RHS/GYOV Open Day, 10 Feb - Hyde Hall, Essex. Tempted?

[supersprout]

An Open Day is being held at all four RHS Gardens (Harlow Carr, Hyde Hall, Rosemoor, and Wisley) on Saturday 10th February in conjunction with BBC's Grow Your Own VEG, with FREE ENTRY for all visitors. I'm planning to go to the Open Day at Hyde Hall in Essex. For anyone who's close enough to think of taking part too, details of the programme below! Looks like a good day out :D

RHS Garden Hyde Hall
‘Grow Your Own VEG’ Open Day
Saturday 10th February 2007, 10amâ€"4pm

Freebies & Giveaways    
Be an ‘early bird’ to the garden and you may be entitled to a free RHS VEG Starter Pack containing seeds, recipe cards, posters and information leaflets. Please note that there will only be a limited number of free starter packs available.

You will also be able to pick up other free leaflets and information such as:
•   Thompson & Morgan seed catalogues
•   Water Wise gardening leaflets from Essex & Suffolk Water
•   RHS advisory leaflets

Garden Secret Talks
Three sessions available @ 11am, mid-day, 2.30pm
Join the Hyde Hall gardeners on a one-hour Garden Secrets talk. They will escort you to the Hyde Hall Veg Plots where they will discuss topics such as:

•   Soil Cultivation
•   Using Green Manure
•   Origins of vegetable growing in the UK

There will also be demonstrations on seed sowing & composting.

Children’s Activities
Between 10am and 3pm there will be free drop-in creative workshops for younger visitors in the Hyde Hall Information Centre.  This will include:

•   Vegetable printing / Vegetable themed quizzes / Vegetable word searches
•   Vegetable science.
•   Vegetable Map of the World â€" tracing the origins of vegetables

Veg Plot Information Boards   
To help inspire you start growing your own take a look at the Hyde Hall vegetable plots. We have four new plots where we will be growing traditional veg, Medditterean/drought-tolerant veg, ornamental, and unusual veg.  View our planting plans and vegetable hints & tips information posters.

Exhibitors   
The National Vegetable Society (NVS) will show a range of vegetables in the Hyde Hall Events Marquee.  The NVS is a charity dedicated to advancing the culture, study and improvement of vegetables offering help and advice to novice and expert show grower alike.

‘Just Green’ who research, develop, manufacture, market and distribute a diverse range of eco-friendly products designed to promote natural solutions for use in the garden, will be providing a display and information.

Advisory/Q&A desk   
An advisory desk service is being offered by the National Vegetable Association in the Hyde Hall Events Marquee. RHS staff based at the vegetable plots will also be on hand to offer ad-hoc advisory / Q&A sessions.

Vegetable Food Menus   
Come and try our vegetable themed menu in the Thatched Barn Restaurant; a range of hot and cold dishes such as:
•   celery, apple & stilton soup
•   curried cauliflower soup
•   vegetable ragout
•   and our special chocolate and beetroot cake! 
All food is made on the premises using locally sourced produce wherever possible.  We also serve Fairtrade tea, coffee and chocolate. While you are enjoying your lunch, have a look at the ‘Allotments’ themed photographic display.

Retail Therapy   
You will also find a wide range of vegetable books, gifts and seeds on sale. 

Join the RHS/GYOV Book/Gift Voucher Offer
As a special membership offer, those who join the RHS during February 2007 will receive a free ‘Grow your own Veg’ book.  If you join by Direct Debit you will also receive a £5 RHS Gift Voucher.

BBC Essex
BBC Essex will also be broadcasting live from Hyde Hall between 12pm and 2pm for their ‘Down to Earth’ programme with Ken Crowther.

RHS Garden Hyde Hall
Hyde Hall, Rettendon, Chelmsford
Essex CM3 8ET
Tel:  08456 121253
http://www.rhs.org.uk/WhatsOn/gardens/hydehall/index.asp

[supersprout]

[saddad]

  :( Too far for me....
:'(

[Blue Bird]

Yes too fars for me too  :'( :'(

[supersprout]

Three other RHS gardens to go for? I imagine they all have similar programmes :)

[Georgie]

It's been in my diary for ages.   ;D

G x

[Tin Shed]

Going to the Suffolk Potato Day first then on to Hyde hall - what a day!

[tabbycat]

Going to the Wisley one - we're only about 25 mins away so we go nearly every other weekend with the kids anyway  :)

[Ceratonia]

Going to the Suffolk Potato Day first then on to Hyde hall - what a day!

I'm thinking about doing this, too, but Stonham Barns and Hyde Hall must be nearly an hour apart?

[cambourne7]

its very tempting to go to both, depends on the weather.

[ted72]

We are planning on going to the harlow carr open day, told all the peeps on my rhs course at college about it also they all seem keen to go too. :D

[Mrs Ava]

Hyde Hall is only 5 minutes from me...so very tempting...

[Tin Shed]

Stonham Barns must be about 1 hour away from Hyde Hall depending on the traffic. Haven't told the other half about the Hyde Hall bit yet, but we pass the turning on our way home and I am sure he will need a cup of tea by then!

[Lady of the Land]

Hoping to go to Hyde Hall. My son is away skiing and was going to go with my father who i share allotments with, but he has just realised he has two other social events (parties) on the same day he and my mother are trying to go to. I did ask my husband but he has no interest at all in gardening so I do not hold out much hope. I may end up just going on my own - at least I can just indulge myself and not have have anyone saying is it time to go home or can we go home now!

[carolinej]

Too far for me to travel :( :( :(. Ah well.

Just a suggestion, why dont all the A4A members wear a crocus or something. That way, you would all know who you are and could actually meet up 'in the flesh' :o :o

cj :)