Chelsea Fringe 2013 is open for entries
by
Eat Out at the Vacant Lot, Chelsea Fringe 2012 © What if: projects Ltd
If you’ve been pondering an idea for a pop-up garden or hatching a plan for a horticultural happening, now is your chance to make it a reality, as the Chelsea Fringe gardening festival is looking for submissions for next year.
The inaugural Chelsea Fringe which took place in May and June this year across London and beyond was a big success with more than 100 events. These included everything from a pop-up restaurant in an allotment to a floating forest installation, a river of fruit trees running down a west London high street and a walking and planting tour with the Pothole Gardener.
The event, which is unfunded and organised entirely by volunteers, will run for 22 days across four weekends next year, from May 18th to June 9th. Tim Richardson, the Festival’s director and creator said: “As long as it’s broadly to do with gardens, plants, flowers or landscapes, and it’s legal – not all guerrilla gardening is! – then we’re interested. If people send an email with their ideas in the first place, then we can help.”
Another way to get involved in the Fringe in London is through the long-established Open Garden Squares Weekend, which is looking for new gardens, not normally open to the public, to take part. More than 200 gardens were involved last year including the garden at Number 10 Downing Street. Robin Saklatvala, Event Co-ordinator, said: “Open Garden Squares Weekend allows access on one weekend each year to the private green spaces in London. We are delighted with the amazing success of the 2012 weekend and are looking for new and interesting gardens to build on this in 2013. The amazing variety of participating gardens reflects the diversity of the capital’s population, culture, history and environment. Private domestic gardens are not included in the event as these are well represented under the National Gardens Scheme.” Next year’s event will run on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th June and the closing date for new gardens to apply is the end of February.
If you’re interested in participating in the Chelsea Fringe (www.chelseafringe.com), you can contact the team at [email protected] and you can get in touch with Open Garden Squares Weekend (www.opensquares.org ) by emailing [email protected].