Monday, June 09, 2008

The RHS (Red Hat Society) at the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society)

Saturday was a very special day for the British Red Hat Society. The reason for the occasion: the launch of the new official Red Hat sweet pea, Ruby Red Hat, at the Royal Horticultural Society's main headquarters in Wisley, Surry.

A member of our local Red Hat chapter, the Lady Boz of the Crimson Crumblies, works for a local nursery and when they developed a new sweet pea in a wonderful shade of red her boss offered her the opportunity to name it. And so she called it Ruby Red Hat.












Lots of things happen before a new plant can finally be recognised as one that can be sold under a new name. Ruby Red Hat has been through them all and is currently on the Royal Horticultural Society’s trail fields. And on Saturday about 90 of us from all over the UK converged on the Royal Horticultural Society’s headquarters at Wisley.

We all met together at the entrance of Wisley gardens at noon and had time to look around the gardens before we all met at the trial fields at 1.30 actually to see Ruby Red Hat growing under trial.








Then the gentleman who had developed the sweet pea gave us a brief talk. Then came the official photos.

In the afternoon we had more opportunities to look around the Royal Horticultural Society’s wonderful gardens before we all met for a formal Tea in one of the main restaurants on the site.

We were also incredibly lucky with the weather. As we drove into South East England the clouds cleared up and by the time we reached Wisley it became a delightfully warm and sunny day. It really was a very special day and it was lovely to have the opportunity to talk to lots and lots of other Red Hatters and in such a very special and beautiful place.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

What an honor, to be allowed to name a new variety. All of your Red Hatters must be as pleased as Punch! Your photos attest to the occasion's having been quite special. Congratulations!
Cop Car

Adele said...

Thank you, CopCar. We had a really lovely day and we all enjoyed ourselves. The good thing about blogs is that you can commemorate such days.

Anonymous said...

OH, what a wonderful day you must have had! The grounds at Wisley are beautiful, and that sweet pea is just gorgeous! I'm going to send a link to my Red Hat Ladies so they can see what a great meeting you had. I love the picture of the gathered Ladies. Look at all that red and purple!

Thanks for sharing the pictures, Adele!

Buffy