Downriver from Hampton Court
Some wonderful bloggers are organising a blogging meet up at the Malvern Garden Show and lots of other wonderful bloggers are going along. You should go too if you’re around.
I’m definitely not though.
I don’t think I like garden shows. I dragged he-who-lives-with-me to Hampton Court Flower Show last year. I didn’t write about it at the time because I had very mixed feelings about the experience, and thought I was rather more inclined to the “Nah” option.
I was overwhelmed by the number of people shoving each other out of the way to grab at merchandise from rows and rows of overpriced tat which seemed to have little to do with growing things. Said tat was then dragged about in the ubiquitous garden-tat trolley, especially designed to break the ankles of others meandering past.
Interesting people full of expertise were there at their stalls, but inaccessible behind flailing elbows. Irritability fed off irritability. A well-known grower who I had eagerly anticipated visiting disappointed me with rudeness to a customer who had inadvertently put something back in the wrong place in the midst of the scrum.
"It's hard to see" Winner: Best conceptual garden, Hampton Court
There were a few lovely show gardens. But my admiration was quickly followed by mild discontent: my garden does not belong to me and I don’t know how long I will have it, so I can’t redesign it or replant it, and plants that call for long term commitment are not really an option. I can just move the pots about a bit.
Constant drizzle and a slightly sulky companion pretending not to have his earphones in listening to the sport probably didn’t help. Though bless him for trying.
Malvern would be even worse: there will be lots of bloggers there. I thought blogging existed in a different dimension from the real world. Real people are scary – remember that first day of school?
And it would be a logistical nightmare. I’m probably manically busy at work at exactly that time. It looks a bit challenging for those using public transport. Tent carrying seems incompatible with plant acquisition and long walks to campsites are tricky for evening socialising. Definitely a bad idea.
My favourite view at Hampton Court, courtesy of Philippa Pearson
So: obviously I’m going. Not sure how yet, but it sounds like an adventure. Adventures are fun, and the countryside around the site is lovely. What could be better than throwing my bag onto my back and exploring a new bit of the world, meeting some new people, and then heading to the springtime hills? This and this post, on the Meet@Malvern blog have already got me plotting.
I’ve only been to one show before so shouldn’t judge too quickly. Even that one had interesting people behind stalls and lovely gardens that added to my vision for ‘one day’. (Don’t tell anyone, but that’s not just a vision of veg and trees. I think there are some flowers in it too.) Rather than feeling frustrated by impermanence, I’ll go and enjoy the delights of list-making and adding different ideas to the scrapbook in my head.
And if I go, I might meet people. Turns out that there are all these fascinating people out there, with blogs full of inspiring, educational, profound and funny things. They seem quite friendly and welcoming. They’d be pretty interesting in real life, right?
Beware the trolley
Plus, as well as a lovely location, Malvern show itself is said to be particularly nice. ‘Relaxed’ and ‘spacious’ is one of the descriptions that appeals – I’m imagining this means time to wander without getting stampeded by a horde of runaway garden-tat trolleys driven by crazed consumers mad-eyed with lust for the plant they just spotted in a passing trolley.*
And, even if it’s another scrum, there will be a whole host of enthusiastic experts on tap in the bloggers meet area.
—
* I should confess that while an overdose of consumerism makes me queasy, there is also some lovely stuff available at these events – plants, proper crafts and equipment. The ten minutes I spent stroking the shiny copper tools on the Implementations stand at the end of the day at Hampton Court reaped dividends this Christmas. (He-who-lives-with-me has suggested that I am not subtle). I am stroking and cooing at my shiny trowel as I type…
March 25, 2010 at 06:58
I’m feeling a bit downcast after reading this post. I can’t go to Malvern and, for the first half of this post, I was feeling in solidarity – and happy I won’t be the only one not there.
I don’t like large events like shows so, having always looked forward to a Garden Bloggers get-together, feel sad, now we have a British one, that it has turned out to be combined with an event I couldn’t bear. (Though I realise this combination gives it a special attraction to most other garden bloggers so it’s clearly a good idea.)
I console myself by saying ‘I couldn’t have gone anyway’ . . . though I suppose I might have found a way round the difficulties if it had not been attached to a show . . .
Hey ho, despite the beginning, I’m still the only boring old, mass event, crowd being-in, festival hater around!
And, although I’m jealous (so much so, I’m a bit tearful while writing this) I wish you all well and hope you will have a magnificent time – as I’m sure you will.
Esther
March 26, 2010 at 00:11
Oh Esther, I’m sorry to disappoint! I was a bit conflicted. I’m still in solidarity on the crowds – though now I’ve resolved this way I must try hard not to do my misery-guts in the corner thing. Would love to sit in the boring/grumpy corner with you!
March 25, 2010 at 11:11
Hmmmm, what’s the betting you come home with a trolley? Hope you have a great time.
March 26, 2010 at 00:16
Thanks for the good wishes. I hereby make the rash claim that the trolley will not happen, however practical and sensible it may be, and however much stubborn inconvenience I have to endure.
March 25, 2010 at 12:10
Ach Esther don’t cry. We went, all the way from South Africa, to Hampton Court last year. I enjoyed it. The Ungardener found the crowds a bit much. I do remember once being caught up in a river of people And We Are All Going THAT WAY! And flying home, no shopping was allowed. But we have photos, and blog posts, and ideas. And maybe Malvern, in 2012? Tell me it is NOT as crowded as H C?
March 25, 2010 at 21:00
Crikey – you did have me going there for a moment!
And yes, Malvern will be an adventure and very different to your Hampton Court experience I hope.
Those foul trollies will be there, but there’s plenty of room to boot them away!
I’ll be in touch about ticket details etc.
March 26, 2010 at 00:18
Sorry… Not sure it’s the sort of post that earns ticket details!
March 25, 2010 at 21:03
PS forgot to say – last year there was an almighty downpour with loads of people in the coffee area squashed undeneath the shelter. You couldn’t have met a more good natured crowd of people – instead of moaning everyone was cheerfully comparing plant purchases, tips on what to and not to see etc etc. It turned what could have been an awful 30 minutes into one of the nicer things that happened that day.
March 26, 2010 at 00:20
You know, I reckon people are okay really. And nothing like a bit of grotty weather to cheer a British crowd up.
March 26, 2010 at 11:33
Also forgot to say that Anna did a post about campsites she’s used which you might find useful:
http://malvernmeet.blogspot.com/2010/02/hello-campers.html
Also the accommodation link in the sidebar has some more general links which might be useful too if you get no joy from Anna’s info.
As for the ticket stuff – you have complied with everything I said. I didn’t say it had to be a gushing post! Besides, you did also point me in the direction of Doodle which has proved v useful :)
March 31, 2010 at 22:19
So glad to read you are going. I am not a great crowds person either but this one does sounds as though it might work for me. Happy to do a bit of corner based grumping with you in Esther’s absence.
May 8, 2010 at 07:12
Teehee! Have just dug my plastic ankle snapping trolley out of the shed ready for ramming competitors out of the way in a plant purchasing frenzy :)
May 9, 2010 at 06:07
I don’t like crowds, but Malvern is special and it’s possible to enjoy it all without noticing some of the more pushy visitors. Best day to go is always the first (of Malvern) when they limit the number of tickets sold.
June 9, 2010 at 22:20
Now I have another confession. After all that fuss I couldn’t make it… Next time I must plan earlier to find affordable/walkable accommodation. Next time!