Karen Platt’s blog

The Harrogate Flower Show

April 29, 2008 – 7:41 am
It's an easy trip from Sheffield to Harrogate by train and takes just over one and a half hours. Watch the trains, it can take much longer - you need the express from Leeds to Sheffield. It's quicker but not as environmentally friendly by car. You can also catch the 36 bus from Leeds.Why come? The Harrogate Flower Show really starts off the gardening year. Harrogate is not a hot spot weatherwise, so it's no mean feat to have plants looking at their best and some of the displays here are as good as Chelsea. After all it's the same plants people that do the rounds, the dedicated nurseries who do it for the love of the plants. On Saturday the Alpine Garden Society hold a superb display in one of the marquees. This is always my day to visit. I love the perfect display of tiny gems that abound ...

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The RHS- the grim truth

April 28, 2008 – 2:36 pm
Following on from the earlier post on this subject. The RHS acknowledged that I was returning the fifty tickets for a full refund. They then only refunded five of the tickets and took an extra five pounds for doing so. They then attempted to send the other tickets back to me. I was out but I went to the sorting office today and as soon as I saw the envelope with no return address, but a London stampmark - I told the postman to return it. Odd that - no return address when all special delivery mail has to have a return address. Don't you think this is underhand? Inga Grimsey, General Director and her minions have decided there will be no further communication on this matter. Well guess what guys - since they are still hanging on to over one thousand pounds of my money plus over one hundred ...

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Is Money Put Before the Safety of Visitors to the RHS Flower shows?

April 23, 2008 – 5:18 pm
Garden tour operator and garden author Karen Platt believes that visitors to the RHS Flower Shows may be at risk. She found that anyone can pose as a tour group and purchase tickets for the RHS flower shows. Before beginning to trade, Karen Platt was encouraged and allowed to purchase tickets without being vetted as a tour operator despite claims on the RHS website that all tour operators are vetted as bona fide. Not only can this put the safety of visitors at risk, but Karen has been left holding tickets worth £1,200.As a new tour operator, Karen explained that she believed it imperative to obtain tickets for the RHS flower shows, even before she started selling tours. As a garden author she fell foul of the misleading myth perpetrated by the RHS as to how fast tickets sell out. She explained: “The RHS promote the shows as though tickets are ...

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International Black Plant Society

April 10, 2008 – 10:18 am
I formed the International Black Plant Society in 2002 for a curious reason apart from my deep passion for the plants. A US publisher, who should have known better, tried to force me to sign a very poor contract and said they would take my book if I refused. Fortunately I had already published the book 'Black Magic and Purple Passion' in 2000 and it is now in its third edition, still published by me - I hate people forcing me into a corner. Making the most of adversity, I formed the society to further the knowledge of black plants and help to bring them into cultivation - something I have perhaps been too successful at- as everyone does black these days. I have been acknowledged as the inspiration of the black plant cult and many garden designers have thanked me but nurseries rarely do. I was the first person in ...

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Sneak peek

March 29, 2008 – 9:55 am
As nature unrolls spring and plants push their way through the soil, I've been busy arranging tours for 2009. The California tour is about ready to roll out for January 2-8, 2009. Worried about the weather?Don't be - spring will definitely be in the air and I can assure you that the notorious fog will be kept at bay - excuse the pun Bay Area gardeners. We'll be visiting major gardens as well as a few off the beaten track, a contemporary garden space and a green farm. I have secured rooms in the lovely 4 star Campton Place Hotel in the centre of San Francisco, just off Union Square. This luxury boutique hotel is a refuge in the city and close to all you would want to see. We are there at the same time as the MacWorld conference, so bring along your computer nerds and join us for ...

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Seattle and the NWFGS 2008

February 25, 2008 – 9:46 pm
I have just arrived home from my visit to the NWFGS in Seattle. As I sip the tea I bought at Remedy teas in Seattle's Capitol Hill district, download my photos, empty the suitcase into the washing machine and in general wish I were still sleepless in Seattle, it's a good time to reflect upon my 6th journey to the Emerald city, its people and above all the flower show. I am always on the lookout for tea shops. I'm English and I drink tea in style - it has to be real tea, not the sweepings up off the floor in a teabag that most people deluge their bodies with. I have also been interested in medicinal herbs and herbal teas since I was 18. This cafe was a real find, with many teas displayed in an intriguing way and good food too. I had a slice of lemon and lavender cake and Jasmine ...

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New book - Fruit Cocktail

February 10, 2008 – 4:28 pm
At last, the long awaited book, Fruit Cocktail has been launched on 10 February 2008. This ebook describes over 2300 orange, peach and apricot plants. It embraces tones such as butterscotch, toffee and amber. with full plant profiles and how to grow, this ebook is for all lovers of the colour orange.Orange has become quite popular, and this book has taken three years to research and write. There are large sections on orange begonia, orange bougainvillea, orange canna, orange to rust chrysanthemum, orange dahlia, orange to peach gerbera, rusty orange helenium, orange hemerocallis, orange iris, orange kniphofia, orange lilium, orange azalea, orange roses and orange tulips. There are also many others not mentioned here. In all the book covers well over 100 genera including any orchids. There is a wealth of information on orange plants. It's not totally flowers either, there are some foliage plants. Wherever you live, you will ...

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Jakoti hand shears

February 8, 2008 – 3:24 pm
Proving that great things come in small packages, Jakoti hand shears are so versatile. Compact, comfortable to handle and clean cutting, these long bladed shears are really useful. They are ideal for cutting back perennials, trimming ornamental grasses, shaping that topiary, clipping, lawn edging and dead heading. Whether you have a small backyard or acre upon acre, you'll find many uses for these handy hand shears. A pair were first bought for Dot Tinker by her daughter when visiting a small Greek island, Dot liked them so much that her son now imports the shears. My hands are very small, I often have problems with unwieldy garden tools made for much bigger hands, but I found these to be a perfect fit with their ergonomically designed handles. Over the years I have had many shears, secateurs and cutters, but nothing as good as this. I know my Jakoti hand shears are ...

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Travelling light

February 4, 2008 – 6:39 pm
When a life crisis hits you, it changes your life. You are forced to face facts, make decisions and sometimes it's hard. Last year, around this time, 13th February 2007, to be exact, I was rushed into hospital and told I was going to die. If the NHS had had their way, their prediction might have been correct. I'm a tough old bird, and I'm still here and kicking. For about four weeks, I actually believed them, started to get rid of clothes, bears, music that I thought my son would not want to do when I'm gone. Then it suddenly dawned on me that I was not going to die. This was confirmed by the hospital some three weeks later. At that time, my thoughts turned to all the things I would have missed, had I died. Top of the list, after my son and family, was gardens. Having always ...

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World Tulip Summit 2008

January 23, 2008 – 8:38 am
Karen Platt speaks at the world Tulip Summit 2008 on Thursday 1st May. The presentation is entitled 'The Quest for the Black Tulip'. Anna Pavord is also giving a talk on the origins of the tulip.Tulips have long been a favourite flower. I have written about green tulips in my book 'Emeralds' and about black tulips in 'Black Magic and Purple Passion'. In my latest ebook,  just about to be launched, entitled 'Fruit Cocktail' I write about orange, peach and apricot shades including a large section on tulips.The Summit includes many speakers from around the world and celebrates this most glorious flower. Learn more about the summit onwww.tulip2008.com 

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