If there is one word to describe my experience of the Malvern Spring Show is is laughter,
Lots and lots of laughter and joy. There was quite a lot of hugging as well.
The “garden bloggers get together” masterminded by VP and Helen was a blast.
Obviously being a garden show there was the odd show garden to look at, the odd plant to buy, but the thing that I have taken home from the event is what a treat it was to meet so many of my favourite blogging “virtual friends” and to find them such fun to be with.
I was so busy doing laughing and hugging that I didn’t take any pictures of the garden bloggers. Fortunately Frances realized how nice it would be to have a group photo – so I am sure that some pictures will appear somewhere, sometime.
I did enjoy the show itself too. I am not a great garden visitor or show visitor and,
(I may be drummed out of the brownies for saying this) I have always found looking at show gardens a bit tedious.
However I went to Malvern with a more open mind and concentrated on finding a few details that I really enjoyed.
I covert this delightful espaliered apple tree “edging” and would love to do that here – but I know that I am rubbish at remembering to prune fruit trees correctly, and this would need the correct pruning.
(By the way - have I mentioned how talented and entertaining the overseas visitors Gail, Frances, Ewa and YolandaElizabeth were?
What fun it was to meet them – not dull, not dull at all)
I enjoyed this planting in the “Quaker Meeting Place” garden – possibly because it contains some of my favourite spring plant combinations and I am a sucker for rusty border decorations. Lovely movement against the formal layout of the paths and gabions
(I should also say there was nothing quiet or dull about Victoria, Arabella Sock, Happy M, Easygardener, Anna and The Constant Gardener.
I have been following their blogs since I started my own garden blog and I regarded them as my “virtual friends” before we met.
I was not disappointed when I met them in person – lots of hugs and laughter.
James AS is an excellent hugger too).
This is the beautiful woven willow fence from “The Owl and the Pussycat” garden.
Low woven willow fences are something I really want in this garden -
The contrast in texture between the fence, the path and the planting appeal to me.
(It was also good to meet up with a few new (to me) faces including Lia, Ryan, Anne, Claire, Michelle and Ian from Dobbies).
This caught my eye – but I was so busy bending down to look at the sedums like a little stream in the grass -
I forgot to make a note which garden I saw it it.
(Lots of laughter was shared with Zoe, Dobby and Elizabeth as we stayed in the same B&B.
It was definitely not boring!
Thanks you guys – it was good – Same time, Same place next year?
Big hugs and thanks must of course go to VP and Helen without whom this joyful event would not have been possible
Meet at Malvern Rocked.
It was great to meet you too, Karen! I had such a fantastic weekend. The only thing, as I said on Happy M’s blog, was that I found myself staring stupidly at people, so entranced by the fact that I was meeting them at last that I couldn’t think of anything to say. Michelle said at one point: “Somebody pinch me” and I know exactly how she felt.
Victoria´s last blog ..A great partnership
I know what you mean Victoria – also although it was great to meet everyone – I now want to meet them all again and actually talk to them – one at a time!
K
I wish I could have been there to join you, but it looks like an amazing place…and lots of fun.
Nancy Bond´s last blog ..DIRT! The Movie
I wish you could have been there too Nancy.
It was a great show – so much to look at, I think I should have spent two days there!
K
Having met both Frances and Gail, I know how fun they can be. And I know that feeling of finally meeting online virtual friends in person. Yes, not dull, not dull at all. Loads of good fun! (Beautiful pictures, too, as always.)
Carol – Glad you enjoyed the pictures – It is lovely to meet up with virtual friends and find out you really like them isn’t it.
Thanks for taking time to leave a comment.
K
Ditto – great to meet lots of people, sad to not have had more time to chat. Here’s to the future
Lovely details you’ve picked out in your photos.
HappyMouffetard´s last blog ..Joe Swift tries out Acme™ hair growth scarf
We will have to have a “northern and welsh” get together – then we will have more time to chat
Glad you liked the details
K
Hi, good to see you again and I do wish I had caught up with you at the show on Friday to see your purchases. I agree with you that I will remember the laughter and hugs from this weekend much longer than I will remember the Show gardens etc
Helen´s last blog ..Malvern Spring Show left me wanting….
I will try and do a post on the things I bought and the things I want later in the week Helen,
Although looking at my purchases – when I got them home and into the garden I was left feeling I should have bought more!!!!
K
Agreed, that sedum stream is very pretty indeed! Seeing all the Malvern pics go up around blogland is making a teeny bit jealous…
dozenoaks´s last blog ..Wildlife
Thanks dozen oaks – Malvern was indeed fun – perhaps you will be free to come to the next even? I am sure another one will happen at some point.
K
So pleased to meet you (briefly) and get 2 big lovely hugs. I agree hugging was a definate theme to the meet @ malvern event. x
Carrie´s last blog ..well there’s a sign upon the door…..
Carrie – our brief meeting was great – you look just like your picture! Hugs were good too
K
I’m missing all the hugs, laughter and everyone’s smiling faces this morning. I’m so glad you’ve picked out some of the gardens’ details, I had v little time to take the pictures I wanted and yours are so much better anyway.
Pat Austin who did the Owl and the Pussy Cat garden did a guest blog for Meet @ Malvern. I had a long chat with her and a look at the show garden diary she put together. She and Sue had never done willow weaving before would you believe! She’s already planning next year’s show garden.
I’m so pleased Helen and I managed to tempt you and Dobby to ‘get out more’ and join us. Looking forward to seeing you again soon
VP´s last blog ..Spot the Difference
Thanks for the reminder about Pat Austins show diary – I was amazed that they did their own willow weaving – it makes me want to really give it a go now.
VP – I am so glad that you and Helen tempted me and Dobby out of Wales – and I am going to repeat myself yet again THANK YOU. I am not surprised that you were missing all the hugs and smiling faces this morning – even I felt a bit lost when I got home and wondered around the garden like – well like a little lost thing.
See you soon – big virtual hug
K
great to meet you and what truly stunning photos, so clear! I speak as a mere photographer’s daughter who can barely get her crappy little camera out of the bag in time let alone do anything much with it.
That bottom picture is from the garden with green hummocky bits and seats. Not that that’s really cleared matters up.
Milla´s last blog ..ouch
Milla – it was lovely to meet you too – and I do hope that you will blog about all the lovely plants that you snaffled up at the show. Glad you enjoyed the pictures.
Ummm – green hummocky bits and seats, so maybe it was the “Illusions of Man” – if anyone knows please let me know.
Thanks Milla for taking time to leave a comment.
K
Your photos are lovely and very inspiring. I’m sure you had a wonderful time… but did you really have time to enjoy the garden show??
Shady Gardener´s last blog ..Seed Grow Project – ‘Spitfire’ Nasturtiums!
Shady – you have hit the nail on the head – if there is another bloggers meet up at a show – well I am going for 2 if not 3 days!!!
So glad you enjoyed the photos – some of the ideas that were around and about were inspiring.
K
Oh feeling green with envy. I so wish I could have been there. Looks like you had a great time. Love the sedum in the stream too.
Christine – I wish you could have joined us too … perhaps next time?
I have walked around the garden to-day wondering where I could put a sedum stream here in wet wales – I haven’t found a spot where one would survive …. yet.
Thanks for taking time to comment.
K
I loved the stepover apples as well, but didn’t get as good a photo as you. I think it’s amazing how everyone takes completely different views of the same gardens- Lovely to meet you, and I will remember the laughter and hugs as well.
Claire, Plantpassion´s last blog ..Harvest for this week w/e 9/5/10
The stepover apples were a delight weren’t they Claire (probably the best bit of that garden)
It is interesting to see what different aspects the various bloggers have picked up on – so many things I missed – two days next year I think!
K
Hi Karen, I too felt a bit lost after you dropped me and my plants off at home on Saturday. I was almost pleased to go to work today as it meant I got to “see” people again. Didn’t get any hugs though
Could you put a sedum stream in to the top corner where the entrance to the cellar used to be? It will be hot and dry. So glad we went to Malvern. Please can I come out to play again?
Dobby, of course you can come out to play again – it was such fun.
I made the same mistake at the first garden bloggers’ get together I attended. Frances is an old hand at them now, so I’m not surprised she suggested a group photo. I’m not surprised you had a great time.
Mr. McGregor’s Daughter´s last blog ..The Real Reason I Didn’t Go To Malvern*
It was fabulous Mr.McGD – Frances has now sent me a copy of the group photo – and it is such a nice thing to have – it is GOOD when garden bloggers get together isn’t it.
Great to meet you Karen and looking forward to the next occasion. I am enjoying seeing all the details that I missed out on – I always spend too long in the plant marquee so it’s great to see the rest of the show through other people’s lenses
Anna´s last blog ..Malvern Blue
Lovely to meet you Anna – it has been so interesting to see what other folk have picked out on their blog posts – and I am not surprised that you spent “too long” in the plant marquee – we had to go around it more than once
K
It was a lovely experience and it was also great to meet you face to face. I still feel the whole thing was a bit unreal and I wish we had worn badges as there were some names I have still not put faces too!
easygardener´s last blog ..Seeds, Muffins and Malvern
Eeek – I am not very good with badges but I do know what you mean, then we would all have to put our real names and our online names on them!
Lovely to meet you.
I love your details Karen! So lovely! Your meet-up sounds wonderful… so good to hug and laugh! I am so jealous!! Maybe next year! ;>)
Carolflowerhill´s last blog ..Walking South Into Upper and Middle May Gardens.
Indeed Carol – maybe next year ….. ?
Glad you enjoyed the details, I didn’t take that many pictures as I tend to forget to take the camera out at things like this, so I just concentrated on the things that really appealed and wished for.
K
Thanks for sharing, Karen. Sounds like a delightful time with wonderful friends and memorable gardens!
joey´s last blog ..‘SHIVER WITH DELIGHT’ (Centaurea montana ‘Amethyst in the Snow’ ~ CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKES
Thanks Joey – it will was / is a memorable time and I am so glad I went.
K
Sounds like great fun, Karen. And such pretty pictures. The sedum river is very eye-catching. And the pretty flowers in the other shots are so yummy!
VW´s last blog ..Conquering My Collecting Tendencies
Thanks VW – when I got home and looked at the pictures I took – the majority of them did seem to show very relaxed planting – something I have here, although mostly it looks so relaxed because of the weeds!
Thanks for dropping in
K
Please except a virtual hug from me to both Dobby and Karen.
Thank you P
K
xx
Now I definitely commented on this a couple of days ago but it is nowhere to be seen. It was good wasn’t it? Great to see you again and to get to meet Dobby. I rather felt that I had been too restrained in my plant purchasing when I got home!
elizabethm´s last blog ..Seven things that make me grumpy
Elizabeth – so sorry dont know what happened to your comment
So glad you came back and left another.
I know what you mean about plant restraint – the things I bought looked like a very small group when I took them out of the car
K
Dear Karen, well done my friend! This says it all very well. The group shots have been sent to Helen for identification. There is also a fabulous one of you and Jane(Dobby). Will send it on to you. Loved meeting you and all! Arrived home late last night, without the luggage. But the camera was in the carryon, the most important thing being the pictures, of course.
Frances´s last blog ..Azaleas 2010-deciduous, that is
Frances – So sorry to hear about the luggage – and I hope you meet up with it again before long.
Thanks so much for sending me the picture!
It was a joy to meet you – come again soon
K
Dear Karen, Not dull at all! I wished I’d had more time to visit with everyone…the time seemed to fly by and we were all saying goodbye. Too soon and sad…I feel like I’ve left my best friends and moved away from town. I am already trying to figure out how to get back! The flower marquis was over whelming; there were dozens of flowers begging to move into C&L and not one of them was yellow! Lovely photos of the show gardens! xxgail
Gail´s last blog ..A Taste of England
Gail -It was a joy to meet you too – and I would have loved to have spent more time with you.
You must also come back again.
Glad you liked the pics.
K
Catching up gradually!
About the espaliered apple. I have one. It is currently covered in blossom. The petals are just beginning to drop but is has been especially stunning this year. Because of where it is, the pruning has been designed not so much to induce fruit (though that’s nice and I bear it in mind) but to keep it back from the path and to stop it rising temptingly above the wall. So . . . , I’d say, if it’s for the sake of having something beautiful and interesting rather than because you are relying on a good and reliable supply of apples to eat . . . I’d say, go for it regardless of pruning skills. (And there’s nothing to stop pruning skills from growing either!)
Glad Malvern was a success!
Esther
Esther Montgomery´s last blog ..AN ADVERT – A REAL LIVE ADVERT FOR NEMATODES