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Cabbages and Kings
Calling all fruit and veg growers, here’s your chance to show off your fabulous French beans and gorgeous gooseberries at Hampton Court
If you’ve been inspired to begin growing your own food , then why not show off the fruits of your labour at the RHS Summer Fruit and Vegetable Competition at Hampton Court?
With seasonal foods , sustainability and environmentally-friendly issues at the top of everyone’s agenda this year, many of us are starting vegetable patches, or putting our names down for an allotment.
The RHS Grow Your Own Veg Campaign and the BBC’s Carol Klein-fronted series has helped many get going and now the RHS is encouraging beginners to try their luck at Hampton Court.
Guy Barter, Head of the RHS Advisory Service, said, “We have had a tremendous response to the start of our Grow Your Own Veg Campaign, which is running throughout the year, and I hope that just some of those new enthusiasts will consider entering the competition.
“If you don’t come away with a prize it’s still a great place to swap tips and ideas, buy some new and unusual veg seeds to plant when you get home, and of course our RHS experts will be on hand to offer help and advice.
“Now is a good time to start planning crops ready for July – so get sowing, growing and showing!”
The competition will take place in the Growing & Showing Marquee, in partnership with New Covent Garden Food Co., on the final weekend of the RHS flower show (7-8 July) when the marquee is transformed into a festival of seasonal produce. New Covent Garden Food Co. have created a special ‘Most Meritorious Dish of Vegetables’ award for the exhibitor with the most outstanding dish of vegetables in any of the competition classes.
As well as admiring the marvellous marrows and top tomatoes exhibited at the competition, you can see a recreation of the 3x3m veg plot based on the RHS Garden Harlow’s veg lot, as seen on the BBC TV series, Grow Your Own Veg’. The plot shows how much produce you can grow in a small space and can easily be adapted for any garden.
Within the RHS Summer Fruit & Vegetable Competition dozens of classes are open to all entrants in both fruit and vegetable categories, including; French beans, courgettes, shallots, coloured potatoes, spinach and kohlrabi in the vegetable categories; and blackcurrants, strawberries, red currants and gooseberries in the fruit categories.
Culinary herbs will also be judged in collections of six types from varieties such as angelica, borage, coriander, fennel, rosemary, sweet cicely and tarragon. A monetary prize for first, second and third are given in each class.
To make sure your produce is at its best for the competition, visit the special Grow Your Own Veg campaign section on the RHS website at www.rhs.org.uk/vegetables for practical and sound advice for beginners and also more experienced growers.
Hampton Court Palace Flower Show - ticket info 3-4 July are reserved for RHS members and their guests, all welcome 5-8 July. Tickets range from £13 - £30 with children aged 5-15 £5 (except Tues 3) and under 5s free throughout the show. Full-day or afternoon only tickets are available. Car-parking available, or take the greener option and arrive by train, bus or ferry. See www.rhs.org.uk/flowershows for full transport options and further visitor details.
This article was created: 7 March 2007.
This article was last edited: 10 August 2007.
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