I received a letter today from the RHS asking if we would like to enter the competition at their London flower show in October.
They are asking for an unusal container planted up with vegetables/herbs.
What container would you use and what veg/herbs would you plant in it?
Sinbad
Unusual or quirky?
Just one container?
How about a bookcase .Put some books in then a pot of say lavender or thyme and have books both side of the pot telling you all about the particular plant or veg you have put in.Totally impractical,but fun.You would need deep shelves.Maybe get two plants per shelf.
A row of multi coulered bright trugs that you can buy with colours coded plants.No good for one container.
Look around you for everyday objects that hold possibility.
Iwill have another think :)
A few ideas from Gardener's world live;
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd27/tgalmanac/GWL%202008%20Gardens/TheDiningroom.jpg)
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd27/tgalmanac/GWL%202008%20Gardens/TheWetRoom1.jpg)
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd27/tgalmanac/GWL%202008%20Veg%20connection/TheHorticulturalpipelinebyNFU3.jpg)
Not keen on the bathroom theme but like the dining room one.
We have a hall stand that has a seat with a lid that comes up,you could put plants in the seat area. :)
By October you might be able to get a real 'vegetable container' - a big pumpkin or squash?
Firstly.....lucky you! Thats quite an honour to be asked by the RHS.
Ooh....lets see. I like all these suggestions they all look great. Ive seen wellies and old Doc Martins planted up and look mad. Ceramic potties, though they have been used for years.
One of the nicest Ive seen is a tree root stump, with the roots uppermost. Hollowed out with ferns and mind your own business planted in the hollows. The big drawback is they are very heavy so transporting it would not be easy. Wish I had a picture as it doesn't sound great in an explanation.
Ive got a cane lampshade this year, lined, filled with compost and planted up with busy lizzies. We were never going to use it for a lightshade.......well we're not now Lol !
Really daft one!! A scarecrow with all his pockets planted up ::)
Many thanks all, for the suggestions.
The invitation isn't for me personally although I could be the one to do it if I wanted to seeing I received the letter. I think it's because our Society is an affiliated member of the RHS.
We're having our annual barbecue on Sunday and I thought I'd offer it to anyone who was up for the challenge, it's just I thought it might have been nice if I came up with some suggestions of what they could do, to encourage someone to do it. Hopefully when enough beer and wine has flowed someone will do it ;D
Sinbad
It's probably been done before, but how about a tyre planted to illustrate crop rotation?
Our site has had an invitation too.
I've planted up all the tea pots I've broken the lids off with herbs, mainly thymes ;D
I've seen a pair of jeans on a post, filled with compost and planted with tumbling toms in the waist.
I do that with jeans Tony and I have slits in the knees where I also grow toms or sometimes strawberries. ;)
Posted 14 May 2008 "The tumbling type toms are going in special planters I make from legs of old jeans to hang on 3 x 3s which are put into the ground on the plot, I under plant these with quash.
I am also planting nasturtiums and french marigolds with the toms for companion planting and to look nicer."
my friend also uses the legs of jeans and the stumps of candles to make long burning torches for BBQ's etc.
I once painted my husbands RAF boots white and grew flowers in them..
Did he know about it beforehand Jeannine! Or did you just surprise him one morning!