ROOTS AND SHOOTS POP UP POTATO SHOP WITH PENNARD PLANTS 11 February
Potatoes, seeds and soft fruit bushes and trees
With winter’s end in sight it’s time to start planning for perfect potatoes, sensational seeds and fabulous fruit. Chelsea Flower Show Gold Medal winners Pennard Plants are bringing potatoes and decades of potato growing wisdom, expertise and practical tips to this year’s Roots and Shoots Pop Up Potato Shop, together with hundreds of heritage and heirloom seeds and some new varieties of soft fruits.
SUNDAY 11 FEBRUARY, 11am – 2pm. ADMISSION FREE Roots and Shoots, Walnut Tree Walk, Kennington, London SE11 6DN
Among the 97 varieties of potatoes, the oldest of which dates back to 1851, is ‘Vitelotte Noire’, a rare and scrumptious French potato with purple flesh and a flavour of chestnuts.
The 700 varieties of mainly heritage and heirloom seeds include some exciting and exclusive introductions for 2018 from Burpee, the world famous US vegetable, fruit and flower company. “We trialled the new blight resistant ‘Oh Happy Days’ tomato in 2017 and can vouch for it, “ says Pennard’s Chris Smith, “ ‘Merlin’ a tasty cucumber we introduced at Chelsea 2017 is incredible. Not only does it produce a crop of six inch fruits and two month in the greenhouse, it keeps on cropping”.
Fruit growers will find some interesting soft fruit bushes and fruit trees including new ‘patio’ varieties of blueberries, blackberries and raspberries as well as a ‘white blackberry’ brand new for this season.
Tea and homemade refreshments available
PENNARD PLANTS: Located in a Victorian walled garden in the beautiful village of East Pennard in Somerset, Pennard Plants was established in 2001 by Chris Smith and Mike Milligan. Both are knowledgeable and experienced plantsmen. Their nursery offers an eclectic mix of plants and seeds ranging from the exotic to the edible for the discerning gardener. Pennard Plants are regular exhibitors at shows including the London RHS Shows and have won four Chelsea Flower Show medals, two with Roots and Shoots. www.pennardplants.com
ROOTS AND SHOOTS: For more than 35 years London charity Roots and Shoots has been providing education and vocational training to young people from the inner city with particular needs, giving them the skills and self-confidence to equip them for work. Alongside the vocational training in horticulture, retail, floristry and hospitality and life skills, Roots and Shoots provides environmental education to local schools and the wider community based on its acclaimed half acre wild garden, an important green space for urban biodiversity, which specialises in bee species and local conservation. Director Linda Phillips MBE, who founded the charity in 1982, is an RBG Kew trained horticulturist. www.rootsandshoots.org.uk
For further press information: [email protected] (I will be overseas from 25 January – 5 February but can respond to emails)
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