Hong Kong Garden

My blip for December 8th last year was of our visit to RHS Bridgewater for their “Glow” event. We did wonder at the time what it might all look like in the daylight, so were pleasantly surprised to receive an email from the RHS last week, offering us a free return visit to Bridgewater before the end of February. All we had to do was turn up and show the original “Glow” confirmation email as proof of eligibility.
I had naturally deleted this after we visited in December, but a very nice lady at RHS head office was kind enough to resend that original email so we could take up the offer.
As we had to go down to Chester today in advance of a funeral tomorrow, we left early and went via Bridgewater. It was a lot warmer today than back in December and fortunately it remained dry.
There wasn’t the “spectacle” of the “Glow” event, but we were allowed to explore a much bigger area. Very few plants to see - not surprising given the time of year - but lots of activity as the staff were getting everything ready for when things did start flowering. The picture is of part of the Chinese Streamside Garden, something that is still under development.
So what have the RHS to gain by giving us this free visit? Well, they got a lot of visitors at a time when there isn’t actually a lot to see, many of whom (not us though!) might spend money in the cafes and shop. But I’m sure all of us visitors today were thinking “I wonder what it will look like when everything is in bloom?” Well, the only way to find out is to pay to come back in the summer. And that is what we intend to do, so well done RHS for playing the long game…