National Gardening Week 2015
Celebrate National Gardening Week in style with talks, events and open secret gardens across London
Courtesy of Kensington Roof Gardens
National Gardening Week sees a flurry of events for the green-fingered enthusiast from private garden openings and tours to events. With so many Culture Whisper picks the London RHS events that you will love.
Kensington Roof Gardens
The highly exclusive roof top gardens is home to a flamboyant group of pink flamingos, who totter between the fruit and oak trees, and flowing streams of water. Long a favourite haunt of west Londoners for a cocktail on the terrace or stroll around the English Woodland Garden, the garden will be open to visitors on 17th April for National Open Gardens Day, free of charge. Richard Branson bought the historic property back in 1981 when it was transformed into a London landmark and events space. The gardens were first designed in 1936 by architect Ralph Hancock as a utopian escape from the bustle of High Street Kensington below.
Price: Free, email gardeningclub@roofgardens.virgin.com.
Garden Museum
In full bloom in south London is the Garden Museum, where wild garden enthusiast Tania Pascoe will be talking all things natural to promote her new book Wild Garden Weekends. Find out more about the contemporary wild garden movement at this curious event and hear about Pascoe's search for the most beautiful wild gardens in Britain. Landscape designer Humphry Repton will also be talking about his new book, Red Books, on garden design history.
While you're there, pop into the retrospective exhibition on the career of Oscar de la Renta's gardener, Russell Page.
Price Humphry Repton: Standard £20, Friend £15
Price Tania Pascoe: Standard £15, Friend £10
South London Botanical Institute
Dulwich's South London Botanical Institute is also getting involved with a workshop from the Natural History Museum's Adrian Rundle on conifer cones (Saturday 18th April). You can also explore the little known botanical garden in south London, filled with moss trails and blooming flower beds, at the open day on Sunday 19th April. Just £3 entry, this secret garden and the accompanying afternoon tea is worth a trip for south Londoners.
Price: £15 members, £20 non-members. Booking essential via the SLBI website or contact email info@slbi.org.uk.
Kensington Roof Gardens
The highly exclusive roof top gardens is home to a flamboyant group of pink flamingos, who totter between the fruit and oak trees, and flowing streams of water. Long a favourite haunt of west Londoners for a cocktail on the terrace or stroll around the English Woodland Garden, the garden will be open to visitors on 17th April for National Open Gardens Day, free of charge. Richard Branson bought the historic property back in 1981 when it was transformed into a London landmark and events space. The gardens were first designed in 1936 by architect Ralph Hancock as a utopian escape from the bustle of High Street Kensington below.
Price: Free, email gardeningclub@roofgardens.virgin.com.
Garden Museum
In full bloom in south London is the Garden Museum, where wild garden enthusiast Tania Pascoe will be talking all things natural to promote her new book Wild Garden Weekends. Find out more about the contemporary wild garden movement at this curious event and hear about Pascoe's search for the most beautiful wild gardens in Britain. Landscape designer Humphry Repton will also be talking about his new book, Red Books, on garden design history.
While you're there, pop into the retrospective exhibition on the career of Oscar de la Renta's gardener, Russell Page.
Price Humphry Repton: Standard £20, Friend £15
Price Tania Pascoe: Standard £15, Friend £10
South London Botanical Institute
Dulwich's South London Botanical Institute is also getting involved with a workshop from the Natural History Museum's Adrian Rundle on conifer cones (Saturday 18th April). You can also explore the little known botanical garden in south London, filled with moss trails and blooming flower beds, at the open day on Sunday 19th April. Just £3 entry, this secret garden and the accompanying afternoon tea is worth a trip for south Londoners.
Price: £15 members, £20 non-members. Booking essential via the SLBI website or contact email info@slbi.org.uk.
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| What | National Gardening Week 2015 |
| Where | Kensington Roof Gardens, 99 Kensington High Street, London, W8 5SA | MAP |
| Nearest tube | High Street Kensington (underground) |
| When |
13 Apr 15 – 19 Apr 15, Times vary between venues |
| Price | £See venues for individual prices |
| Website | Click here for more details |