Most strange

Last post 26-02-2010 4:34 PM by Phot's-Moll. 5 replies.

• 25/02/2010 06:32 PM

  Moshe Location: Surrey Joined on: 25 Jun 2009 Posts: 14

  Reply | Contact This afternoon I have been trying to book tickets for myself and my mum for Chelsea and Hampton Court on the members days. All is fine until I come to payment when I am told that the RHS will not accept Maestro debit cards which I thought was one way of avoiding the RHS of having the heavy to suffer the heavy expenses of credit cards. I tried to telephone but quickly gained the impression I was wasting my time. Does anyone know what's going one. Fortunately mum's got a free over 75's TV licence. Melanie

• 26/02/2010 12:02 AM

  In reply to

  Location: Joined on: 07 Nov 2006 Posts: 2,376

  Reply | Contact Not to worry Mel, someone somewhere along the line has put a spanner in the works.  A few years back I requested a quote for life membership.  I had at that time been a Fellow of the RHS for fortytwo years.  I received a reply that it would cost me into the £1000s region.  Despite several letters all was to no avail.  Needless to say, the RHS and I parted company.  Personally, having experienced the Chelsea show many times, I'd rather spend the day at one of the National Trust gardens or such.  The shows are for the commercial world.

• 26/02/2010 07:27 AM	In reply to
  Moshe Location: Surrey Joined on: 25 Jun 2009 Posts: 14	Reply | Contact Thank you for the suggestion Mike. We might well do that. Melanie

• 26/02/2010 08:49 AM

  In reply to

  bogweevil Location: Joined on: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 2,766

  Reply | Contact It  all depends how long you expect to live.  The cost of life membership is about 20 annual subscriptions and is clearly very worthwhile for a young person, as gift perhaps from an indulgent older gardening relative - I hope uncle Fred is reading this.  If you are over fifty then the economics become less clear.  Unfortunately by the time you realise you have a long-term interest in gardening and can afford life membership, pessimists have become too old to be sure they will benefit fully.   Boggy Beware the bat-eared bogweevil

• 26/02/2010 11:40 AM

  In reply to

  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 5,230

  Reply | Contact Well it shouldn't be all about how much money can i save, I pay annually for my membership and I make donations when I receive requests for certain RHS projects, as a member it's my duty to support the society is it not? as for the Chelsea payment thing,maybe the society will accept a cheque or some other method of payment, I visited Chelsea and met up with a friend from the message board we didn't get long together due my silly mate wandering off , but it was a lovely day out and well worth the expense, very busy and all that but then there is always members day. Chelsea flower show is on many peoples "things to do before I die" list, if you've not been before my advice would be go and see it before you are dead it's a splendid day out, loads of fun but don't take a stupid back pack ruck sack thing, they really do get in the way of people and they make you look like a suicide bomber. digger Sage of the fells

• 26/02/2010 04:34 PM	In reply to
  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 4,547	Reply | Contact  Hampton Court isn't so cramped as Chelsea, which suits me better, but both are worth attending. I hope you get the payment issue resolved and are able to book your tickets. Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.