National Gardening Week returns 15- 21 April
24 January 2013
This spring the RHS celebrates National Gardening Week once again; this year it focuses on wildflowers, keeping Britain beautiful and promoting horticultural careers.
Grow wildflowers for National Gardening Week
The RHS and Mr Fothergill’s will be giving away 10,000 packets of wildflower seeds for people to sow mini wildflower meadows in raised beds and gardens. The first 10,000 people to register online at nationalgardeningweek.org.uk from 15 March will be sent a packet of seeds which includes vibrant red common poppies Papaver rhoeas and blue cornflowers Centaurea cyanus.
The four RHS gardens will be putting on wildflower workshops offering expert advice on sowing and growing to help pollinating insects source pollen and nectar.
Sue Biggs, RHS Director General, says: "After enjoying the Olympic Park meadows in 2012 there is a great appetite from the British public to create their own version at home, which is great news for pollinating insects."
Promoting careers in horticulture
On Thursday 18 April the RHS will host interactive activities at all of its gardens for school pupils and college students to get a taste of the breadth of horticultural careers.
Students will be able to interview and garden with scientists, botanists, TV presenters, curators and others from across the gardening world to find out about opportunities.
On Saturday 20 April, anyone considering a career in horticulture will be able to visit RHS Gardens for advice and inspiration.
Keeping Britain beautiful
The RHS is calling on the nation to keep Britain beautiful with the 2013 National Gardening Week. People and organisations throughout the UK can register their plans to get people gardening and make a difference to their environment via nationalgardeningweek.org.uk.