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OK it was a dry sunny Saturday morning as I headed down the A556 to the show As usual ( ok from the second year onwards ) the traffic control was excellent The first problem was the mud ruts and general slidiness of the field roads following the torrential rain earlier in the month. Surely there must be a better way to move and park thousands of cars without causing so much damage to the parkland. Well I joined the queue to get in at 0940 and the first niggle was the very late movem,ent of people with children across the lines of queues to get the "free entry" child armbands. This was probably a teething problem and better earlier signage would help next time. The real problem is with the directions ( or lack of ) within the show area. Plenty of signs to food areas or the Country Living tent or the Plant Plaza. None I saw ( and I was looking ) for the Floral Marquee nor for the National Plant Societies Marquee. If anyone from the RHS reads this ***PLEASE*** put directions for all the main plant areas in place next year The show itself seemed quieter than last year. Certainly the Floral Marquee seemed to have fewer exhibitors but those who were there were excellent ( Cath's Garden, Fernatix and Dibleys really stood out for me but Fryers and Beales and Robinsons came close ). The National Plant Societies marquee had more of the familiar stands but even here the tomato display was good but a bit subdued ( 2 gryphons and a car ferry in tomatos ??? ) and the herb society seemed to be the same as last year down to selling the same magazines. The flower beds and back-to-backs were a mixed bag and the show gardens ranged from the good ( That Awkward Corner, Ness Botanische, the Bluebird garden and the Edible Trends ) through the disappointing ( Thyme and Money ) to the wierd and very boring bamboo garden for Radio Live Transmission
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