Press releases

RHS Lindley Library charts the renaissance of the allotment

What

‘Allotments’ - an exhibition charting the rise and fall, and rise again, of the allotment in British society. The exhibition, containing material from the archives of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Lindley Library, features rare wartime pamphlets such as the evocatively named Cloches versus Hitler. It also includes seed catalogues from the library’s unrivalled archive of historic nursery catalogues and generous donations from RHS members, and provides the first opportunity to see the latest donation to the library’s collection: wartime copies of The Smallholder, Poultry-Keeper and Gardener. The exhibition is brought up-to-date with ‘World in an Allotment’, a feature from RHS magazine The Garden focusing on how allotments are providing communities with food for Punjabi, Italian, Polish and Jamaican cuisine.

Why

With sales of vegetable seeds overtaking those of flower seeds, the popularity of growing your own food is on the rise and with that the allure of the allotment as waiting lists grow.

The exhibition has been timed to coincide with the publication (on 1 May 2006) of The Half-Hour Allotment by Lia Leendertz which will be on sale in the RHS Lindley Library at a special discounted price of £15 (RRP £16.99). The RHS will also be launching a new DVD Dig for Victory, produced by Twofour Productions on 8 May 2006 containing archive material and recollections from those who helped the wartime campaign.

When

The RHS Lindley Library is open Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays) from 9.30am - 5.30pm. Entry to the library is free to all. The exhibition opened on 10 April and runs until 30 June 2006.

Where

The RHS Lindley Library, 80 Vincent Square, Westminster, London SW1P 2PE.

The RHS Lindley Library is the world’s finest horticultural library. The Library is spread over sites in London and RHS Gardens Wisley, Hyde Hall, Rosemoor and Harlow Carr. The Lindley Library in London holds the historical collections and most of the RHS’s art collection. It has over 50,000 volumes covering a wide range of subjects including garden history, botanical art, natural history and cookery. It is open to the public and lends to RHS members.

Notes to Editors

For more information contact Kerry Law in the RHS Press Office on 020 7821 3044 or email kerrylaw@rhs.org.uk

www.rhs.org.uk/pressoffice

The RHS is the UK’s leading gardening charity dedicated to advancing horticulture and promoting good gardening. RHS work includes providing expert advice and information, advancing horticulture, training the next generation of gardeners, helping school children learn about plants, and conducting research into plants, pests and environmental issues affecting gardeners.

An interest in gardening is all you need to enjoy being a member of the RHS. For more information visit www.rhs.org.uk or call 0845 130 4646.

Founded in 1804, the Royal Horticultural Society is Britain's largest gardening charity and is committed to being the leading organisation demonstrating excellence in horticulture and promoting gardening. Renowned for its outstanding gardens and inspirational flower shows, the RHS is a key source of advice and information for all gardeners. It encourages gardening through its publications, trials, lectures, education programmes and scientific research and is home to the Lindley Library, which contains the most comprehensive collection of horticultural books in the world.

Membership of the Royal Horticultural Society offers many exclusive benefits including a monthly copy of The Garden magazine; free entrance to RHS Gardens Wisley in Surrey, Rosemoor in Devon, Hyde Hall in Essex and Harlow Carr in North Yorkshire; free access to a further 88 beautiful gardens across Britain and 20 gardens in Belgium and France; access to seeds collected at RHS gardens; free gardening advice and privileged tickets to 18 RHS flower shows, including the Chelsea Flower Show, the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show and the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park.

For further enquiries about membership of the RHS contact: Membership Department, Royal Horticultural Society, PO Box 313, London SW1P 2PE; 0845 130 4646 Monday - Friday 9.30am - 5pm or via the RHS website

For more information e-mail the Press Office or visit the online Press Office