The Royal Horticultural Society launched Secret Garden Sundays last weekend. Combining local and independent food producers, with everything you need to know to grow your own, this series of events has been created to get us growing, eating and celebrating the very best of seasonal British produce. What’s great about these events is that they appeal to everyone.
There was a huge array of plants and flowers as you’d expect from the RHS. From sweet smelling Lilies and these incredible Tulips
to potted roses, mysterious Auriculas and these perfectly formed Ranunculus.
Primulas, Hostas, Nerines and air plants could also be found along with some unusual varieties. Live trees, citrus and bay trees were on offer too as were a plethora of bulbs, seeds and perennials. You really were spoilt for choice!
If you fancied learning how to grow your own chilli and tomato plants, the RHS Growing Together Club were on hand to teach you how. The National Vegetable Society and the Herb Society also offered guidance. As did Young Hort, a new initiative created by young horticulturalists for young horticulturalists.
Katie Spragg’s collection of ceramic tableware and porcelain jewellery was great as each piece tells a bizarre yet true story. Like the fox that lived on the 72nd floor of The Shard to the penguin that is a soldier in the Norweigan army! There were many other gifts and gardening related products available too.
I wish I’d had the time to make my own garden mosiac. Such a great opportunity and it was wonderful to see so many people beavering away on their individual designs.
Demonstrations covered a wide range of subjects such as learning which plants and flowers work well in small gardens, how to grow things without having a garden and how to make a bouquet of fresh Spring flowers. Children could have a go at planting a broad bean seed while the adults learnt about runner beans!
As well as the flowers, the plants, the gifts and the demonstrations there was also a wide selection of food. From the finest British charcuterie to cheeses, vegetarian, vegan and gluten free food, pies, breads, cakes, jams and chutneys.
Plus fresh juice, coffee and tea to wash it all down. If you fancied a rest there was always the Mezzanine Cafe which offered a bird’s eye view of the hall.
The RHS Secret Garden Sundays take place on the first Sunday of each month at RHS Lindley Hall, Vincent Square, London SW1 until September. A special Christmas event will take place on Sunday November 2nd.
Linking up with Mammasaurus for #HDYGG and Verily Victoria Vocalises for #PoCoLo.
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Beautiful flowers- I love the sound of this initiative. Really good to embrace the whole concept of “growing” as then there is something for everyone. Lovely photos 🙂
Thank you Kate. It really is a great initiative for people of all ages and experience levels. Really enjoyed it 🙂
Oh you lucky lady what a lovely day out just let me at those cheeses YUM
The cheese was amazing Helen. A huge stand filled to the brim with everything you can possibly imagine. It was a bit like heaven!
wow stunning pictures , really captures the beauty of the flowrs and that canvas is wow amazing
Thank you Lisa 🙂
I love spring flowers and tulips make my heart sing as do your pictures
Thank you Jen, there were some absolute gems there 🙂
What an absolutely beautiful series of photos. I just love ranunculus. I’m really loving some of the events that the RHS is doing at the moment – this sounds just my kind of thing! It would be great to see similar at Harlow Carr…
I love the RHS events too. Hear what you’re saying about seeing similar at Harlow Carr, I’m very near Wisley and it would be lovely to see similar there too. Must have a look to see what’s on 🙂
Thats like eye porn right there! Wow! #HDYGG
Glad you like it! Fabulous flowers – I love a bright bloom 🙂
This looks like my actual idea of heaven! Beautiful blooms, good cheeses and cake? What’s not to adore! Such gorgeous photos – that fancy tulip is just jaw droppingly epic. Do you think they’ll let me move into the garden – just a little corner is all I need!
Looking forward to our jaunt next week! x
Exactly it was like heaven! The cheese was absolutely divine and the cake looked really good. As for the blooms, well they speak for themselves! It’s great this event is on every month.
You’re going to love Wisley next week 🙂
Those pictures are gorgeous and those cheese look amazing!! I really love the garden mosaics too and would love to make one for my garden. Looks brilliant.
Thank you. The garden mosiacs were amazing, would have loved to make something. Next time!
You have captured such beautiful colours xx
Thank you very much 🙂
Beautiful pictures x
Thanks 🙂
What a beautiful idea and those flowers look so amazing. This year I plan on visiting different gardens
Thank you. It’s a great idea, you must visit more gardens definitely 🙂
Beautiful flower photos. It sounds like a great event.
Thank you very much, great event 🙂
Those flowers are just stunning! I adore the bright colours 🙂 this sounds like a great day, shame we’re not closer x
They’re wonderful aren’t they Kirsty. I love bright colours too – great to seem them returning again 😉
A stunning collection of close ups. looks like a delight to visit and see all that colour in one place. #HDYGG
Thank you Fiona. The flowers and plants were fabulous – as was the food!
Wow those tulips are something else! X
oh that sounds brilliant! lovely photos and those frilly tulips are just amazing! x
What beautiful blooms! Sounds like a wonderful place to visit!
Ok- I am head over heels for anenomes right now, but that shot of the cheese has made me swoon.
Such complete beauty!
Amazing photos as always Charley, such unusual (but beautiful) flowers and I love the idea of the open Sundays. I guess SW1 is actually not that far from me. Those mosaics are stunning too – probably a place to go sans enfants though!
Such gorgeous photos, and sounds like a marvellous place to while away the hours xx
I just love flower photography. Need to get ourselves to an RHS venue one of these days! I especially love the photo of the ranunculus – such a prettyflower!
Amazing photos! #PoCoLo xx
I hope they still have Secret Sundays this summer as I’d love to visit one! As usual stunningly beautiful photos.
lovely images – I didn’t know about this event which sounds like an idyllic day out x
Beautiful, just beautiful Charly! And, sounds like a great initiative
Amazing photos. I’m intrigued by the story of the fox living in the Shard!
Once again what beautiful pictures, I need to focus on other things as I only seem to capture the kids
You’ve taken some beautiful photos
Those tulips are truly amazing! All the flower pics are gorgeous. Thanks for letting us know about these events – I’d love to go sometime. Over from #PoCoLo x
Stunning, absolutely stunning. It sounds like a wonderful day out. I do love that purple flower (don’t know what it’s called though!). Thank you for linking to PoCoLo lovely 🙂 x
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Dear Charly,
Thank you for featuring the massive illustration I produced for the RHS Secret Garden Sundays, it is appropriately called “My Secret Garden” – I found your blog on google images!
Pleased to hear that you had an enjoyable day at the show.
Best wishes
Hannah