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Chelsea flower show - dress code?

Last post 21-07-2009 11:02 AM by gardenplanters. 32 replies.

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  • 14/05/2009 09:35 AM
    • Lennie
    • Forest Hill
    • 24 Feb 2009
    • 121
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    Im wondering if there is a dress code for Chelsea Flower Show members day? Anyone?

     

    Lives in harmony with all insects and mammals.SnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnail
  • 14/05/2009 09:51 AM
    • Digger
    • Northern UK
    • 18 Jul 2005
    • 4,743
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    Hmmmmmmn, Don't take a rucksack, they get in the way and make you look like a suicide bomber, I didn't go on members day but of course RHS members must set an example to ordinary visitors, you won't need a pin stripe suit and bowler hat, then again you could go ott and look completely eccentric? It was a warm day when I was at Chelsea, so I wore my favourite Khaftan top made from Egyptian cotton nice and cool and comfortable, I wore denim trousers but not blue they were cream to match the top and then I wore a fine pair of Oxford stout brogues on my feet they were light tan in colour and matched well, no one complained about my outfit and some of the stewards in the great pavillion (not all of them) looked as though they had been dressed in a hurry in the dark, in faitness they had been working all day though.

    digger Devil
  • 14/05/2009 10:02 AM
    • Lennie
    • Forest Hill
    • 24 Feb 2009
    • 121
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    Thanks Digger. I have pink and brown hair but I guess if I wear a pink smart summer jacket no one will notice, everything will blend in Big Smile I dress eccentric though so Ill probably stand out a bit but may tone it down for the day. Hey if I stand out I maybe on the TV highlights!

    Lives in harmony with all insects and mammals.SnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnail
  • 14/05/2009 02:55 PM
    • Digger
    • Northern UK
    • 18 Jul 2005
    • 4,743
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    Eccentric is fine my friend, (you won't be out of place at all) I thought being eccentric was obligatory for membersBig Smile.

    I shall look forward to seeing you on the tv coverage my friend.

    digger Devil
  • 14/05/2009 09:21 PM
    • Botanic Tone
    • Woking Surrey
    • 28 Mar 2009
    • 38
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    Hello Lennie,

    Some thoughts on my past experiences of Chelsea.

    Get the programme before hand, if you can. You can plan your favourite exhibits / exhibitors, and do them first. Stamina is required to do everything, we always took a picnic in a cooler box and "parked" for lunch early. Wide-brimmed hat just in case the sun shines, and pink?? shades. Portable chair / shooting stick, and a porter to carry all your paraphernalia!!

    IF it's not rainig do all the outside parts first, saving the marquees for the possible change (I do hope not!) in our predictable weather. Also to be a pain I have gone AGAINST the one-way system in the marquee, it was so much quicker!

    Finally my own must haves: camera (at least a good compact) and notebook; plus a pocket full of £1 coins for the plant catalogues...... I could go on!

    Enjoy the show, Tony.

    When all at once I saw a crowd....
  • 15/05/2009 09:24 AM
    • Lennie
    • Forest Hill
    • 24 Feb 2009
    • 121
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    Thanks Tony for the advice. I look forward to it and I have plenty of Stamina, just completed the London Marathon, so I can always jog round if out of time Smile

    Lives in harmony with all insects and mammals.SnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnail
  • 15/05/2009 12:07 PM
    • edenhendry
    • Yateley, Hampshire
    • 04 Apr 2009
    • 42
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    Enjoy the day. No dress code, I usually turn up in jeans and t-shirt so i am nice and comfy for the day ahead.

    Try not to buy too many plants and seeds....Wink

  • 15/05/2009 01:26 PM
    • Lennie
    • Forest Hill
    • 24 Feb 2009
    • 121
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    Its the credit cruch...believe me I wont be buying too many plants and seeds Big Smile

    Lives in harmony with all insects and mammals.SnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnailSnail
  • 15/05/2009 01:46 PM
    • Digger
    • Northern UK
    • 18 Jul 2005
    • 4,743
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    We had a splendid time at Chelsea I met up with sue1002, and her lovely family, i met some famous people, carol klein, Joe Swift and Lorraine Kelly, also i didn't think things were too expensive in comparison with other plant and flower shows, I met Neil Bromhall and got the complete gardens cd rom, it was a grand day out and we kept in touch via our mobile phones, it's esy to lose sight of each other very quickly, I think one day we're all going to meet up somewhere horticultural for a day out.

    digger Devil
  • 15/05/2009 01:59 PM
    • miranda
    • Oxfordshire
    • 17 Nov 2004
    • 2,977
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    Yes, we talked about a meet up before didn't we. I'm still up for it if others are. We mentioned Birmingham Botanical Garden before, which is pretty central. Any thoughts? I met Sue1002 the summer before last and we had a really good day.

  • 15/05/2009 05:10 PM
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    You are safe - nurseries are not allowed to have sales tables at Chelsea and in fact, nowadays claim to make their sales from their websites when enthusiastic visitors retrun home.

     

    Boggy

     

     

    Beware the bat-eared bogweevil
  • 15/05/2009 07:13 PM
    • Digger
    • Northern UK
    • 18 Jul 2005
    • 4,743
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    Yes but you can buy horticultural sundries there. What does the Bogweevil wear to attend Chelsea?

    Miranda Birmingham sounds good to me shall we arrange for a nice day out?

    digger Devil
  • 16/05/2009 07:15 PM
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    The Bogweevil enjoys Chelsea vicariously - the metropolis is too hot for him, crowds make him anxious, he inadvertently treads on smaller people (which is almost everybody), he gets into a bad mood and glares at people, the gardens are absurd and the marquee oppressive. But Mrs Bogweevil goes, so does her sister, and his sister, and they tell him all about it, again and again, so it feels just as if if has been he has been jostled, amazed, delighted, parched, had glass of champagne, met the nice couple from Wiltshire, queued for the toilets, solved the problem of the wisteria not flowering and staggered home triumphantly on over-crowded commuter trains burdened with bags of catalogues and knick-knacks. But dress code for chaps it is no big deal - if you wear casual trousers and open necked shirt and ordinary shoes you will be one the best dressed men there. No idea about womens' apparel - never notice it. Boggy

    Beware the bat-eared bogweevil
  • 17/05/2009 01:49 PM
    • miranda
    • Oxfordshire
    • 17 Nov 2004
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    'Birmingham sounds good to me shall we arrange for a nice day out?'

     

    I'll start a new thread, digger.

  • 17/05/2009 01:51 PM
    • miranda
    • Oxfordshire
    • 17 Nov 2004
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    I agree with you, Boggy, flower shows are a vision of hell. I've been to one and hated it and don't ever want to do it again.