Royal Horticultural Society's Essex Garden

Advantages: Plenty to interest me all year.
Disadvantages: Too popular, so crowded, at peak times.

...I am a member of the Royal Horticultural Society, and as I live near RHS Hyde Hall in Essex, I have seen it in all seasons. I am a member because I like gardens, not because I am an expert, but you don't have to be an expert to enjoy it. *** History of the Estate *** For centuries this estate was a working farm, so the 18th century Hall was a farmhouse, but the area around it had been used for dumping rubbish. Then in the 1950s, Helen and Dick Robinson started to tidy it up. The clay soil on this cold and windy site on the top of a hill was gradually improved, with the help of the pigs by adding manure, and compost. Then flowers, a vegetable patch and young trees were planted near to their home. The estate was donated to the RHS in 1993, which has continued to develop and improve the area. Of the 320 acres...

luckyarchers 29.03.2008 · Read review
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Review of RHS Garden Hyde Hall

The Garden Of Earthly Delights?

Advantages: Good hotel well situated with good facilities
Disadvantages: Service could be better

...The Royal Garden Hotel is a five-star hotel situated on High Street Kensington. Although fairly centrally situated prospective users who wish to use the tube should be warned that the nearest station, High Street Kensington, although not too far away does have a couple of very busy and inconvenient street crossings to negotiate. The reception area is very large. The staff are reasonably efficient but not particularly friendly. You do not get the impression of being a valued customer nor does there seem. The height of the area and its whiteness does create an impersonal look as well, perhaps this rubs off onto the staff. The room itself was good. Spacious, with plenty of mod-cons, air conditioning, fridge internet point and one of these televisions that shows films, can play videos and dvds and allows you internet access as well...

JoePoirot 02.12.2004 · Read review
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Review of Royal Garden, London

Edinburgh Botanic Gardens

Advantages: beautiful and tranquil
Disadvantages: none

...A short bus ride from the centre of town in Inverleith, the 'Botanics' (as Edinburgh's Botanic Gardens) is known locally is a green and lush haven that is well worth a visit. Even in its busiest periods you can lose yourself in its verdant nooks and crannies amongst exotic blooms. The air is fresh in this, its latest location (originally founded in 1670 it occupied sites near Holyrood Palace and on the road to Leith before moving to its latest, greenest pasture in 1820.) When the sun shines simply wander through its extensive outdoor gardens where thousands of plant species flourish. 'The Botanics' is the second richest plant collection in the world (after Kew Gardens, which it is older than) and contains examples of just under 10% of all known flora. This gives it an important global role in maintaining biodiversity. But for me this...

snowbird123 16.09.2008 · Read review
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Review of Royal Botanic Garden

In the night garden ninky nonk train set

Advantages: strong, versatile, compact, nice bright colours, fun to play with
Disadvantages: none so far

...I decided to buy the in the night garden ninky nonk train set from Amazon as my young daughter is a big fan of in the night garden and whenever it comes on TV she gets really excited. So as my daughter already had some of the other characters from the show I wanted her to have the whole set and since buying it the train set the ninky nonk train set has become one of her favourite toys to play with on a daily basis. The train set can come apart and be attached on many different ways and my daughter enjoys looking at the nice bright colours and putting some of the other in the night garden characters onto the train set even though it keeps falling of now and again it keeps her busy and sometimes I hear her in fits of giggles. The train set is very cute and versatile and its great as children such as mine can have hours of fun with it...

jmarlene 02.11.2009 · Read review
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Review of Hasbro In the Night Garden Ninky Nonk Train Set

The Royal Wee

Advantages: Easy toclean
Disadvantages: My son removes wee defender

...My son?s Royal Throne I bought my son a royal potty from Argos after visiting a friend when he was one year old and Although I considered him to be to young to consider potty training I did want him to have a potty around so that it was a familiar item. What is the Royal Potty? It is a potty that appears to be more comfortable than a normal potty as it is shaped liked a throne with arms and a back. It also has a splash protector at the front designed for little boys more than girls. It also has an additional function that is a fanfare sound when the child passes urine that is activated by the sensor. It is made with plastic that is easy to wipe. It also came with a sticker reward chart My experience First experience When I first bought the potty we were living in temporary accommodation so I...

Wisemind 22.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Fisher Price Royal Potty

Fun, Interesting AND Educational? It can't be?

Advantages: Fantastic collection of weird yet wonderful plants
Disadvantages: May bore some people

...**What Is It?** The Royal Botanical Gardens are situated in Edinburgh. This famous collection of incredible plants from the weird to the wonderful, from all over the world, are all for public view. **Why Go?** I went there on a school trip as i am studying standard grade biology (Scottish version of GSCE) so i guess the teachers thought this would be a very educational trip as we were doing about plants at that precise moment. There are lots of reasons to go. The most obvious one if you like Plants or are studying Botany. It is very interesting if your interested in medicine or pharmacy as it has lots to do about that. Or even if you just like open fresh air (it has a lot of that) The kids would also find it very interesting as there are some incredible plants there. **History Behind It** The Royal Botanic Gardens...

scotlandizdabest 23.09.2007 (21.09.2007) · Read review
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Review of Royal Botanic Garden

The Spice Garden - No Garden, Plenty of Spice

Advantages: Light airy conservatory, pleasant service, good value for money
Disadvantages: Nothing out of the ordinary

...Another week brought another visit from my hungry curry-loving colleague Joep. I had no plans for the evening and asked if he wanted to have dinner. His eyes lit up; "Can we have curry?" he asked excitedly. And so at around 6.30pm we left the office to go in search of a new curry restaurant that we'd not tried before. I'd spotted the Spice Garden on my way to work that morning and decided that this time it would get our custom. The world (well the UK anyway ? and India, Bangladesh, Pakistan etc?..you get what I mean) is full of curry restaurants and in the middle of a recession we should spread our pennies around and try to support a new one each time until we run out or get food poisoning. I got lucky and found a parking space right in front of the restaurant. It's on New Chester Road in Bromborough, about a mile off the M53, close...

koshkha 07.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Spice Garden, Merseyside

A garden to die for!

Advantages: Plenty to see and do for both adults and children
Disadvantages: None

...The Alnwick Garden in Northumberland is a really lovely place to visit, as I discovered recently when in the area. I had decided to visit on the recommendation of a friend who had recently spent a day there, and had spent quite a while telling me about it afterwards. I was intrigued to find out more and visit here myself, as although I live in the North East and have visited many places in Northumberland, I had never visited The Alnwick Garden. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HOW TO GET THERE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Alnwick Garden is situated just off the A1 at Alnwick in Northumberland, and is well signposted if travelling by car. Buses connect Alnwick to surrounding towns and also Newcastle. If travelling by train, the east coast line stops at Alnmouth which is 4 miles away. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE ALNWICK GARDEN ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Alnwick...

JEFFJEN 17.09.2009 · Read review
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Review of Alnwick Garden, Northumberland

Gardening for Wildlife

Advantages: Encourages a mini eco-system right on your doorstep
Disadvantages: Does involve a small amount of effort!

...It is a widely held belief that gardening is good for you. It is good exercise, it builds confidence and self-esteem, and it promotes a sense of inner peace like nothing else on earth. In short, it can heal the mind and soothe the soul and really should be handed out in blocks of 1 hour on prescription in place of chemicals and drugs that fool your brain into thinking you are fine. I am a great believer in gardening for good health, and, having been treated for depression last year, have found my garden the most therapeutic and important element of my healing process. My garden is an oasis of cool, soft-edged light, filtering through trees and climbers. Gentle sounds of wind chimes and bells ring out through the space, and although I am close to a busy main road, you wouldn't know, for the air is clear and quiet. It is the most...

phoenixgreen 10.09.2006 (14.06.2007) · Read review
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Review of Member Advice on Gardening

Busch Gardens

Advantages: read opp
Disadvantages: read opp

...Well having wanted to visit Busch Gardens on a number of occasions and unfortunately not being given the chance, I felt I had to visit the place during my recent visit to Florida. I had always heard mix reactions about the theme park, some complimenting it, whilst other simply saying it was not there thing. Nevertheless, I was still determined to visit it, at least once to squash the rumours and determine for myself whether this place was thumbs up or thumbs down. History of Bush Gardens Africa (Tampa Bay): Bush Gardens is the name of two of the biggest theme parks in America, one in Tampa Bay, Florida, and the other one in Williamsburg, Virginia. Bush Gardens is currently owned by Busch Entertainment Corporation. Busch Gardens Africa was first opened in 1959, and was a 340 acre African themed, safari park. The park was...

jaygami1986 30.04.2008 · Read review
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Review of Busch Gardens, Tampa