"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"RichardS" wrote in message :

hmmm, on that note, would you class Hampton Court as a show that would
be
genuine interest to 'real' gardeners?

snip

Although I'm enjoying watching the coverage of Chelsea I can't really
say
that I'd be tempted to go. Altogether seems like a lot of hard work and
a
long day out...

Hampton Court is, just like Chelsea, of interest to real gardeners. Don't
let anyone tell you different.
They differ in the space available, that HC is not in London, the fact
that
you can drive to HC (if you have the time!) and park, that you can
actually
buy what you see at HC, but Chelsea has the better displays and plants.
There are more "normal" gardeners at HC (the dirty broken fingernail type)
but then Chelsea is on the social calendar like Ascot.

If your Father can't walk far you will need to take some form of seating
for
him, a shooting stick perhaps, the extra space at HC means more walking
than
Chelsea and that is bad enough. Both very tiring, wear very comfortable
shoes.

p.s. driving from the West, Teddington/Hampton/Sunbury etc it's
worthwhile
driving through Bushy Park rather than that solid jam on the road from
Kempton Park by the river, can save ages.

Don't let anyone else know. :-)

Thanks Bob, Sacha, I think that we'll definitely be going to HC, I'll work
on persuading my parents (may well invest in one of those x-framed "picnic"
stools for my father, though he may well like the idea of a shooting
stick... )

I was kind of cautious about including the 'real' gardeners thing - I
realise that there are many, many very keen & able recreational gardeners
and professionals alike that go to Chelsea and find it a thoroughly
worthwhile visit, so not having been I'd certainly not have the cheek to
knock it. I think that what I was enquiring about is the sentiment that
appears to have been implied that "Chelsea may be the premier show, but the
cognescenti reckon HC has the edge"... I'll stop here in case I'm digging a
hole for myself that I really didn't intend to dig!

Incidentally, thanks, Bob - we're just up the road in Twickenham, so we did
learn from early experience to avoid the road from Kempton Park (the A320??
can't remember offhand)

--
Richard Sampson

email me at
richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk