Top 5 plant happenings is back with a bang in February, or five bangs to be exact. Let us support them as much as we can, as they all shine light on our favourite thing: plants.
RHS Botanical Art Show
Botanical Art has done much to highlight the diverse morphology of plants, and the Royal Horticultural Society’s first ever stand-alone Botanical Art show is a good chance to see what species some of the best artists from around the world are choosing to focus their attention on. With 350,000 odd flowering plants in the world, the ones on show here, not to mention the artists themselves, must be rather special. Members go for free, for everyone else, just £5 with advance booking – it’s a bargain. Friday 27 and Saturday 28 February, 10-5pm.
Arboretum at the Royal West of England Academy
A group art exhibition dedicated to trees, need we say more. It has been going since December, but runs until 8 March, so still time to see it. It is part of a programme of environmentally focused events at the RWA engaging with nature and landscape to celebrate the start of Bristol’s year as the Green Capital. If all the artworks on show are as engaging as Fiona McIntyre’s one below, it should be good.
Greenish Deep by Fiona McIntyre
Plantastic! at the Horniman Museum
The Horniman Museum is a great place to visit any time of the year. Its got a natural history collection, a nice garden (which would be even better with the addition of some plant name labels), has a little outpost containing some adorable animals, and offers visitors one of the best views of London. If that wasn’t enough, they have a new exhibition starting that ‘Explore the wonderful world of plants on a massive scale‘. Move over animals. Event runs from 14 February until 1 November 2015.
The Garden Museum
Two exhibitions attract here: Firstly, photographer Rachel Warne’s curated exhibition Faded Glory. There’s always a certain romance to a garden left to run wild, so perhaps Feb 14th is a good day to go with your partner in tow. The second exhibition sounds rather experimental, which is always highly appreciated. Connect and Grow is a group effort offering-up “three-dimensional choreographic scores grown from seeds to slide projections playing with light in natural and imaginary landscape“. There’s not enough art it seems that explores the relationship between dance and plants, which is surprising considering that’s what plants spend a lot of their time doing. Connect and Grow runs until 19 Feb and Faded Glory until the 27.
Philadelphia Flower Show 2015
If you’re in the area, have a trip to Philadelphia planned, or are looking for a late February getaway, head for the Philadelphia Flower Show. Apparently the biggest of its kind in the US, this annual event is produced by The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. Unlike the RHS Chelsea Flower Show its capacity is not hindered by space, attracting 260,000 people annually (Chelsea gets 157,000). The show features “large-scale gardens, elaborate landscapes, and over-the-top floral creations” – something then to lift the spirits in dark winter months. Each year there is a theme this year they are celebrating the movies, with the expectant tag-line “Lights, Camera, BLOOM!” Runs from 28 Feb to 8 March.
