Quirky alternative to Chelsea Flower Show over 80 gardening exhibitions across London
GuerrillaGardening.org exhibition displays eight years of environmental activism
Royal Visit from the Duchess of Cornwall May 30th
Chelsea Fringe 19th May until June 10th, further information and map
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| Chelsea Fringe: Afternoon tea in Dock Kitchen, Ladbroke Grove. |
Quirky alternative the Chelsea Fringe will feature lesser-known grassroots gardening for over three weeks germinating across London.
Newly sprouting this season, the Fringe exhibitions are predominantly free and stretch across London.
Organiser Tim Richards said: "The aim was always to shine a light what these people are doing all year round and to encourage them to not just open community gardens but activate them with workshops."
Tim’s idea for the Fringe flourished from
a semi-conscious epiphany, initially find his love for gardening through the
words of 18th century poet Alexander Pope and the era’s fixation
for the natural world.
“[The Fringe] differs by showcasing things that don’t just exist for a week, the whole point is to enjoy the things in life that are nearly free.”
"The people involved in the fringe now are the visionaries," and cultivating this horticultural revolution is Richard Reynolds, achieving floriculture fame through his blog GuerrillaGardening.org
Visionaries
Since 2004 Richard has 'illegally' entered derelict buildings to bring beauty to neglected sites across the world, including Warsaw. |
| Chelsea Fringe: Guerrilla Gardener, Richard Reynolds wearing one of the four prints to be released by Liberty next year. |
His work has helped to recapture the
imaginations of the new gardeners and clothing range Liberty will release four new
patterns to their range inspired by his horticultural hobby next year.
Richard found more from his planting passion six years ago when romance blossomed after meeting soon to be wife Lyla while planting tulips around traffic lights.
“People ask me 'why should I bother [with environmental activism]?' I’m not being paid, it’s not my garden it’s not helping my house price, I can now say it’s good for love.”
The Guerrilla Gardener will be showcasing an exhibition documenting his work over the eight years at the Garden Museum starting tomorrow and give a guided tour on Sunday.
Royal Homage
The event, which is set to return next year, will receive
a royal visit from Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall on Wednesday 30th
May in Hackney and Shoreditch .
Featuring
Don’t Let the Grass
Grow, inspired by the famous saying it’s an illustration of move and change. “If
you don’t like to move on well you can always sit back and watch your grasses without
stirring.” Located at Dock Kitchen in Ladbroke Grove.
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| Chelsea Fringe: Don't Let the Grass Grow. Odd shoes sprouted along a path once used by transportation carts. |
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| Chelsea Fringe: Don't Let the Grass Grow. Plants and seedlings tucked needed into the shoes. |
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| Chelsea Fringe: Don't Let the Grass Grow. Singular boot shows mother nature. |
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| Chelsea Fringe: Don't Let the Grass Grow. Exhibition come to life: Varying seeds planted in the shoes will find out if grass can grow under your feet |
Others events include:
- The Garden of Disorientation that has transformed a disused Smithfield slaughterhouse.
- Living Under One Sun garden, a galvanized garden allotment in Tottenham near to where the London Riots happened just over a year ago.
