Mayor backs RHS grow your own theme

13:07:20 1st July 2009

The upcoming Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Hampton Court Flower Show is set to benefit from the support of mayor of London Boris Johnson.

One of the event's main attractions will be the Edible Spaces with Capital Growth feature - three small gardens and six balconies focused on getting city-dwellers growing their own food.

RHS director general Inga Grimsey explained Johnson is working towards a similar goal as the body, looking to get people cultivating edible plants.

"We invited the Mayor and Rosie [Boycott - chair of London Food] to showcase at Hampton as we support any initiative that gets people excited about gardening and brings communities together - things that are at the heart of the RHS values," she said.

Capital Growth was set up to develop 2,012 community food growing spaces in time for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

So far, almost 100 have been completed, with canal banks, schools, roofs and parks being just some of the sites chosen.

The Hampton Court Palace Flower Show will take place between July 7th and 12th.

Meanwhile, the RHS is to host an opera at its Garden Harlow Carr site on July 14th.