Meet cook and food writer, Miriam Nice, who will be demonstrating how to make an omelette in a kettle at Hackney City Farm on 24 and 25 May.

You’re a bespoke caterer and food writer. How did you get into cooking and food?
I was keen on cooking from a young age. I was inspired by my parents’ cooking styles: quick, tasty weeknight meals, epic Sunday dinners, leisurely baking sessions and methodical lasagne construction. I didn’t start to see my love of cooking as a career until my first job at family-run French cafe and restaurant, called French Living, in my home town of Nottingham. I worked with them for about eight years at weekends and then in my holidays from university. I loved the atmosphere, and being constantly being surrounded by great food and fellow foodies!

How did your book, Cooking Without A Kitchen, come about?
Well, about three years ago I was working in a facilities management role which meant I had to travel regularly to the sites I looked after… this involved staying in lots of hotels. I liked working away, but I really missed my kitchen and being able to choose what I ate. So, one evening I popped out to a supermarket and bought couscous, a pack of nuts, raisins and one of those tubs of olives and feta cheese. I used the hot water from the kettle to hydrate the couscous, then mixed everything else together – it was pretty tasty. From then it got more and more elaborate…I started carrying nutmeg graters and whole courgettes in my laptop bag!

I told a friend of mine who is a stand-up comedian what I was up to and he said it would be a perfect book idea for those on the road too, so I started writing down my various hotel room concoctions.

One afternoon, soon after I had moved to London, I went on a Herbalist Walking Tour which started at a pop-up Urban Physic Garden near London Bridge. There I met Maria from Pedestrian Publishing. We got on really well and I told her about my recipe notes. And here we are!

Can you really cook without a kitchen? Give us some tips.
YES! You do have to think a bit inside-out and back-to-front at first but once you’ve figured out one or two dishes you’ll be away! Consider couscous; to make it you just need to put the same volume of boiling water as couscous into a bowl and leave it for about 5 minutes. Why do you need to do this in a kitchen? You might have a kettle in your hotel room, in your kitchenette at your office or anywhere where there’s a plug socket. If you don’t have a kettle, why not buy a takeaway cup of peppermint tea? That will hydrate your couscous and flavour it – double win! Add olives, cheeses, ham, whatever you have to make a delicious salad.

In my book I don’t just use a kettle, I also use a hairdryer and iron too….but you’ll have to buy the book to find out how!

Tell us more about your Chelsea Fringe event at Hackney City Farm.
On the 24th and 25th of May I will be running sessions lasting approximately 30 minutes on how to make an omelette in a kettle…in a shed! We’ll all go foraging in the gardens of the farm to find some herbs to serve with it and then I will show you how the omelette is made. You’ll get to taste it, too. I’ll be there from 1.30pm until 4pm on both days so pop down and look for signs at the farm on the day for more information.

Can you really make an omelette in a kettle?
Of course you can! Not only is it delicious, it won’t ruin your kettle… I’m not saying any more about it, or it will spoil the surprise. You’ll have to come and see the demonstration or buy the book

Cooking Without a Kitchen, 24 & 25 May at Hackney City Farm

Cooking Without a Kitchen is available from www.pedestrianpublishing.com or you can buy a copy directly from us on the day.

www.miriamnice.com

The Chelsea Fringe isn’t just happening in London – there are ‘satellite’ Fringes in towns around the UK, and further afield. Here’s what’s happening in Bristol.The Chelsea Fringe has spread to several cities – why do you think it appealed to the people of Bristol?
Because at the moment Bristol is a really exciting place to be.  There are so many green projects and initiatives popping up all over the place, such Incredible Edible, Severn Project, Patchwork Gardeners and numerous community gardens. The Fringe is a great way to celebrate these projects and initiatives. We’re also European Green Capital 2015 which is definitly something to celebrate!

What are some of the things we can expect to see?
A ‘kerbside’ pop-up garden will appear on one of Bristol’s busiest streets, Park Street. Look out for it on your walk to work on 29th May. We also have the Poetry Revue, an evening of garden and wildlife poetry at the Square Club on 27th May. Then there’s Medieval Mayhem, a medieval themed pub garden at the Star and Dove in Totterdown (date TBC), and the Get Growing Trail, where Bristol’s community gardens and allotments open their gates for all to see. There will be workshops, demonstrations, plant sales, music, cakes and more!

Are the people of Bristol a green-fingered bunch?
We are a very green fingered bunch! The Patchwork Gardeners, for example, are a group of local people who want to look after the place where they live. They take forgotten and neglected corners and make them beautiful, wildlife friendly and safe. More and more people are taking control of their neighbourhoods in this way. Taking action like this has more positive outcomes than just making a space look good – it strengthens communities too, making them safer to live in.

It’s tempting to think of gardens as an entirely benign thing, good for nature, good for the planet and good for us, but are they really as natural as they seem?

That and other questions are up for grabs over a dinner at Soho’s famous (or should that be infamous?) Coach & Horses pub on 18 May, with a supper debate organised by Thinkingardens on the subject of ‘Are Gardens Unnatural?’

If you enjoy a good argument over a convivial meal then book a place today, as numbers are limited to 20. Tickets are £30 each, which includes wine and a two-course meal.

Thinkingardens is an online magazine edited by Anne Wareham, co-creator of the much-admired Veddw House Garden in Monmouthshire and (among many other things) author of The Bad-Tempered Gardener.

Anne takes the view that most of what is written about gardens is utter tosh, and loves nothing more than stirring things up a bit, so expect a feisty debate in this legendary Soho pub, which has been the scene of many heated arguments in its time.

The Chelsea Fringe is playing host to Gardener’s Question Time for the second year running. Come and join us at Oxford House in Bethnal Green on Sunday 18^th May. Pack the hall to the rafters with friends, neighbours and Chelsea Fringe participants, or anyone who has an interest in gardening. 

The celebrated panel of gardening experts will be tackling the questions put to them by local gardening enthusiasts and urban gardeners. Eric Robson will be in the chair and the team will be made up of Bunny Guinness, Anne Swithinbank and Matthew Wilson.

You can buy tickets here, issued on a first come, first served basis.

See you there!

Here’s our second pit-stop on our tour of Chelsea Fringe ‘satellite’ events – Brighton. Liz Seymour, Brighton’s Chelsea Fringe co-ordinator, tells us more about the events planned.

The Fringe has spread to several cities – why do you think it appealed to the people of Brighton?
Brighton is a magnet for creative people and enterprise, with residents and visitors incredibly open and supportive of new ideas and opportunities particularly around wellbeing and the arts. Quirky and off-the-wall ideas keep us inspired and are met with excitement from the people that live and visit here, so the Chelsea Fringe spirit of opening up new possibilities and giving people the freedom to express themselves through plants, gardens and the landscape resonates particularly well.

How long has the Fringe been running?
This is the second year for Brighton, and it has been wonderful to see people collaborating, making friendships and supporting each other so generously.

How many projects are involved this year?
We currently have seven projects registered, but hope to have around 10.

What are some of the things we can expect to see?
Handlebar Gardens is a mass family friendly cycle ride through the city with bike baskets planted up, with the final destination at Kingswood and Milner Estates for community replanting of the baskets. The Hanging Gardens of Brighton in the city centre is a contemporary scaffold constructed installation complete with miniature gardens created by local schools, businesses and artists and designers. Seed swaps organised by the Brighton & Hove Food Partnership, specialist plant sales at The Garden House, and recycling & swapping all things horticultural at Newtimber will inspire the green fingered inhabitants. Beyond the Yellow Brick Road at Emmaus Brighton & Hove is a garden and art event inspired by the Wizard of Oz. And venturing slightly further out, we have the week-long art events of the Little Paper House on the Prairies at Sussex Prairies.

Are the residents of Brighton a green-fingered bunch?
The city is full of nature lovers, determined to bring plants and gardens into their lives whatever green space they have access to. It has become a haven for activities like community gardens, seed swaps and guerrilla gardening and the city is small enough that communication and collaboration between groups is a very achievable option and the exchange of teaching and learning is common practice. In addition to the alternative gardening scene, the popularity of our public green spaces and the open days at private gardens offer the opportunity to see how others are growing things in a more conventional way.

Listen again to the Fringe’s Tim Richardson and Alex Willumsen on Robert Elms’ show: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01y3vg1 (listen again for a week). Listen from 1h 08m 48s.

They will be on the same time each Wednesday from 1.10-1.25pm.

The Inner Temple Garden put on one of the highlights of the Chelsea Fringe 2013: a dog show. This year, the garden is putting on an art-related event. Whether you’re a doodler of a wannabe Dali, everyone can make their mark on the garden. Head gardener Andrea Brunsendorf tells us more.What gave you the idea for an art theme this year?
One of our volunteers, Hilary, was relaxing with a glass of wine after last year’s dog show, and had a vision of people sitting in front of easels in the garden. This evolved into the idea of the Long Draw – a 20-30m piece of paper on which people can draw or paint together. It will be in front of our Long Border, with a view of the buildings behind, and parts of London beyond that. It’s about one single day in the garden. The end result will be treasured in our archive.

What will the highlights of the event be?
The Long Draw – art materials will be supplied. There also be an exhibition by our artist in residence, Emma L. Coates, in the Potting Shed. Emma is inspired by the artists who have painted riverside scenes close to the Inner Temple garden – Monet painted Waterloo Bridge from his room in the Savoy Hotel; Pissarro painted Charing Cross Bridge from Waterloo Bridge; and Derain created dynamite-coloured scenes of the river. Van Gogh, also, used to go for long walks along the Embankment when he lived in London in 1876.

Is it a family event?
Yes, very much so. But it’s an event for everyone. Bring a picnic to enjoy on the lawn (there’s no catering at the event).

The garden is well-known for its innovative planting. What will be looking good on the day?
It’s impossible to say! Spring has been so early this year, and everything is about four weeks ahead. The foxgloves and alliums are already out. The ‘Laurens Grape’ poppies will probably be looking good, as will the peonies – but expect some surprises!

Art in the Garden, Sunday 1 June, 1-4pm.
www.innertemple.org.uk

Chelsea Gold Medal designer Jane Brockbank is the talent behind the Flower Peep Show at Petersham Nurseries. She tells us more.

Where did you get the idea for the Flower Peep Show?
When you go out into your garden first thing in the morning and see that the first poppy that has opened. You are filled with a sense of wonder at its extraordinary beauty!

Who designed the cabinet and why is it black?
I designed the cabinet and it was made by a wonderful furniture maker, Hugo Godfrey Faussett.  It is black because it makes it sarcophagul-like, which appeals to me. And also because black says ‘theatre space’.

People who go into the Flower Peep Show will get the chance to really look at flowers, one by one. Which are your favourite summer flowers for cutting?
Big blowsy roses, field scabious and buttercups.

Which garden designer do you really admire and why?
Of my contemporaries, it would be Dan Pearson – he consistently makes places I want to be in.

The Flower Peep Show, every day from 17 May to 7 June (except Sundays), 9am-5pm.

www.petershamnurseries.com

The Flower Peep Show

The Chelsea Fringe has spread to several cities in the UK and beyond. Vienna is hosting events for the second year running – over 60 in total. Organisers Anita Duller and Hannah Stippl tell us more.

The Chelsea Fringe has spread to several cities outside the UK – why do you think it appealed to the people of Vienna?
Trends from London, are always “cool” in Austria  Another reason is that Tim Richardson, the founder of the festival, has had a close exchange of ideas with the Department of Landscapeart at the University of Applied Arts Vienna for years. The students and graduates from the Department of Landscapeart know the festival since its foundation. I took part in the very first Chelsea Fringe 2012 in London. So, for some Viennese people, the Chelsea Fringe is already a tradition.

How many projects are involved this year?
There are more than 60 projects involved this year in Vienna, which is great for the relatively small city, compared to London.

What are some of the things we can expect to see?
The Fringe highlights the concerns of residents (the fight against concrete, traffic and parking lots, greening of roads like http://www.chelseafringe.com/event/frauenfelderstrasse-park-project/ or http://www.chelseafringe.com/event/green-pathway-alsergrund-get-involved/

The Fringe as an intervention in the city (small, fine actions and temporary installations in public space, the breath of fresh air in the cityscape. The interventions show hidden potential and promote the idea of community like http://www.chelseafringe.com/event/meadows-in-wieden/2014-05-27/) or the “Carpet to pick” http://www.landscapeart.at/Pfluck-Teppich-1050-Wien

The Fringe gives insights into the world of urban and community gardeners (http://www.landscapeart.at/Karls-Garten-Eroffnungsfest-Karlsplatz, http://www.chelseafringe.com/event/gardening-chillout-vienna-donaukanal-2/2014-05-30)

The Fringe opens private hideaways:
http://www.chelseafringe.com/event/paradiso-perdutto-imhinterhaus/2014-05-24/
http://www.chelseafringe.com/event/sloakitchen-2/

The Fringe is contemporary. In Vienna there is a strong reference to art, many designer and artists participate.
Nora Gutwenger shows a huge installation “Stoning – an attempt” (registered but still not in the web http://www.landscapeart.at/Steinigung-ein-Versuch-Nordbahnhofgelande ), Hannah and me present “Episodes of a Flowerbed” in the Botanical Garden in Vienna http://www.chelseafringe.com/event/episodes-of-a-flowerbed/, Tony Heywood showcase the exciting exhibition “Natures” http://www.chelseafringe.com/event/natures-2-2-2-2/2014-06-06/) and hosts an Artist Talk at the “Hosta Superstar” http://www.chelseafringe.com/event/hosta-superstar/

Last but not least, there are really great workshops like the mermaids swimming workshop http://www.chelseafringe.com/event/mermaid-swimming-event-at-biotop-natural-pools/  or workshops, which deals with organic fertiliser like http://www.chelseafringe.com/event/diy-homemade-manure-2/ as well as many entertainment events like markets and walks like the jabberwocky-walk http://www.chelseafringe.com/event/jabberwocky-schnitzel-hunt/

Are the residents of Vienna a green-fingered bunch?
Yes, but no, but yes… I never give up the hope, that many shoots arise from the soil!

Next up on our tour of Chelsea Fringe satellite cities is Ljubljana, in Slovenia. Organiser Darja Fiser tells us more about the events that are planned there.

Slovenia is a long way from London. How did you hear about the Chelsea Fringe?
Slovenia is far from London only in geographic terms but we love, visit and read about it a lot, so we feel much closer to you in many respects, especially when it comes to enjoying public green space and urban gardening. I first found out about Chelsea Fringe from Alys Fowler’s article in The Guardian in 2012 and was immediately drawn to the spirit of the festival and the wide range of events it offered for the people of all generations and gardening tastes. It has been on my to-do list ever since but because I am very busy in May and June with lectures and exams at the university where I work, I thought if I can’t make it to Chelsea Fringe, maybe Chelsea Fringe could come to Ljubljana so that we can all enjoy it here as well. Chelsea Fringe is organized on a volunteer basis and all the people involved are excited to be part of it. We hope the visitors enjoy the festival and that it becomes a tradition in Ljubljana.

What are some of the events that are happening?
We will be offering almost 20 events all over town this year. Some will take place at our community gardens, others in public parks and cafés. The festival will open with the second National Crops2swap Day where participants will be able to swap seeds, seedlings and surplus crops from their home gardens. There will also be workshops on raised bed gardening and apartment composting techniques, a fairy garden workshop for children, a succulent garden workshop for people with Downs Syndrome and a seedbomb-making workshop. We are also offering many walks, such as a foraging walk in the municipal park, a walk for water, a walk through urban gardens and a gastronomic walk. There will also be a number of educational activities, such as the zero waste campaign, a make food, not war lunch and an upcycling workshop for the home garden, as well as a gardening flea market.

Are the residents of Ljubljana a green-fingered bunch?
Yes, very. Currently, we are seeing a revival of the long urban gardening tradition and growing food is becoming increasingly popular among the younger generation as well. Most visitors are surprised to see how green Ljubljana is. Apart from public parks and trees we have thriving vegetable Krakovo gardens (pictured above) in the very centre of the town that originated in the Middle Ages and are still worked by the locals, now protected as a natural heritage site. There is a growing trend of urban community gardens (my favourite one is http://www.obrat.org/onkraj-gradbisca-beyond-construction-site), as well as private rooftop and balcony gardens. There are also a number of guerilla gardens, the future of which is very unpredictable, especially on sites that are attractive to developers, but we hope the Mayor of Ljubljana will address the growing demand for more allotments soon.

Find out more about all of the events in Ljubljana here.

Photo credit: trajekt.org

Mark Giesser is the playwright behind the horticultural comedy, How to Build a Better Tulip, that’s having a special Chelsea Fringe matinee performance on Sunday 18 May. We asked him to tell us about himself and the play.

Where do you come from and how long have you been writing plays?
I’m American, mostly from New York City.  I’ve been living in London for about three and a half years. I’ve been writing plays for many years – comedies, dramas and even a couple of musicals. They’re often based on historical subjects or themes.

Why write a play about tulips?
I wanted to write something related to the Dutch tulipmania of the 1630s as the quintessential story of speculation gone over the edge.  Dumas used the background for his novel The Black Tulip, and so I wanted to see what that story about deadly rivalry over an attempt to breed a perfect rare flower might look like in a 21^st-century setting, and done as a comedy.

Who is your audience?
The play should appeal to anyone dedicated to gardening or flower breeding, or interested in the humorous side of plant research. It’s about two hours long.

What’s the darkest tulip you’ve seen?
‘Queen of Night’. It’s a beautiful dark purple, but not black.

How much would you pay for a black tulip bulb?
Not sure I’d be willing to speculate.

How To Build A Better Tulip is on at the Tabard Theatre in Turnham Green on 18 May at 2pm. For tickets go to www.tabardtheatre.co.uk or call the box office on 0208 995 6035.

The Chelsea Fringe, the alternative gardening festival, is now on! It runs from 17 May to 8 June, and features around 250 projects in London, Brighton, Bristol, Vienna, Ljubljana, Turin, Kent, Norwich and online.

Many of the events are free, so do pop along. Some are running for the entire duration of the Fringe, others are one-offs or on specific dates.

You can find out what’s on by looking at events in chronological order below this post, or by clicking on the calendar to the right. Alternatively, go to the What’s On tab (above) and click on your chosen city. Use the ‘search’ section to find an event by date or location, or just look at the events listed in chronological order - that way you’ll find things you didn’t already know about. Alternatively, if you’re looking for something specific, such as child-friendly events, go to the ‘Event Categories’ tab above.

In the meantime, here are some one-off events happening this week – don’t miss them!

18 May: Dry Stone Walling day in Islington

18 May: How to Build A Better Tulip – a gardening-themed play at the Tabard Theatre in west London

18 May: A Fete of Botanical Delights at the South London Botanical Institute, Lambeth, London

18 May: The Guerilla Gardener’s River of Flowers Walk, South London

18 May: Spring Seedling Swap and Handlebar Gardens, Preston Park, Brighton

18 May: Vertical Tea, Ljubjlana

18 May: Sounds of the Summer Garden, Clifton Nurseries, west London

18 May: Kitchen Garden Cabaret, World’s End, west London

18 May: Moss Walk, Hampstead Heath, London

18 May: Gardeners’ Question Time – recording of the Radio 4 programme at Oxford House, Bethnal Green, London

19 May: An Invitation to Ranelagh, Garden Museum, Lambeth, South London

19 May: Touch Wood, It’s Great! A celebration of all things wood, Ljubljana

20 May: Van Gogh Walk: Plant Vincent’s sunflowers, London SW9

21 May: Special Almshouse Tours, Geffrye Museum, East London (also 27 May and 4&7 June)

21 May: The Night of the Triffids – cosy catastrophe and horticultural horror, Covent Garden, London

21 May: The Chelsea Historical Pageant in the Old Ranelagh Gardens, Chelsea, London

22 May: Flower Powered punt, Leeds Castle, Kent

22 May: Composting in the City, Ljubjlana

22 May: Glorious Gardens Music Recital, Geffrye Museum, East London

23 May: Pfluck-Teppich, Vienna

23 May: sloAkitchen, as Slovenian-Austrian foodie collaboration in Vienna

Until 31 May, St Pancras International will be home to a beautiful garden inspired by Provence. Kathleen Molnar, one of the project organisers, tells us more.

The greening of St Pancras is an ambitious undertaking – was it an easy project to get off the ground?
St Pancras International is a Grade 1-listed building which meant that before we could start the installation process all the designs, plants and materials had to be signed off by English Heritage. Thankfully they loved the idea so approval was easy to obtain.

Tell us about the people behind the project.
The ‘Garden in Provence’ project has seen St Pancras International, my limited company, Inprocom, and Clifton Nurseries come together to deliver something that will excite and delight visitors to the station.

St Pancras International has stunning architecture and an amazing location. Wendy Spinks, commercial director, jumped at the chance to create a space where commuters could unwind, relax and escape their busy lives. She suggested that the best place to host the garden would be on the second floor next to the John Betjeman Statue. As the project has progressed everyone from English Heritage to retailers have been involved to make the most out of the project.

What can visitors to the station expect to see?
Visitors can expect to be transported to the magnificent French countryside. As soon as you enter the space you will be greeted by the wonderful smells of lavender, jasmine and rosemary and the feel of fine gravel underfoot – reminiscent of the fabulous gardens that circle magnificent French chateaux. Looking out over the lavender you’ll forget that you are in the centre of London and be transported to the rolling countryside of rural France with stunning backdrops of fields of purple.

The garden has been specially designed to excite all the senses so can you expect to come away feeling refreshed, relaxed and magnifique!

The Chelsea Fringe, the alternative gardening festival, runs to 8 June, and features around 250 projects taking place in London, Brighton, Bristol, Vienna, Ljubljana, Turin, Kent, Norwich and online.

Many of the events are free, so do pop along. Some are running for the entire duration of the Fringe, others are one-offs or on specific dates.

You can find out what’s on by looking at events in chronological order below this post, or by clicking on a date on the calendar to the right. Alternatively, go to the What’s On tab (above) and click on your chosen city. Use the ‘search’ section to find an event by date or location. If you’re looking for something specific, such as child-friendly events, go to the ‘Event Categories’ tab above.

In the meantime, here are some one-off events happening this weekend – don’t miss them!

Sat 24 May:

Where the Wild Things Grow – walks and talks by journalist Alys Fowler and photographer Paul Debois; art exhibition and foraged supper.

Urbanfarmacy Open Garden – discover a secret garden in Surbiton and learn how herbs can be used to make your own products at home.

Haven – meditation, yoga and contemplation in a small, scented tent at Crystal Palace Food Market, South London.

The Hanging Gardens of Brighton – miniature gardens created by local schoolchildren in Jubilee Square, Brighton.

Pop Up Wild Orchard and Wildflower Workshop, Manchester Art Gallery – the first Chelsea Fringe event in Manchester and the first ever river of flowers in the city.

Art, Gardens and Words – art, readings and music with a horticultural twist at the Plantation Garden in Norwich.

Floating Gardens of the Thames – a boat decorated with flowers in Henley-on-Thames.

Make your bed and grow in it – help make a garden of raised beds in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Garage Sale – swap, buy and sell gardening paraphernalia in Ljubjlana, Slovenia.

Sun 25 May:

Dry stone walling workshop – learn how to make a dry stone wall in Islington, north London.

Bridge to Nowhere Heritage Trail – guided walk in Burgess Park, South London.

Foraging Walk at Islington Ecology Centre, Finsbury Park.

Walled Therapy – commemorative poppy wreaths at a plant nursery in Kent.

Let’s Get Growing at Vauxhall City Farm, south London – family fun day.

Mon 26 May:

Hidden Garden Art Show at the Maureen Michaelson Gallery in Hampstead, north London.

We meet Linden Groves of HaHaHopscotch, who is bringing tradtional garden games to four Chelsea Fringe events.

How did your company, HaHaHopscotch come about?
I’m a landscape historian and wrote Beyond the Playground for The Garden History Society, which was all about how kids can be easily amused in gardens without having to give them big, expensive playground equipment. Hahahopscotch began as a way to prove my point, but was so well-received that it now has a life of its own!

What kind of games to do you play?
We play games inspired by my work as a landscape historian, from traditional garden games such as sack races and hoops, to the Garden Galavant of specially-created games to introduce children to old gardens in the jolliest way possible, to Giggly & Greenfingered hands-on gardening activities. And I love to invent games especially for a venue, as they can be such a lovely way to get children interested in places.

How do kids respond to the games?
Kids love the games! What’s especially brilliant is the way that the same games can entertain people of all ages, from tots to teenagers (and in fact, we also run them for adults) – whatever stage we are in life, we all respond to a bit of silliness!

Which is their favourite game?
Everybody loves sack races. Whenever we pull them out there’s always a gasp of excitement (and all the Mums & Dads reach for their cameras). Funny how an old cloth bag can generate such amusement!

Tell us about your Fringe events.
We’re doing four. On Bank Holiday Monday 26th May at 2.30-3.15pm, we’ll be on the historic lawn of Fenton House in Hampstead to play Traditional Garden Games, including the unbeatable sack race, then on Wednesday 28th May from 10.45-11.30am we’ll be in the 18th century gardens of Strawberry Hill House, Twickenham, to play the Garden Galavant and take kids through the wonderful world of garden history, before bringing out the Traditional Games again from 12-12.45. Then on Saturday 31st May at 11.30-12.15 we’re going to be doing some lovely kids gardening activities in Giggly & Greenfingered at the Secret Orchard of Cafe Crema in New Cross. Finally, we’re thrilled to have been asked by the Friends of Burgess Park to bring our Traditional Garden Games to their Bridge to Nowhere heritage trail event on 7th June 2-5pm.

HaHaHopscotch.co.uk

The Chelsea Fringe, the alternative gardening festival, runs to 8 June, and features around 250 projects taking place in London, Brighton, Bristol, Vienna, Ljubljana, Turin, Kent, Norwich and online.

Many of the events are free, so do pop along. Some are running for the entire duration of the Fringe, others are one-offs or on specific dates.

You can find out what’s on by looking at events in chronological order below this post, or by clicking on a specific day on the calendar to the right. Alternatively, go to the What’s On tab (above) and click on your chosen city, then use the ‘search’ section to find an event by date or location. If you’re looking for something specific, such as child-friendly events, go to the ‘Event Categories’ tab above.

In the meantime, here are some one-off events happening this week – don’t miss them!

All week

Half Term Wild Magic at Abbey Physic Community Garden in Faversham, Kent

Magical Orchard at Chiswick Library, west London

Vauxhall Sculpture Garden, Lambeth

Tue 27 May

Launch of family phototrail in Burgess Park, south London – find hidden gems within the park, plus crafts and games.

Special Almshouse Tours at the Geffrye Museum, east London

Wed 28 May

Archery, Falconry and Bushcraft children’s fun day at Doddington Place Gardens, Kent

Pop-up Edible Garden, Bristol city centre

HaHaHopscotch Garden Gallivant and Traditional Games, Strawberry Hill House, south west London

Nectar Collectors - Isis Education Centre, Hyde Park

Herbal & Honey Gin Bar, plus the opening of artist Amy Plinszka’s installation of beehives in the Chelsea Physic Garden

Our Autonomous Nature: The Ultimate Pop-up Gallery – bring a picnic and a gardening object to the Beach at the Doodle Bar in Battersea

Thur 29 May

Pop-up Edible Garden, Bristol city centre

Go Wild at the Library! Family fun day in the garden at Kilburn Library, north west London

Nectar Collectors – Isis Education Centre, Hyde Park

Herbal & Honey Gin Bar, Chelsea Physic Garden

Fri 30 May

Khecharii – She Who Moves Through the Ether - art installation in an artist’s studio in Clerkenwell

Elevenses – meet the Makers – drink herbal tea and take part in a sound installation in Exchange Square, London EC2

Sat 31 May

From Plot to Potion – tours and workshops at a medicinal garden in Maida Vale, north west London

Stop me and Grow One – roving tricyles distributing seedlings in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea

Bee Day at the Calthorpe Project  - a celebration of all things bee-related in Grays Inn Road, WC1

The SPAB Secret Garden – visit the garden of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings in Spitalfields, East London

Go Wild at the Library! Family events in the garden at Ealing Road library, Wembley, north west London

LUSH Herbal Hair Experience, Ethelburga Community Centre, Battersea

The Fringe that Launched a Thousand Maps – meet Chris Colllins, the Blue Peter gardener, at this launch event for a free map of London’s community gardens, at the St Mary’s Secret Garden in Hackney

Nettle Weekend, Natural History Museum, London

Khecharii – She Who Moves Through the Ether - art installation in an artist’s studio in Clerkenwell

Vanguard Court: a Secret Garden Takes Root – chance to see a garden that was originally created for the Chelsea Fringe 2013, in a toilet block

Shhh it’s a secret! Preview of London Open Garden Squares weekend at Cafe Crema in Lewisham, plus Giggly & Green Fingered, an event for kids

Sun 1 June

Ethelburga Community Big Lunch and Poppy Field Day

A Real Surprise: opening of a tiny garden in Clapton, East London, packed with space-saving ideas

Exotic Gunnersbury – explore the exotic heritage of Gunnersbury Park, west London

Art in the Garden: Plants, Paints and Picnics – rare chance to see the acclaimed Inner Temple Garden. Take part in the ‘Long Draw’ on this art-themed day

Nettle Weekend, Natural History Museum

Khecharii – She Who Moves Through the Ether – art installation in an artist’s studio in Clerkenwell

The Little Paper House on the Prairie – paper-related events at Sussex Prairies, West Sussex