The RHS launched a new show this year, the RHS Urban Show: new venue, new concept - well, just mainly new. Well of course I was going to go.
It is billed as an 'immersive gardening experience' and I have to say it was just that. The show is almost completely indoors, there is some outside loos and food stalls but otherwise the show is inside a huge old building almost next door to Manchester Piccadilly station. This location made it very accessible by train for me so I a nice relaxing journey there.
You enter via what is best described as a green tunnel and you do feel like you are being immersed. As you get to the show itself it opens up and I was in a huge space and I do mean huge. At first I looked around and thought 'is this it?' but then I realised that the space goes on and on and it was full of stands, plants and people. It was busy and I was pleased to see that so many people had taken the plunge to find out what the show was about.
But it also made it moody, grey feeling - urban feeling - it felt like what it is, part of a big urban landscape. In our cities space is at a premium; growing and gardening can be a challenge and this show is designed for exactly this. So there is all the usual stuff that us garden-show-goers expect to see - lots of plant stands, lot of emphemera and so on. There seemed to be far more information to hand: lots of information boards that were this bright orange so that you wandered over to look at them. I can be easily drawn by bright colours.
There were also workshops such as how to create a terrarium and lots of staffs selling the bits you need to make one and also ready made terrariums. I really had to drag myself away from one stall as I very nearly made a purchase and now have that tinge of regret that I didn't.
There was a lot of moss on sale, all sorts of different types of moss. Fascinating.
There was inspirational container planting. Did I mention I found the show a bit disconcerting at first? I think it was because there were outside things inside. Why I couldn't quite get my head around this makes no sense, plants are sold under-cover and yet....
There were wonderful displays and stalls of houseplants,
This enormous display from MAD ( Mad About Land garden wear) who are partners with the RHS for this show.
There were also educational/inspirational displays about many aspects of gardening including rainwater harvesting in small urban spaces.
I got fascinated by the robot dog who was featured on 'The Wider Web' by the University of Plymouth, Grown that Way and the Co-op Carbon foundation. This robot is part of a system of soil analysis and this exhibit is about how technology can help us understand and grow better.
The Urban Forest was dark, moody and beautiful. I really enjoyed this display that made the most of its indoor environment.
Did I mention the stalls? There were lots of stalls selling all sorts of outdoor and indoor gardening stuff.
and there was the opportunity just to celebrate being a bit silly. Never a bad thing.
