The second Chelsea Fringe will begin on Saturday 18th May and run for three weeks, at a host of different venues and settings across London. Building on the success of the inaugural 2012 Chelsea Fringe, it will feature a wonderful mixture of public spectacles, horticultural happenings and community celebrations.
The Fringe is all about harnessing and spreading some of the excitement and energy that fizzes around gardens and gardening. The idea is to give people the freedom and opportunity to express themselves through the medium of plants and gardens, to open up possibilities and to allow full participation.
Entirely independent of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show (though acting with its support), the Fringe explodes out of the showground geographically, demographically and conceptually. Its events – over 100 in 2012 – encompass everything from grassroots community garden projects to avant-garde art installations. Our open-access principle means that just about anything goes – as long as it’s interesting and legal, and on the subject of gardens, flowers, veg-growing or landscape.
The Fringe showcases a wide range of work from professionals and enthusiasts, both from the gardening world and beyond. Contributors create installations, events and experiences, exhibits, talks and walks. Anyone can enter a project in the Chelsea Fringe; registration starts at £10 for a one-day event, while most projects pay £25 (volunteer/community rate).
The full programme for 2013 will be unveiled in the run-up to the festival – see the website for more details.
The Chelsea Fringe is a community interest company (CIC) and was founded by Festival Director Tim Richardson. All progress to date has been achieved by a team of dedicated volunteers donating their time and money.
Flowers by Hiroyuki Arawaka and Lisa Creagh The Little Black Gallery presents FLOWERS by Hiroyuki Arakawa and Lisa Creagh from 30 April to 1 June 2013, as part of Chelsea Fringe 2013. The show is sponsored by Scent by Design who will transform the gallery into a floral heaven, with a pop-up shop from 21-25 May
Nature, plants and gardens A display of 5 landscape paintings about the river, the rice field, the garden and a giant oak by Sandro Migliarini.
Tree follies Artist-ceramicist Rosa Nguyen will be presenting ‘Tree Follies’, two new installations at the Garden Museum and Walpole Park, the garden of PM Gallery and House in West London. Nguyen will be ‘gardening’ her Oak Tree Folly at Walpole Park.
The Garden Gallery Summer Exhibition The Garden Gallery’s Summer Exhibition features contemporary sculpture, ceramics and furniture for gardens. This year the exhibition has a special focus on sculpted stone alongside new work by regular gallery artists.
Chelsea Fringe at Battersea Power Station Multiple installations, sculptures, interactive activities, markets and food stalls in the newly opened temporary park at Battersea Power Station.
Nature, plants and gardens A display of 5 landscape paintings about the river, the rice field, the garden and a giant oak by Sandro Migliarini.
Round & Round the Roundabout A circular walk -using zebra crossings -around the roundabout at the centre of Victoria Park Village. The roundabout is planted with aromatic, flowering and herbaceous plants, and crossed by gravel pathways, providing sight lines between shops and businesses around the roundabout. Planting and maintenance is done by local volunteers .
Edible High Road – Salusbury Road, NW6 On 18th May a river of fruit and nut trees will be launched, lining Salusbury Road NW6, Queens Park High Street. The trees will be outside their host shops in small tubs for six weeks, taken in at night. On June 9th after three weeks of brightening up the High Road, the trees will be planted out in local schools and community gardens. Transition Town Kensal to Kilburn are a local voluntary run group committed to using less carbon and promoting locally grown food through community networks.
Podhenge “Podhenge” consists of 3 pods cast in Portland stone. Designed as an interactive sculpture, these organic forms provide a place to sit and experience an assuring sense of containment.
Squint and The Balcony Gardener present ‘A Museum of Terrariums’ British design company Squint will exhibit ‘A Museum of Terrariums’ in the basement courtyard of their South Kensington emporium. Curated by The Balcony Gardener, the courtyard will be transformed into a living outdoor space with a collection of magical miniature worlds.
Urbanfarmacy, Kingston upon Thames Urbanfarmacy, a collaboration between Saffron Organic and Transition Town Kingston, aims to encourage the local community to grow herbs and seasonal fresh food. The “event” during Chelsea Fringe will be a self-guided walk or visit to one or more plots.
The Office Garden A wonderful little garden along the busy and bustling Buckingham Palace Road, located outside 130. Very conveniently placed to or from the Victoria Tube, rail station or coach station. To look at rather than enter.
A Virtual Literary Tour of London’s Gardens Through the website, www.writerinthegarden.com, poet and novelist Sarah Salway will take you on a virtual literary tour to individual London gardens and selected Fringe happenings, with new poetry, classic garden writing extracts and creative writing prompts.
Chelsea Tree Hunt A fun treasure hunt that will take place in participating stores along the western end of the King’s Road and Fulham Road between the 18th of May and 9th of June 2013.
Mint tea and sympathy – garden design advice sessions Garden design graduates and students from KLC School of Design are offering drop-in advice sessions to anyone needing help with garden design or general planting ideas.
Urban Floral Five designer/maker studios at Oxo Tower present Urban Floral. Explore the diverse creativity of this iconic building in its fabulous Southbank riverside setting.
The Aquaponicist The Aquaponicist is a research based social enterprise which investigates the use of invasive fresh water fish, such as American signal crayfish, in closed loop indoor aquaponics systems, while also looking to purge and sell them as food.
Hidden Garden Art Show An exhibition of outdoor art held in a private garden is a great surprise and delight to visitors with the added interest of an exhibition of work by 6 established artists in ceramics, copper, glass, metal, resin and slate.
The Edible Bus Stop – GRAND OPENING! The grand opening of the newly redesigned Edible Bus Stop garden at Lambeth Hospital Bus Stop, on the 322 bus route. The event will be a celebration of a site transformed by people power and the love of growing edibles. All are welcome!
The Great Garden Bake Off Members of King Henry’s Walk Garden invite you to join them for an afternoon in which they explore all aspects of baking, celebrating the plants that are grown in this multi-award-winning community garden and showcasing their new pizza oven.
Planting Ideas Pop-Up-Foundation celebrates the start of the Chelsea Fringe Festival with a special gathering of people and ideas focused around Growing a Sustainable World. In this piece we will invite 50 people to be planted, knee-deep, in piles of soil at Battersea Power Station.
Nature, plants and gardens A display of 5 landscape paintings about the river, the rice field, the garden and a giant oak by Sandro Migliarini.
Full Frontal Planting Day for Gibraltar Terrace, Chatham, Kent A one-day planting event when members of the Full Frontal Gardening Group will transform the doorsteps of the homes and businesses along Gibraltar Terrace, on the busy A2, with containers filled with sustainable planting.
The Office Garden A wonderful little garden along the busy and bustling Buckingham Palace Road, located outside 130. Very conveniently placed to or from the Victoria Tube, rail station or coach station. To look at rather than enter.
Squash and Bean Swap At Bandstand Beds we’re into the joy of germination. The Chelsea Fringe has inspired us to make an event of swapping squash and bean seedlings. It’s the perfect time, after all risk of frost has passed.
Urban Floral Five designer/maker studios at Oxo Tower present Urban Floral from May 18th to June 9th for the Chelsea Fringe Festival. Explore the diverse creativity of this iconic building in its fabulous Southbank riverside setting.
The Aquaponicist The Aquaponicist is a research based social enterprise which investigates the use of invasive fresh water fish, such as American signal crayfish, in closed loop indoor aquaponics systems, while also looking to purge and sell them as food.
Chelsea Fringe Family Day at the Horniman Join us for a day of quirky events and workshops in the Horniman Gardens: planting activities, storytelling, garden craft workshops, compost cookery, live music and much more!
River of Flowers Elephant & Castle launches at Mobile Gardeners’ Park Better known for highways and highrise the Elephant and Castle is actually a nature superhighway. A network of pimped pavement gardens, traffic island guerrilla gardens, front gardens, community gardens and wilderness has been drawn from Lambeth North to Burgess Park, revealing a nature friendly river of flowers.
Gardening for Wildlife Walk During this fascinating walk WWT London Wetland Centre horticulture warden, Chris Le Lere, will show you how you can welcome wildlife into your garden without sacrificing its looks. Take away some great ideas for bringing your garden to life this spring.
Thrive – guided and sensory tours of the Old English Garden, Battersea Park Thrive, the charity that uses gardening to help people with disabilities and mental ill health, is delighted to be offering ten guided tours of the stunning Old English Garden in Battersea Park during Chelsea Fringe.
Historic Almshouse Tours Visit the Geffrye’s restored 18th-century almshouse which has been taken back to its original condition and offers a rare glimpse into the lives of London’s poor and elderly in the 1780s and 1880s.
Urbanfarmacy, Kingston upon Thames Urbanfarmacy, a collaboration between Saffron Organic and Transition Town Kingston, aims to encourage the local community to grow herbs and seasonal fresh food. The “event” during Chelsea Fringe will be a self-guided walk or visit to one or more plots.
The City Gardener Learn about London’s famous gardeners, herbalists and apothecaries from the 1600s and 1700s and make your own historic remedies and natural cosmetics at this special evening event.
Jonathan Adler and Clifton Nurseries show you how to make your houseplants fabulous Jonathan Adler and Clifton Nurseries (www.Clifton.co.uk) show you how to make your houseplants fabulous by pairing them with pottery at the Jonathan Adler Sloane Avenue boutique.
The Garden Gallery Summer Exhibition
The Garden Gallery’s Summer Exhibition features contemporary sculpture, ceramics and furniture for gardens. This year the exhibition has a special focus on sculpted stone alongside new work by regular gallery artists.
Natural Selection Exhibition of Paintings, original prints, sculptures, textiles, ceramics, and extremely mixed media !
Spring on the Farm The award-winning Phoenix School Farm and Learning Zone, an acre of vegetable growing in the heart of the White City Estate, will be throwing open its gates and inviting the public to join them in a celebration of Spring on the Farm. Food tasting, bee activities, animals & more.
Lucid Space Quietness. Transparency. Whiteness. Weightlessness. Light. This is an opportunity to take a moment and slow down. To think, to reflect or simply to experience a sense of quietness and calm within the centre of London.
Guerrilla Gardening Walking Tour with Richard Reynolds Take a stroll around the Elephant and Castle with Richard Reynolds and discover the network of cultivated pavements, roundabouts and backstreets that he and his guerrilla gardening troops have been tending.
Green Movement … A conveyor-belt plant swap, set against the iconic backdrop of Battersea Power Station. By swapping plants, seeds and the stories behind them, we can form a bond with one another that builds a nurturing community.
Hidden Garden Art Show An exhibition of outdoor art held in a private garden is a great surprise and delight to visitors with the added interest of an exhibition of work by 6 established artists in ceramics, copper, glass, metal, resin and slate.
VEG OUT Drop in knitting workshop focused on knitting garden produce and bugs. VEG OUT takes place within the magical garden centre that is Battersea Flower Station and is suitable for novices, newcomers, and the experienced knitter.
The Pop Up Poetry Garden Inspired by the ancient troubadours, the Pop-Up Poetry Garden will travel to key places in Kent and London between 18th and 27th May, including Potters Fields Park. At each resting place we will host performances by poets who share our love of gardens and nature.
Park Active in the Horniman Gardens Get active in the Horniman Gardens with fun drop in activities for all ages with Community Teachsport. For tiny tots there will be a soft play and baby gym, and older participants can have a go at different sports from around the world.
Chelsea Fringe at Great Western Studios An exciting exhibition trail around the stunning public spaces of the Great Western Studios, showcasing the work of studio holders, who include sculptors, architects, landscape designers, photographers and painters.
Hahahopscotch Traditional Garden Games An afternoon of free Traditional Garden Games for children of all ages, run by Hahahopscotch at historic Coram’s Fields – sack races, wheelbarrow racing, egg and spoon, tug of war and more!
Full Frontal Family Day A fun horticultural afternoon for families in the lovely The Abbey Physic Community Garden during half term. Children will learn the art of sowing seeds, potting on seedlings, and go pond dipping in this award-winning wildlife garden.
Glorious Gardens A special day of activities for children aged 2-16 inspired by the Geffrye’s gardens, including baking with herbs, planting seeds and more.
Chelsea Fringe Poetry Revue A garden and natural world themed poetry event with performance poets known for their wit and their moving way with words.
Kit Boyd – World in My Eyes A 20 year retrospective exhibition of work by Kit Boyd featuring paintings, etchings and collages exploring our relationship with nature, landscape and plantlife.
Gin Garden pop-up at Chelsea Physic Garden The Gin Garden will open a ‘living botanical bar’ at Chelsea Physic Garden on two evenings during the Festival. From 4pm until 8pm on 31 May and 5 June, the bar will serve signature drinks developed by ‘The Herball’ containing herbs, summer fruits, flowers, local honey and of course, gin.
Historic Almshouse Tours Visit the Geffrye’s restored 18th-century almshouse which has been taken back to its original condition and offers a rare glimpse into the lives of London’s poor and elderly in the 1780s and 1880s.
Gardening for Wildlife Walk During this fascinating walk WWT London Wetland Centre horticulture warden, Chris Le Lere, will show you how you can welcome wildlife into your garden without sacrificing its looks. Take away some great ideas for bringing your garden to life this spring.
Sustainable Gardening Walk This talk on sustainable gardening, with horticulture warden, Chris Le Lere starts in our beautiful RBC Rain Garden and will show you how to arrange your own green space so that it can cope with all weathers, draw in wildlife and provide a beautiful space for you to relax.
Medway Urban Parks Green Spaces Forum (MUPGSF) brings together Friends’ Groups from across Medway to provide information and enable activity in publicly owned green spaces. On June 2nd, coinciding with Rochester’s annual Dickens Festival we will hold a forum where each group can tell its story both to other friends’ groups and the wider public. The Forum will take place on The Vines, an ancient Open Space close to Rochester Cathedral. To show our common approach we will learn how to dance around a maypole.
The Blackstock Triangle Gardeners in Finsbury Park will be closing off a part of a street and are inviting others to come and visit our community front garden veg growing scheme.
A circular walk -using zebra crossings -around the roundabout at the centre of Victoria Park Village. The roundabout is planted with aromatic, flowering and herbaceous plants, and crossed by gravel pathways, providing sight lines between shops and businesses around the roundabout. Planting and maintenance is done by local volunteers .
Gardening for Disabled Trust are holding an exhibition and silent auction of postcards by artists and celebrities where you can view and place your bids. The identity of the artist or celebrity will only be revealed once the sale has completed and you could get yourself a bargain if you can spot a masterpiece, which is really exciting!
Definitely a reason to take a trip to London this May – Real competition for Chelsea ,me thinks ! – and 99% are Free . . . Flights by easyjet, Ryan Air or BA will get you there. If you arrive at Stansted, it’s worth trying the Terravision Bus (a strange name but it is run by Italians, so what do you expect!)