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Look Ahead to Summer as Tickets Go on Sale for RHS Shows
BANISH your winter blues and look forward to a blooming summer as tickets go on sale this January for two of the Royal Horticultural Society's largest flower shows.
Tickets for the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park are on sale from 24 January and can be booked via the hotline 0870 906 3811 (public line) or 0870 906 3810 (RHS members). Online booking and further information can also be found at the website, www.rhs.org.uk/tatton. Tickets for the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show (5-10 July 2005) are on sale from 10 January and can be booked via the hotline 0870 906 3791 (public line) or 0870 906 3790 (RHS members). Online booking and further information can also be found at the website, www.rhs.org.uk/hamptoncourt <http://www.rhs.org.uk/hamptoncourt> . The first day of Tatton Park and the first two days of Hampton Court Palace are reserved for RHS members. Tickets for both shows sell fast and advance booking is the best way to ensure that you visit the show on the day you want.
RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park (20-24 July 2005)
The youngest major RHS summer show has been adopted whole-heartedly by the North West. The RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park showcases new up and coming talent and innovative design, as well as promoting the UK's public gardening heritage. Traditional crafts and materials such as dry-stone walling and rock and water gardens feature strongly, as does thematic garden design, which often comes with a gentle dose of Northern humour. The show has an atmosphere of civic pride as it hosts the finals of the RHS National Flower Bed Competition incorporating 26 colourful flower beds from across the UK displaying plenty of 'wow-factor'.
An audience of people in their 30's and upwards gives Tatton a youthful atmosphere. Tatton show-goers are also keen to learn; it has the biggest turn-out at the RHS Advisory stand than at any other RHS show.
Hampton Court Palace Flower Show (5-10 July 2005)
Set within the grounds of the historic Hampton Court Palace, this 16 year-old flower show is like a well-established garden reaching maturity. The show is the largest of its kind in the world and has a solid fan-base of knowledgeable gardeners whilst also attracting new garden-owners keen to wise-up to the best in horticulture. Several, of the almost 50, display gardens demonstrate how to be creative in a small urban or suburban space - this offers the majority of visitors who come from Greater London and the Home Counties plenty of ideas to take home.
The show is full of the classic icons of English gardening - hundreds of roses in the Festival of Roses Marquee, tranquil water gardens and the RHS Window Box and Hanging Basket Competition - and this year visitors can expect a contemporary take on these traditional classics. In 2005 the show helps celebrate the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II with a special 'Dig for Victory' display by RHS Garden Wisley in the fruit and vegetable-filled Growing & Showing Marquee over the show's final weekend.
Each show has its own character and diverse range of gardens but they also share a lot of common ground. The trend in growing fruit and vegetables to encourage a healthier diet is evident at both flower shows. The major Floral Marquees are the mainstays of the shows and display the cream of the UK nursery trade. Visitors will be able to access the best in gardening advice from the RHS Advisory stand present at both shows alongside fantastic shopping opportunities, from the exotic to the essential, including tools, plants, furniture and art.
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Sackload of work looms for British workers after Christmas break THE festive season may be nearly over, but new research shows that whilst almost 70% of the UK workforce take holiday over Christmas, those who take time off may not feel so merry on their return. According to research released today by Manpower, the UK's leading workforce management company, two thirds (66%) of British workers surveyed worry about how much work they will come back to when the festivities are over.
A Manpower spokesperson says:- "Switching off at Christmas is becoming very hard for many people. Those who do take holiday may dread returning to work, due to the increased workload they have to tackle. Unfortunately, this can counteract much of the benefit that might be gained from the holiday in the first place."
It seems that Santa won't be the only one working hard over Christmas, as the research also reveals that 64% of those surveyed intended to take work home with them over the festive period.
Adds the spokesperson:- "Christmas can be a stressful time as it is and people may find it even harder to relax if their minds are on work. If possible, you should try not to take work home with you and resist the temptation to check work emails. The Christmas break should provide workers with a well earned rest, giving people chance to unwind and relax and return to work refreshed in the New Year."
Manpower surveyed 828 people in an online poll:-
Do you take holiday over the Christmas period? Yes 68% No 32% Do you worry about how much work you will have to go back to after Christmas? Yes 66% No 34% Will you take work home with you over Christmas? Yes 64% No 36% Cold weather dampens ardour of Liverpool pensioners TEMPERATURES
on Merseyside have been colder than average and it is affecting the
over-60's more than normal. Powergen
Staywarm conducted a survey of married over-60s in Liverpool
recently and it has revealed that their favourite way to keep warm
in the cold weather is to wear extra clothes rather than snuggle up
to their partners under the duvet. When
asked how they preferred to counter their winter chills, 82.5% of
respondents said their favourite method was to put on an extra layer
of clothing and yet just 30% would use their partner as their own
personal hot water bottle. It is in stark contrast to their
counterparts in the North East where a red hot 47% said they liked
to snuggle up to their partners to stave off the cold.
The most surprising revelations is that out of the top five
solutions to keeping the cold at bay didn't involve using up power.
Other popular methods used by the energy efficient Liverpool
pensioners to keep warm included topping up on hot drinks (55%),
closing the curtains (52.5%), turning the fire up (47.5%) and eating
a hearty stew (42.5%). Taking exercise was the method preferred by
37.5% of respondents, while 35% said wearing socks in bed was the
perfect way to stay as warm as toast.
Dr Lee Clarke, Head of the Social Business at Powergen commented:- "We're
pleased to see that over-60s in Liverpool are finding alternative
ways to keep warm during cold spells. As a responsible energy
supplier we encourage people to be energy efficient so we were
delighted to find that the majority of older people think the same
way too."
For further details on Staywarm please call 0800 1 694 694 or visit
www.staywarm.co.uk.
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