RHS Secret Garden Sundays

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

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to potted roses, mysterious Auriculas and these perfectly formed Ranunculus.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Linking up with Mammasaurus for #HDYGG and Verily Victoria Vocalises for #PoCoLo.

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  • Kate Thompson April 10, 2014 at 4:21 pm

    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 🙂

    • Charly Dove April 10, 2014 at 9:59 pm

      Thank you Kate. It really is a great initiative for people of all ages and experience levels. Really enjoyed it 🙂

  • Helen Sims The good life mum April 10, 2014 at 5:13 pm

    Oh you lucky lady what a lovely day out just let me at those cheeses YUM

    • Charly Dove April 10, 2014 at 9:59 pm

      The cheese was amazing Helen. A huge stand filled to the brim with everything you can possibly imagine. It was a bit like heaven!

  • lisa prince April 10, 2014 at 5:14 pm

    wow stunning pictures , really captures the beauty of the flowrs and that canvas is wow amazing

    • Charly Dove April 10, 2014 at 10:00 pm

      Thank you Lisa 🙂

  • Jen aka The Mad House April 10, 2014 at 5:48 pm

    I love spring flowers and tulips make my heart sing as do your pictures

    • Charly Dove April 10, 2014 at 10:00 pm

      Thank you Jen, there were some absolute gems there 🙂

  • Elizabeth Holdsworth April 10, 2014 at 5:56 pm

    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…

    • Charly Dove April 10, 2014 at 10:02 pm

      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 🙂

  • Merlinda Little (@pixiedusk) April 10, 2014 at 6:24 pm

    Thats like eye porn right there! Wow! #HDYGG

    • Charly Dove April 10, 2014 at 10:02 pm

      Glad you like it! Fabulous flowers – I love a bright bloom 🙂

  • Mammasaurus April 10, 2014 at 6:32 pm

    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

    • Charly Dove April 10, 2014 at 10:04 pm

      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 🙂

  • Globalmouse April 10, 2014 at 7:15 pm

    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.

    • Charly Dove April 10, 2014 at 10:05 pm

      Thank you. The garden mosiacs were amazing, would have loved to make something. Next time!

  • YouBabyMeMummy April 10, 2014 at 7:17 pm

    You have captured such beautiful colours xx

    • Charly Dove April 10, 2014 at 10:05 pm

      Thank you very much 🙂

  • wendy April 10, 2014 at 7:18 pm

    Beautiful pictures x

    • Charly Dove April 10, 2014 at 10:05 pm

      Thanks 🙂

  • OneDad3Girls April 10, 2014 at 7:51 pm

    What a beautiful idea and those flowers look so amazing. This year I plan on visiting different gardens

    • Charly Dove April 10, 2014 at 10:06 pm

      Thank you. It’s a great idea, you must visit more gardens definitely 🙂

  • Mummy of Two April 10, 2014 at 7:59 pm

    Beautiful flower photos. It sounds like a great event.

    • Charly Dove April 10, 2014 at 10:06 pm

      Thank you very much, great event 🙂

  • Kirsty Hijacked By Twins April 10, 2014 at 9:34 pm

    Those flowers are just stunning! I adore the bright colours 🙂 this sounds like a great day, shame we’re not closer x

    • Charly Dove April 10, 2014 at 10:07 pm

      They’re wonderful aren’t they Kirsty. I love bright colours too – great to seem them returning again 😉

  • Coombemill April 10, 2014 at 9:42 pm

    A stunning collection of close ups. looks like a delight to visit and see all that colour in one place. #HDYGG

    • Charly Dove April 10, 2014 at 10:08 pm

      Thank you Fiona. The flowers and plants were fabulous – as was the food!

  • Fritha April 11, 2014 at 7:22 am

    Wow those tulips are something else! X

  • charmaine April 11, 2014 at 7:56 am

    oh that sounds brilliant! lovely photos and those frilly tulips are just amazing! x

  • abigail April 11, 2014 at 8:42 am

    What beautiful blooms! Sounds like a wonderful place to visit!

  • Katie April 11, 2014 at 8:56 am

    Ok- I am head over heels for anenomes right now, but that shot of the cheese has made me swoon.
    Such complete beauty!

  • suzanne3childrenandit April 11, 2014 at 10:50 am

    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!

  • Sonya Cisco April 11, 2014 at 11:59 am

    Such gorgeous photos, and sounds like a marvellous place to while away the hours xx

  • Michelle April 11, 2014 at 11:59 am

    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!

  • Hannah | MakeDo&Push April 11, 2014 at 1:43 pm

    Amazing photos! #PoCoLo xx

  • Kriss MacDonald April 11, 2014 at 2:29 pm

    I hope they still have Secret Sundays this summer as I’d love to visit one! As usual stunningly beautiful photos.

  • Annie April 11, 2014 at 3:33 pm

    lovely images – I didn’t know about this event which sounds like an idyllic day out x

  • Emma Greenwood April 11, 2014 at 6:37 pm

    Beautiful, just beautiful Charly! And, sounds like a great initiative

  • Christine April 11, 2014 at 8:43 pm

    Amazing photos. I’m intrigued by the story of the fox living in the Shard!

  • Emmys Mummy April 11, 2014 at 11:32 pm

    Once again what beautiful pictures, I need to focus on other things as I only seem to capture the kids

  • spicers1976 April 12, 2014 at 11:40 am

    You’ve taken some beautiful photos

  • Stephs Two Girls April 12, 2014 at 3:03 pm

    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

  • Verily Victoria Vocalises April 13, 2014 at 4:16 pm

    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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  • Hannah McVicar June 24, 2014 at 10:19 pm

    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