'Love Parks Week' every week of the year?

How sad that GreenSpace (the national parks charity that launched and promoted 'Love Parks Week') is no more.  How fortunate that Keep Britain Tidy  has come to the rescue and that nearly 500 events went ahead during 'Love Parks Week' this year.

Keep Britain Tidy already supports the best of our parks and green spaces with the green Flag Award Scheme http://greenflag.keepbritaintidy.org. Earlier this month the charity neatly brought the two together when they held the launch of the 2013 awards at Victoria Embankment Gardens during 'Love Parks Week' celebrations. Starting with Tai Chi at 6 a.m. and finishing with 'Shakespeare in the Park', the day seems to have offered something for everyone.  It's worth checking the 'Love Parks Week' website to get an idea of the imaginative events that took place this year http://loveparksweek.org.uk/content/whats. There are plenty of ideas that could work in your local park in 2014.

(copyright Liz Ware)

Keep Britain Tidy is already looking to the event's future.  It hopes to form a new coalition of organisations that will support a year round 'Love Parks' campaign.  We'll be watching developments closely.  In the meantime, have a look at the Green Heritage Site section on the Green Flag Award website http://greenflag.keepbritaintidy.org/awards/green-heritage-sites/.  There might be a project in your county that fits the bill.

Looking forward to meeting some of you at Mile End for the AGT Conference.  Organised this year by London Parks & Gardens Trust, 'Eastern Promise- transforming London's landscapes from Abercrombie to the Olympics', will look at the development of East London's landscapes over the last sixty years. http://www.londongardenstrust.org No doubt it will be as stimulating as we've come to expect AGT conferences to be.

Gardens, literature, and memories

Can there be a more intoxicating mix for a relaxing June weekend than gardens, music, good food, and the chance to listen to stimulating speakers?  The Garden Museum's first Garden Literary Festival (could it be the first ever Garden Literary Festival?) was a weekend not to be missed. http://www.gardenmuseum.org.uk With extraordinary generosity, Tom and Sue Stuart-Smith hosted the event in their family's garden at Serge Hill. http://www.tomstuartsmith.co.uk We were as inspired by their delicious planting as were by the variety of impressive speakers.

(copyright Liz Ware)

The weekend was a perfect reminder (as if we needed it) that people who work with nature tend to be an open-hearted, generous spirited bunch.  Many of the speakers have reached great heights in the gardening world but I didn't detect the slightest whiff of 'celebrity' in the air.  As Sue Stuart-Smith pointed out in her thought provoking contribution, 'Gardening for the Mind', those of us who work with nature are constantly reminded of the limits of our powers. Perhaps it helps to keep egos in check!



Childhood memories of gardens and gardening played an important part in the lives of many of the speakers. If gardening in childhood is a pre-requisite for speaking at future Garden Literary Festivals, then the Garden Museum would do well to look out for the children of Wicor Primary School in Hampshire. http://www.ngs.org.uk/gardens/gardenfinder/garden.aspx?id=29837

I visited Wicor Primary recently in preparation for an article.  I can't stop telling people about it.  It should be required visiting for every school and parent in the country. And perhaps for everyone else too! They've opened their grounds to visitors for the National Gardens Scheme for the first time this year.  You still have a chance to visit - this Sunday, 7th July.  Prepare to be impressed!