RHS Westminster Orchid/Spring Show

So I have just come back from the RHS Spring & Orchid Show

What a disappointment! This year was just a shadow of former shows.
Usually both halls are jam packed with nurseries with huge displays and sales areas. I usually spend my budget for the day within 1/2 hour of entering.

This year - well there were more bored looking refreshment sellers milling around, than actual plant sellers. There weren't many orchid nurseries, not many general plant nurseries. No book sellers. Very few equipment/sundries sellers.

And before people jump on the "it's because of Brexit" excuse, there were many well known UK nurseries missing who have attended in previous years.

£10 for me to travel in, and another £8 to go in.....Wouldn't consider it money well spent.

I did buy some Agapanthus plugs that looked unusual.
And that was it.

Well on the positive side....it got me out of the office for 2 hours.

 

Hi @Sirius I have noticed that a number of orchid nurseries have disappeared - I suspect the competition from cheap supermarket phalaenopsis has been too much. And since postage is so pricey, some general nurseries have stopped doing postal sales, so don't bother with shows. It's a shame. Or maybe the RHS have increased their charges?

 

Sirius. I am so sorry that your visit to the Westminster show ended as a dissappointment. I can recall times when the London shows were on par with the Chelsea show in respect of crowds and exhibitors.
Regarding shows etc in London, things quickly went downhill when the RHS decided to transfer them from London to Wisley. It wil come as no surprise if the London shows ceased altogether.

 

I used to do lots of show with artic exhibition trailors all over the uk and some over the water, but puting a stall up in some shows just got to expensive and we then started doing less shows but more of a company hiring trailors and going staight out to customers

 

Personally I think this kind of thing needs to move out of London.
London is probably the most unfriendly place I can think of, most cities are.

Much better to move them to places where you can get to without having to fight your way there and back on an overcrowded train.

I wouldn't go near London these days if you paid me.

 

Totally agree Pete.Due to being registered disabled, I pay no car tax or congestion charge, so travel might seem no problem. Question then is. Where to park? I like many 'oldies' have a free travel pass, so no problem. Once in London mainly tourist rule the day. So should you reach the RHS halls in one piece, you are by now too worn out to enjoy anything.

I was once reminded that the RHS is a charity, implying one might tend to turn a blind eye to their charges. On this point. I'd like to see HM Gov redefine the difference between a business and a charity. The RHS is not poor yet it is always holding it's hand out. I was shocked a couple of years back. It weas one of the orchid shows. I presented my membership card and had to pay for my granddaughter despite my card saying member plus friend.
Another time, I asked about Life Membership. That would cost me £1000. B/hell! I joined as a Fellow in 1960 and had now been a fellow/member for 43yrs. Sorry that's the price.

 

Well, I was an RHS member for 20 yrs plus, but I finally worked out that I was not using the full benefits.
I even stopped reading the monthly journal as it was pretty elitist, and had no bearing on what I was doing in my small garden.
I had a mate who used to say he was working for charity at the weekend, a joke, he did work in the local RSPCA shop for money.
Yes the RHS might call themselves a charity but they employ a hell of a lot of people.

 

Couldn't agree more.. What does annoy me is how personalities have overtaken the science and skills of gardening.

 

Well I am actually going to disagree.
I think central London is a very good place to have the show.
Good rail/tube links. I am not going to sit on the M25 in traffic for the best part of 2 hours each way to get to Wisley and back.
Lots else to do in London once I have done with the show - museums, galleries, shops of interest.
Things for the rest of the family to do elsewhere while I am at the show, and we can meet up afterwards. They don't have to come with and constantly ask "are we done yet"....
Good restaurants and places to eat before or after.

IMO it ticks all the boxes.

 

This does annoy me though.

I only found out yesterday, on the morning of the show that I was going to be able to slip out of work for a few hours to go.
Went online to get the pre book price of £5 instead of £8 at the door. I wasn't able to complete the transaction.
When I turned up at the door, and explained what had happened, lady said yes, can only book online a few days in advance. I explained that I had tried to book online, but the person was having none of it. I pay the £8, or don't go in. Thought her attitude was rubbish, especially since there was a handful of people who had actually bothered to go.

 

I have just discovered that there is a big RHS show in Cardiff this weekend, starting from today. A lot of the big name nurseries are there. Clearly not enough time for them to pack up in London on Wednesday evening and be set up in Cardiff by Friday morning.

Talk about sabotaging one of your own events.