I will be a first time visitor this year. Any tips or advice would be
much appreciated.

On 21/5/05 2:24, in article , "Dah"
wrote:

I will be a first time visitor this year. Any tips or advice would be
much appreciated.

Get there the minute the gates open and be aware that if it starts to rain,
the marquee and the eating areas will become very crowded, very quickly.
You might want to take some water and a sandwich with you, just in case.
Some people take a shooting stick, so that they can perch if they don't find
a seat and having a rendezvous area in case you get separated from your
companions is always a good idea. Wear comfortable shoes!
--

Sacha
(remove the weeds for email)

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in reply to
Dah :

I will be a first time visitor this year. Any tips or advice would be
much appreciated.

This Q comes up every year so you'll find longer previous answers in
the google archives. But briefly

To see everything I want to takes me at least 6 hours, and that's
leaving out several sections. The crowds slow you down. So, wear very
comfortable shoes, (preferably not strappy sandals, because your feet
may get trodden on and if it rains it will be squidgy underfoot) and
light loose clothes. Take a fair sized bag with either shoulder strap or
backpack; you'll get lots of leaflets, freebies, catalogues etc to
carry. Repeat, dress for comfort. Especially the shoes. Don't be even
remotely tempted to make this a fashion catwalk occasion..nobody else
will.

Arrive as early as possible and do the big marquee first, before it
gets hot and crowded

Catering/drinks queues are lengthy and expensive, with very limited
seating. I recommend taking a packed lunch, bottle of water, plastic
bag..then you can sit on the grass in the shade listening to the band
and have a little rest.

Janet has said it all but I will confirm, make for the marquee first and be
methodical in your route, unless you really, really, want to see the show
gardens.
And wear good comfortable shoes you will be on your feet all day!
Often wondered if it's better to get there in the afternoon, anyone done
that?

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

Janet Baraclough wrote:
The message
from "Bob Hobden" contains these words:

Often wondered if it's better to get there in the afternoon,
anyone
done that?

The mid-day is undoubtedly busiest and it quietens considerably
in
late afternoon. That's why I used to be near the front of the queue
at
8, take a sit-down lunch break reading catalogues etc during the
busiest time followed by some less-frantic area (greenhouses or
furniture perhaps) and return to the fray later as the other early
birds wore out and went home :-)

To strike a discordant note, I think the Chelsea Flower Show is quite
close to Hell on Earth. And that's just the Members' Day. I doubt if
I'll ever go again. The only thing of the kind I can think of which
was worse was when I once insanely went to the Ideal Home Exhibition.
I'd almost rather go to Glastonbury.

--
Mike.

On 21/5/05 21:45, in article , "Mike Lyle"
wrote:

Janet Baraclough wrote:
The message
from "Bob Hobden" contains these words:

Often wondered if it's better to get there in the afternoon,
anyone
done that?

The mid-day is undoubtedly busiest and it quietens considerably
in
late afternoon. That's why I used to be near the front of the queue
at
8, take a sit-down lunch break reading catalogues etc during the
busiest time followed by some less-frantic area (greenhouses or
furniture perhaps) and return to the fray later as the other early
birds wore out and went home :-)

To strike a discordant note, I think the Chelsea Flower Show is quite
close to Hell on Earth. And that's just the Members' Day. I doubt if
I'll ever go again. The only thing of the kind I can think of which
was worse was when I once insanely went to the Ideal Home Exhibition.
I'd almost rather go to Glastonbury.

We have decided never to attend Chelsea again. By the time you've been
pushed, shoved, almost knocked over by the hordes of people (on Members'
Day, yes) you're tired, bruised, headachey and cross. Last time we went, I
belonged to a club, just minutes away, where we had stayed the night before,
so we turned up before the gates opened and were *still* caught in a
seething tide of humanity - and it was an intermittently rainy day. No,
never again. What a very great shame that the once-considered move to
Osterley Park never happened - loads more space!
--

Sacha
(remove the weeds for email)

"Sacha" wrote
after "Mike Lyle"
wrote:
Janet Baraclough wrote:
from "Bob Hobden" contains these words:

Often wondered if it's better to get there in the afternoon,
anyone
done that?

The mid-day is undoubtedly busiest and it quietens considerably
in
late afternoon. That's why I used to be near the front of the queue
at
8, take a sit-down lunch break reading catalogues etc during the
busiest time followed by some less-frantic area (greenhouses or
furniture perhaps) and return to the fray later as the other early
birds wore out and went home :-)

To strike a discordant note, I think the Chelsea Flower Show is quite
close to Hell on Earth. And that's just the Members' Day. I doubt if
I'll ever go again. The only thing of the kind I can think of which
was worse was when I once insanely went to the Ideal Home Exhibition.
I'd almost rather go to Glastonbury.

We have decided never to attend Chelsea again. By the time you've been
pushed, shoved, almost knocked over by the hordes of people (on Members'
Day, yes) you're tired, bruised, headachey and cross. Last time we went,
I
belonged to a club, just minutes away, where we had stayed the night
before,
so we turned up before the gates opened and were *still* caught in a
seething tide of humanity - and it was an intermittently rainy day. No,
never again. What a very great shame that the once-considered move to
Osterley Park never happened - loads more space!


With your connections in the trade I would have thought you could get
exhibitors passes from someone. You can then enter the show at 7am giving
you a whole hour without the public, only some celebs/royals about at that
time. We managed it a couple of times when a friend had a trade stand,
indeed one year I helped him set up, and walking around the show on the
Sunday evening was fun.

Not been for years, too many people (often talking rubbish), not enough
seats, and the whole day is too expensive for what it is.

** Remember two elderly ladies talking loudly saying how good it was that
this Dutch firm turned up each year, they were looking at the Kirstenbosch
stand! :-)
--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

"Bob Hobden" writes:


I will be a first time visitor this year. Any tips or advice would be
much appreciated.

Often wondered if it's better to get there in the afternoon, anyone done
that?

I left it too late to get an all day ticket, so I'll be heading down
for 3:30 on Tuesday which will also be the first time I've been there
on a members day. Maybe I'll actually get to see the big show gardens
this year, I really couldn't be bothered with the queue 2 years ago
when I last went.

Anthony

On 21/5/05 23:35, in article , "Bob Hobden"
wrote:


"Sacha" wrote
snip
We have decided never to attend Chelsea again. By the time you've been
pushed, shoved, almost knocked over by the hordes of people (on Members'
Day, yes) you're tired, bruised, headachey and cross. Last time we went,
I
belonged to a club, just minutes away, where we had stayed the night
before,
so we turned up before the gates opened and were *still* caught in a
seething tide of humanity - and it was an intermittently rainy day. No,
never again. What a very great shame that the once-considered move to
Osterley Park never happened - loads more space!


With your connections in the trade I would have thought you could get
exhibitors passes from someone. You can then enter the show at 7am giving
you a whole hour without the public, only some celebs/royals about at that
time. We managed it a couple of times when a friend had a trade stand,
indeed one year I helped him set up, and walking around the show on the
Sunday evening was fun.

We've never tried that but an hour at Chelsea isn't that much of a head
start.

Not been for years, too many people (often talking rubbish), not enough
seats, and the whole day is too expensive for what it is.

I'm afraid that's pretty much our feeling. We went to a very small
'roadshow' in Torquay last year and rather enjoyed it. But the number of
exhibitors was tiny. If only Rosemoor would start propagating and selling
their own plants, we'd far rather visit something like that and buy what we
want at the end. Admittedly, we haven't been for about two years but last
time we went I almost ran into the shop at the end, clutching my purse. I
was horrified, disappointed and really rather cross to be confronted with
rows and rows of bog standard plants any 'off the peg' garden centre carries
- not one plant from Rosemoor and not one unusual plant of any description.

** Remember two elderly ladies talking loudly saying how good it was that
this Dutch firm turned up each year, they were looking at the Kirstenbosch
stand! :-)

Oh very good!
--

Sacha
(remove the weeds for email)

In article , Sacha
writes
I'm afraid that's pretty much our feeling. We went to a very small
'roadshow' in Torquay last year and rather enjoyed it. But the number of
exhibitors was tiny. If only Rosemoor would start propagating and selling
their own plants, we'd far rather visit something like that and buy what we
want at the end. Admittedly, we haven't been for about two years but last
time we went I almost ran into the shop at the end, clutching my purse. I
was horrified, disappointed and really rather cross to be confronted with
rows and rows of bog standard plants any 'off the peg' garden centre carries
- not one plant from Rosemoor and not one unusual plant of any description.

That was exactly the feeling I got visiting Harlow Carr - I haven't been
for about three years now, so it may have changed.
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

Anthony wrote

I will be a first time visitor this year. Any tips or advice would be
much appreciated.

Often wondered if it's better to get there in the afternoon, anyone done
that?

I left it too late to get an all day ticket, so I'll be heading down
for 3:30 on Tuesday which will also be the first time I've been there
on a members day. Maybe I'll actually get to see the big show gardens
this year, I really couldn't be bothered with the queue 2 years ago
when I last went.


Anthony, please let us know how it is in the afternoon when you get back.
I've wondered for a while if the afternoon/evening might be less crowded as
most people seem to want to be there first thing and it does seem to clear a
bit after lunch. We always wanted to be on the tube out of town before the
rush hour so never stayed that late.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

"Bob Hobden" writes:

Anthony wrote

I left it too late to get an all day ticket, so I'll be heading down
for 3:30 on Tuesday which will also be the first time I've been there
on a members day.

Anthony, please let us know how it is in the afternoon when you get back.
I've wondered for a while if the afternoon/evening might be less crowded as
most people seem to want to be there first thing and it does seem to clear a
bit after lunch. We always wanted to be on the tube out of town before the
rush hour so never stayed that late.

Right, bearing in mind this is the first time I've been on a members
day and this year the show runs for five days instead of four. Both of
which will affect numbers...

I found it a lot easier to get round the show this year, the only time
I wanted a nice big sword to hack my way closer to something was
around 4pm trying to get a look at some of the small show gardens
along the eastern edge of Ranelagh Gardens.

Getting on the "Fast track" past the big show gardens along the Rock
Garden Bank took a bit more than five minutes queueing at 4:15ish. The
fast track lets you look at the gardens from a walkway on the opposite
side of the path past the gardens, not ideal but it does give you an
idea about whether you want to bother to queue for longer on the slow
track, which is the path past them. The only one that impressed me
enough to want to look at from close up was the Bradstone garden, so I
went back at about 7pm having bought a cup of tea thinking I could
drink it in the queue. Except I was able to walk straight in.

Navigating to the show ground from Sloane Square tube station was
easier in the afternoon, just look for the greatest concentration of
gardening related carrier bags and walk upstream. I actually arrived
in the vicinity at just after 3pm, so I wandered round to the
Embankment, parked myself on a bench and read for 20 mins.

All bags are being searched on the way in this year, my reflective
bright yellow road-menders waistcoat caused some bewilderment until I
pointed out it went with the bike lights in another pocket of the
backpack. Couple of miles from the station here, and the journey back
was going to be in twilight.

My feet hurt, I escaped with only four packets of cactus seeds and one
of Meconopsis Betonicifolia, half a dozen catalogues, two packs of 50
plant labels, and three pages of notes, mostly about upright ferns and
interesting Acers.

Next visit will definitely be on a members day again, but I'll
probably go for an all day ticket aiming to arrive at about 1pm, do a
fast trip round, park myself on the grass for an hour or two, then go
back for a slower pass by the interesting bits noted on the earlier
run.

Anthony

wrote:
"Bob Hobden" writes:

Anthony wrote

I left it too late to get an all day ticket, so I'll be heading down
for 3:30 on Tuesday which will also be the first time I've been there
on a members day.

Anthony, please let us know how it is in the afternoon when you get back.
I've wondered for a while if the afternoon/evening might be less crowded as
most people seem to want to be there first thing and it does seem to clear a
bit after lunch. We always wanted to be on the tube out of town before the
rush hour so never stayed that late.

Right, bearing in mind this is the first time I've been on a members
day and this year the show runs for five days instead of four. Both of
which will affect numbers...

I found it a lot easier to get round the show this year, the only time
I wanted a nice big sword to hack my way closer to something was
around 4pm trying to get a look at some of the small show gardens
along the eastern edge of Ranelagh Gardens.

Getting on the "Fast track" past the big show gardens along the Rock
Garden Bank took a bit more than five minutes queueing at 4:15ish. The
fast track lets you look at the gardens from a walkway on the opposite
side of the path past the gardens, not ideal but it does give you an
idea about whether you want to bother to queue for longer on the slow
track, which is the path past them. The only one that impressed me
enough to want to look at from close up was the Bradstone garden, so I
went back at about 7pm having bought a cup of tea thinking I could
drink it in the queue. Except I was able to walk straight in.

Navigating to the show ground from Sloane Square tube station was
easier in the afternoon, just look for the greatest concentration of
gardening related carrier bags and walk upstream. I actually arrived
in the vicinity at just after 3pm, so I wandered round to the
Embankment, parked myself on a bench and read for 20 mins.

All bags are being searched on the way in this year, my reflective
bright yellow road-menders waistcoat caused some bewilderment until I
pointed out it went with the bike lights in another pocket of the
backpack. Couple of miles from the station here, and the journey back
was going to be in twilight.

My feet hurt, I escaped with only four packets of cactus seeds and one
of Meconopsis Betonicifolia, half a dozen catalogues, two packs of 50
plant labels, and three pages of notes, mostly about upright ferns and
interesting Acers.

Next visit will definitely be on a members day again, but I'll
probably go for an all day ticket aiming to arrive at about 1pm, do a
fast trip round, park myself on the grass for an hour or two, then go
back for a slower pass by the interesting bits noted on the earlier
run.

Last year I went on a member day, choosing the 3;30pm slot. (Expecting
somehow, that it would mean I'd get in at 3:30pm... smirk)
I arrived at Victoria Station for around 2:15pm, took a bus in the
direction of the show and got off along the way as adviced by another
passenger. After a couple of minutes walk, yet still quite some
distance from the grounds, I encountered a Que, the end of which was
not apparant from where I stood. On checking my A-Z, I reckoned it
couldn't be a Q for the flower show, so I walked past it for some
further 10 minutes or so, when suddenly it became apparant it was THE
Que. I saw an entrance and the seething mass of humanity allowed me
through to gain access to it, but it was for exhibitors only. On being
turned back, my exit was blocked off by the q, so I simply joined it at
that point.
I still didn't get in before 4:45pm!
Yet once in, there was no crush. How odd.

Anthony