Plants & advice for drought conditions
4 April 2012
How to deal with drought is uppermost in many gardeners' minds after the long dry winter and early spring - and they'll find the answers at the RHS Great London Plant Fair from 10-11 April.
Several of the 27 leading UK nurseries at the show will be offering plants that not only can survive dry weather but in some cases positively thrive in it. Look for Southern Hemisphere plants at the stands of exhibitors Fibrex and Stonecrop.
The RHS Advisory Team will be there to help with plant choice, as well as watering alternatives. Guy Barter, RHS Chief Horticultural Adviser, said: ‘Remember that planting now before soils dry out will give plants a good chance to send out roots into the warming soil and seek out water, reducing the need to water in summer.’
There's plenty more fun to be had at the fair - go back in time with Oak Tree Nursery's Victorian themed exhibit and find out which plants are pick of the bunch in the competitions:
- Spring Ornamental Plant
- Early Rhododendron
- Main Camellia
- Main Daffodil
- ‘Tulip Day’ Tulip
- Alpine Garden Society
- Bonsai Kai
The show runs from 10am-7pm on Tuesday, priced £8 or free to RHS members; and from 10am-5pm on Wednesday, priced £5 or free to RHS members.
This year botanist and broadcaster James Wong will be giving the annual Growing for Success talk, entitled Incredible Edibles, on the first day of the show. Tickets are £5 or £4 to RHS members.
Book tickets online or call the ticket line on weekdays from 9am-5pm: 0845 6121253 (quote booking ref: 9070).