That's great, Topbird! I'm sure it's still on - there's a small group who are definitely going to make it, including Chicky, LG and Beaus Mum (oh, and me!). I'll already be in London, having been at the Hampton Court flower show. My train home leaves King's Cross at 19.54.
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
That would be great, @Topbird Exact plans depend on when people can get there and when they want to get away.
Chelsea Physic Garden is open 11-6 (admission £10.50) The Lambeth Palace Garden Open Day is 12-3 (admission £5). The tours with the Head Gardener at LPG are recommended, happen at 1pm and 2pm and are first come, first served.
It will take approx half an hour to get from one to the other on public transport. If there's just a few of us we could always get a cab (~11 mins) and split the fare, or it's a 45 minute (2.3 mile) walk, mainly along the river, which might be rather nice...
My initial thoughts, based on people needing to get away mid-afternoon from last year's Kew trip, was that we could meet at CPG at 11am, then get to LPG for 1ish, allowing approx 1.5 hours at CPG and 2 hours at LPG (this doesn't take lunch / cakes into consideration, however).
However, if people can stay later than mid-afternoon then it might be a little more relaxed to meet at LPG at 12, get on one of the tours (either 1pm or 2pm), then leave when we're ready and go on to CPG which is open until 6pm.
Thoughts? Or shall we have those as Plan A and Plan B and decide the day before, depending on who's definitely coming and what the weather forecast is?
'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
Either would be fine with me. I'll already be in London, and won't be leaving until nearly 8pm. As you point out, LG, we must also factor in Cakes/Lunch...
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
I have the whole day off work-and could get to Chelsea for 11 (could do earlier, but it would mean a more expensive train ticket). Happy to stay around til late afternoon/early evening too.
Ok - that’s great. Still not 100% sure as the 6th is also my brother’s b’day - but he hasn’t mentioned doing anything yet so should be ok. Need to check train times & prices too.
If nobody has to dash off I think the more relaxed - Lambeth first - option sounds good.
I’m not sure what time I could get to CPG in the morning, as I think the trains get silly expensive if I book an early-ish one. I won’t need to be away particularly early - I’m thinking I might look at something like an 7 or 8pm train from Liverpool St.
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
I think that's how we left it, @chicky. However... lunch?
I think the LPG event, being an open day, has cake stalls etc. (cake has definitely been mentioned in correspondence), but obviously being a private garden there's no cafe or anything. In the event of no lunch-type food at LPG, we could sustain ourselves with cake once we know what time our tour is, and then eat a late lunch at the CPG cafe? What think you all?
Another thing to consider, for anyone who might want to get even more out of the day: the Garden Museum is right next door to LPG and opens at 10.30am. It's a tenner (£8.50 for senior citizens) to get in and I have to say I've not heard a good word about it from anyone I know who has been, but that may of course be personal taste. So anyone who fancied sneaking an extra visit in before LPG, that would be doable.
'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
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Exact plans depend on when people can get there and when they want to get away.
Chelsea Physic Garden is open 11-6 (admission £10.50)
The Lambeth Palace Garden Open Day is 12-3 (admission £5). The tours with the Head Gardener at LPG are recommended, happen at 1pm and 2pm and are first come, first served.
It will take approx half an hour to get from one to the other on public transport. If there's just a few of us we could always get a cab (~11 mins) and split the fare, or it's a 45 minute (2.3 mile) walk, mainly along the river, which might be rather nice...
My initial thoughts, based on people needing to get away mid-afternoon from last year's Kew trip, was that we could meet at CPG at 11am, then get to LPG for 1ish, allowing approx 1.5 hours at CPG and 2 hours at LPG (this doesn't take lunch / cakes into consideration, however).
However, if people can stay later than mid-afternoon then it might be a little more relaxed to meet at LPG at 12, get on one of the tours (either 1pm or 2pm), then leave when we're ready and go on to CPG which is open until 6pm.
Thoughts? Or shall we have those as Plan A and Plan B and decide the day before, depending on who's definitely coming and what the weather forecast is?
As you point out, LG, we must also factor in Cakes/Lunch...
If nobody has to dash off I think the more relaxed - Lambeth first - option sounds good.
I’m not sure what time I could get to CPG in the morning, as I think the trains get silly expensive if I book an early-ish one. I won’t need to be away particularly early - I’m thinking I might look at something like an 7 or 8pm train from Liverpool St.
Just checking on plans ......did we agree on meeting at LPG at noon, and then moving on to CPG later in the day?
Really looking forward to it 🎉
I think the LPG event, being an open day, has cake stalls etc. (cake has definitely been mentioned in correspondence), but obviously being a private garden there's no cafe or anything. In the event of no lunch-type food at LPG, we could sustain ourselves with cake once we know what time our tour is, and then eat a late lunch at the CPG cafe? What think you all?
Another thing to consider, for anyone who might want to get even more out of the day: the Garden Museum is right next door to LPG and opens at 10.30am. It's a tenner (£8.50 for senior citizens) to get in and I have to say I've not heard a good word about it from anyone I know who has been, but that may of course be personal taste. So anyone who fancied sneaking an extra visit in before LPG, that would be doable.
cake at LPG plus late lunch at CPG sounds like an excellent plan 👍🏻👍🏻