Kent Spring AGS Show - Saturday 17th March

[Tim Ingram]

With grateful thanks to the SRGC Forum for the opportunity to mention our Show way down in the south! This is always a good time for plants, irrespective of the weather with a wonderful variety of different things, and a little sprinkling of the best specialist nurseries from around  the southern half of Britain. There is something for everyone, especially for all those gardeners who have not yet cottoned on to the wonders of the alpine world, so we are working harder to let people know about the Show and what we get up to in Kent. David Hoare is Show Secretary, and mentioned elsewhere in relation to the Saxifrage Day at Waterperry, and should be duly congratulated for running the Show for very many years.
We would enjoy welcoming anyone from round about, especially anyone who has not made it to the Show yet! Access is just a couple of miles from junction 4 off the M2:

Rainham School for Girls, Highfield Road (off Maidstone Road), ME8 0BX

[Maggi Young]

Lovely poster Tim.... but I don't think the show does open at 12am ...........

[Neil]

Lovely poster Tim.... but I don't think the show does open at 12am ...........

You can't have  12am or 12pm it should be 12 noon or 12 midnight

http://www.rmg.co.uk/explore/astronomy-and-time/time-facts/faqs/is-noon-12-am-or-12-pm

[ranunculus]

Lovely poster Tim.... but I don't think the show does open at 12am ...........

Keep them guessing Tim!!!   Excellent poster.

[Martinr]

I thought it was a cunning plan to allow exhibitors to stage in Kent before Midnight, drive to Blackpool and stage there early Saturday morning, drive back to Kent to pick up their plants late morning and then drive back to Blackpool for the 4 pm clear up thus maximising the potential number of red stickers in one day.

Mind you I suspect more speeding tickets than red stickers

[Tim Ingram]

You know when Jack Elliott used to open his garden we all used to queue up outside straining at the bit to get to all weird and wonderful plants he had for sale (the garden was pretty good too!). I hope we don't get too many visitors at midnight but it would be great to get the same thing happening at the Show too! 12.00 noon yes, I knew there be a deliberate mistake there somewhere...

[Maggi Young]

......thought there might be a bar of chocolate for spotting the deliberate mistake......
Ah well, win some. lose some!
Blackpool show might try the midnight trick next year, eh?

[Rob Potterton]

Tim i ususally arrive in Gillingham about midnight and sleep in our van till you open up at 6.30 ish. Unloading and setting up at midnight would really be appreciated, giving me extra leg room to stretch out. Could i book a bacon butty and early morning wake up call too. 

PS. Is Lincolnshire or North Wales in the southern half of Britain?? Maybe.

[Maggi Young]

PS. Is Lincolnshire or North Wales in the southern half of Britain?? Maybe.

It is from where I'm sitting! 

[Tim Ingram]

It does seem a long way up to Lincolnshire and North Wales, otherwise I'd be up there all the time! Yes I placed myself in Scotland when I wrote that; it seemed the only fair thing to do. Rob, you would be more than welcome to stay here if would like a more comfortable night - we are about 20 minutes on from the Rainham turn, and right on the M2 exit at Faversham. I have had a few enjoyable nights sleeping in the van with the plants.

Maggi - I have two daughter's who always beat me to the chocolate!!

[Rob Potterton]

Tim - many thanks for your kind offer. The problem with arriving earlier in the evening is that you have to fight your way through all that traffic; a 4 hour drive if taken in late evening / night becomes a 6.5 hour slog mid afternoon / early evening. The Kent show has always been worth the extra discomforts, good sales, superb varied plants on show bench, excellent bacon butties, and of course friendly folk.  

[Tim Ingram]

The Kent AGS Show is just a couple of weeks away. For those who like botanical art, which is such a feature of many shows, we are taking the opportunity to display some of the work of Rosemary Powis, who was a talented artist as well helping run the Show and the East Kent Group of the AGS for many years. Some examples are pictured below, finishing with the piece de resistance, a stem of brussel sprouts! It is a great delight to be able to share Rosemary's paintings with members and visitors to the Show.

Seeds are beginning to germinate freely now with the warm (!) weather, and we also aim to prepare a display of these too, showing species that have required different treatments to stimulate germination. Some fascinating plants from American collectors like Alplains and Southwest Native Seed, and others from Czech seed collectors, are coming up, providing the prospect of growing some intriguing new plants in the garden.

[ranunculus]

An excellent display of some lovely artwork, Tim.
Innovation and East Kent seem synonymous?

[Maggi Young]

A note re the show: Ger van den Beuken is unwell and will not be attending the show to sell plants as planned.  

Westonbirt Plants will attend instead.

[ChrisB]

Wonderful paintings!  Sorry to hear Ger is not well.... hope he improves soon.