year’s exhibition, this review may be of some
help to those contemplating a visit in future years. Situated next to Edinburgh Airport (with a free bus from Haymarket
rail station) Gardening Scotland is a 3 day event commencing on a Friday
through to Sunday and is held at the Royal Highland showground. Entry in 2008
was £14 for an adult with under 16’s going free. Car parking in a field is £ 3
a car with blue card holders getting spaces near to the entrance but still some
way off for anyone walking or being assisted by their carer. Signage and
stewarding outside the showground was not very good and a case of following the
crowd.
Inside was
everything possible for your garden be it small or large. In the many tents were a craft fair, a radio
studio for BBC Scotland.The McRobert Theatre provides music to help you go up
and down the many avenues of stall
holders ready to sell you anything from plants to hot tubs.
Programmes
from the event included the acclaimed TV programme ‘Beechgrove Garden’ and radio’s Potting Shed programme
for Radio Scotland.
The
Dobbie’s Floral Hall is at the heart of the event and provided examples of
award winning displays, gardening advice and a\z myriad of food stalls.
The
Snowdonia cheese company was among the stalls offering ‘treats’ and their
mature cheese with onion and garlic was exceptional.
Outside
there were entries of miniature gardens within a pallet and it was good to see
so many entries from schools.
All in the
all, this is an all day event with plenty to see, advice to obtain from experts
and an opportunity to spend your money on goods that you might not see in the
everyday garden centre
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