The Homebuilding & Renovating Show at ExCeL London from 21st to 23rd September, is the only show in the South East dedicated to building, improving, or renovating a home.

This wide-ranging show offers products, advice and inspiration on how to improve or renovate a home and how to make it more environmentally friendly.

The Show also offers the opportunity to consider the option of saving money by building your own home, as well as how to make the most of the latest smart home technology.

The London Homebuilding & Renovating Show boasts the Move or Improve Pavilion, Eco Homes Zone, T3 Smart Home Zone and a wide range of self-build exhibitors.

The Show offers a series of free seminars and exhibitor-led masterclasses;

The seminars cover a range of topics from ‘How to build your way up the property ladder’ to ‘How the intelligent home can transform your life’;

Whilst the masterclasses will concentrate on specifics such as ecological restoration and renovation, rainwater harvesting and home automation controls.

New this year is the Eco Homes Zone, reflecting the demand for more information on eco products and services; key products will be presented in areas such as renewable energy, insulation, heating systems and building materials, through to those designed to save energy and money within the home.

Over 220 national and specialist companies will be on hand to offer the latest products, innovations and services.

Tickets are £8 in advance or £12 on the door (children under 16 go free).

Web: http://www.homebuildingshow.co.uk

Tel: (0870) 906 2002.

If fun, friendly and relaxed is how you like it, then visit the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park (18th – 22nd July), which has plenty of treats in store for garden lovers.

The Show gardens will endeavour to inspire you with a plethora of creative and fantastical designs:

Tatton Park’s own flowerbed in conjunction with Cheshire County Council, will be using a gondola as its centrepiece to pay homage to Venice and the estate’s Italian gardens.

This year Tatton is leading the renaissance of the most characteristic of English summer fruits, the gooseberry; the nine gooseberry societies in the UK, will be displaying their champion fruits and heritage varieties in the National Plant Societies Marquee.

Flower power is in vogue this year, as Fiona Hogg will bring a collection of plants ideal for use in floral art in ‘The Flower Arranger’s Garden’, where the featured flowers will be arranged according to the principles of form, texture and the colour wheel.

‘Flower Power’ from Finchale Training College will create a colour surge, using renewable energy to establish a lush and vibrant garden using a solar panel to power the pumps and a lunar pavement providing a feeling of abstract art.

Not forgetting the valuable advice that can be gleaned from the RHS Gardening Advice Desk.

The RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park takes place between 18th and 22nd July (18th July is reserved for RHS members).

To book tickets visit:

Web: http://www.rhs.org.uk/flowershows 

Tel:  (0870) 842 2229

Family, food and the environment take centre stage at Hampton Court Flower Show this year from 3rd to 8th July.

Key themes include inspiring children about all things horticultural, growing your own fruit and vegetables and sustainable gardening for today’s world.

The show champions the RHS campaign to ‘Grow Your Own and many of the show gardens reflect this:

Visit edible gardens like The Torres Tapas Garden, by Anthea Guthrie, which features Mediterranean vegetables used in authentic tapas dishes to complement the wines of Torres; or

‘Mange Tout’, a decorative vegetable garden by Francesca Cleary and Ian Lawrence’s where everything, including the flowers, are edible.

At Quaglino’s Kitchen in association with NS&I, Craig James is giving cookery demos and talks, featuring delicious ideas for preparing summer vegetables, herbs, potatoes and soft fruits.

Educating young minds is behind Chris Beardshaw’s ‘The Growing Schools Garden – Learning Outside the Classroom’; over 30 schools took part in designing, planting and growing the garden.

A number of gardens deal with the environmental issues:

In our throw away world of conspicuous consumption and gross waste, the ‘Wildlife Garden in Skip’ design by Ruth Holmes of The Royal Parks, provides the ultimate horticultural solution for sustainability and recycling.

Tickets range from £13 to £30, with children aged 5-15 years £5 and under-5’s going free.

For further show information and online booking visit:

Web:  http://www.rhs.org.uk/flowershows.

Tel:   (0870) 906 3791 (public line) or 0870 906 3790 (RHS Members).

Following its successful 2006 London debut, CEDIA Expo returns to ExCeL London, running from Monday 25th June, the exhibition itself being open for business from Tuesday 26th until Thursday 28th June.

This year’s event promises not only to be much more integrated, exciting and informative than ever, but also provides four days of comprehensive industry-focussed training courses.

CEDIA Expo has established itself as a leading European education and product showcase for home electronic system designers, installers, specifiers and equipment manufacturers and distributors.

Expo 2007 brings together the latest innovations and technologies in home cinema, audio-video solutions, lighting control, structured wiring, HVAC control, blind and security systems and features many of the top names in the industry.

The CEDIA Expo education programme will be a major attraction for many visitors, offering an extraordinary range of education, specifically targeted at the residential technology sector, with more than 170 hours of training for delegates.

Opening Times: Monday 25th June: Training only: 10.00-18.00 Hrs.
Tuesday 26th June: Expo: 09.30 – 18.00 Hrs, Training: 10.00 – 18.00 Hrs.
Wednesday 27th June: Expo: 09.30 – 18.00 Hrs, Training:10.00-18.00 Hrs.
Thursday 28th June: Expo 09.300 – 17.00, Training: 10.00 – 17.00 Hrs.

CEDIA Expo is strictly a TRADE ONLY event and proof of trade status may be requested on arrival at the venue.

For a full exhibitor list and more information visit:
Web: http://www.cedia-expo.com.
Tel: (0870) 4866817.

If you are interested in increasing the value of your current home, saving up to 30% on a new home, or simply looking for ideas to get you started, a visit to The Homebuilding & Renovating Show is a must.

The event takes place over two days at the Newbury Showground on 23 and 24 June and there are lots of good reasons to encourage you to visit:

Over 120 exhibitors will attend, providing a real opportuiity to gain expert advice and view all the best products, innovations and the latest services.

Finding a suitable plot of land or a suitable renovation project is usually the first hurdle; so you can consult with Plotfinder and Plotsearch both of whom have databases with thousands of plots and projects for sale.

Smart Homes are becoming more popular as people are now installing state of the art technology to make their living environment as labour-free and safe as possible; therefore home automation will be well represented with systems on show from hi-tech sound to advanced security.

For those keen to get their hands dirty and save more money, there will be a number of useful and interesting demonstrations from exhibitors, including the latest in internal walling systems, paving and home security.

Tickets are £5 in advance or £8 on the door.

For more information and tickets, visit:

Web: http://www.homebuildingshow.co.uk
Tel: (0870) 906 2002.

One of the UK’s most prestiguous shows for stylish living, The Daily Telegraph/House & Garden Fair opens at Olympia from Wednesday 27th to Saturday 30th June 2007. This year’s show offers you an exceptional line up of exhibitors all specially selected by House & Garden to ensure premier quality products for interior and garden design.

Some Exciting Highlights:
Due to its huge success in 2006, Henrietta Green’s FoodLovers’ Fair returns with an even larger presence, offering an outstanding choice of local and regional food and drink; it is recognised as a showcase for the very best sustainable, traceable, British produce; the emphasis is on small local producers selling fresh, seasonal food.
 
Interactive Workshops by The KLC School of Design, a world-renowned institute for interior and garden design training, presents a variety of subjects, including training sessions on colour and style or the use of schemes and concepts, which are sure to appeal to all interests.

Farrow & Ball, renowned for it’s most environmentally friendly paints, have enlisted international colour consultant Joa Studholme, to host ‘Colour in the Home’; the talk combines inspirational ideas and tips providing visitors with the confidence to make informed colour choices and take the worry out of that all important decision of home decoration.

Opening times 10 am – 6 pm each day.

Prices in advance: £15 for adults and £6 for children ages 5-16 and £16 for adults and £6 on the door.
To book tickets or view a full list of exhibitors and attractions, visit:

Web: http://www.houseandgardenfair.co.uk
Or call the Ticket Hotline:
Tel: (0870) 121 2525

The Newbury Homebuilding & Renovating Show at the Newbury Showground on 23rd and 24th June is a must for homeowners wishing to source the right products and services to convert, extend, renovate or build their house.

If you are motivated to create a dream home that reflects your personality, the Newbury Homebuilding & Renovating Show offers a one-stop shopping opportunity as the Show plays host to over 120 exhibitors and offers a wealth of advice and information from the experts, to enable you to find the right products and services.

Worried about finance or how to assess a property’s potential?  These are just two of the subjects covered in the comprehensive programme of free seminars running every day of the show.  Tickets are issued on a first-come-first-served basis, so get there early to avoid disappointment.

A real attraction is the Master classes, offering specialist advice and the chance to have one-to-one discussions with the experts; each day has a different focus - Self-Build Day on Saturday and Eco Build Day on Sunday for environmentally conscious homeowners.

TV personality and Editor-in-Chief of Homebuilding & Renovating magazine, Michael Holmes with his team of professionals, will host Ask The Experts sessions, giving visitors exclusive access to experts in the field, saving consultancy fees of up to £100 a hour!

Tickets are £5 in advance or £8 on the door.

For more information and tickets, visit:

Web: http://www.homebuildingshow.co.uk
Tel: (0870) 906 2002.

The Daily Telegraph/House & Garden Fair 2007 at Olympia from Wednesday 27th to Saturday 30th June 2007, is one of the UK’s most prestigious events for interior and garden design.

The Fair brings you an unprecedented line up of exhibitors all carefully handpicked by House & Garden to ensure the highest quality products, from bathrooms to bedrooms, gourmet food to garden furniture, most of which you will not find on the High Street.

For anyone passionate about interiors and gardens, the Fair is an excellent opportunity to see the very latest classic and contemporary designs from many of the country’s most prominent designers; with numerous interactive seminars and talks going on throughout the Fair, visitors can gather a whole host of expert tips and advice to take home with them.

Highlights include:

Gardens: Clouds of Scent is featured in the Grand Hall:
Todd Longstaffe-Gowan has imagined and created a three-dimensional garden like a floral mobile in the sky, comprised of giant floating shapes: spheres and discs hang from the ceiling, creating clouds of plants for visitors to mingle between, below and beyond.
 
Meanwhile, inspired by the dramatic movement, rich colours and the strong contrasts of Baroque architecture, Richard Miers has used symmetry and a central axis as the main basis for his stunning garden design, with a wide avenue of scented shrubs, twin paths and a central border.

The ISOS Collection will be shown for the first time at the fair; quality British furniture design and manufacture exhibiting–a range of products combining affordability with the best in contemporary styling, featuring the work of some of the best UK designers.

Opening times 10 am – 6 pm each day.
Prices in advance: £15 for adults and £6 for children ages 5-16 and £16 for adults and £6 on the door.
To book tickets or view a full list of exhibitors and attractions, visit:

Web: http://www.houseandgardenfair.co.uk
Or call the Ticket Hotline:
Tel: (0870) 121 2525

Dramatic floral art, rare varieties and award-winning stands will provide visitors with gardening inspiration in abundance at this year’s RHS Flower Show, set in the glorious grounds of Tatton Park estate in Cheshire from 18th to 22nd July. (18th July reserved for RHS members)

The show’s timing at the very climax of summer always makes it a very colourful affair, not least because of the RHS Ball Colegrave National Flower Bed Competition, which is always popular as UK local authorities and colleges showcase their innovative bedding.

The relaxed atmosphere also extends to the astonishing number of herb gardens on the menu at Tatton; for instance, ‘Thyme and Money’ and ‘Living Medicine’, which investigate herbal philosophies, and those that encourage others to enjoy the simple pleasures of growing herbs at home, such as Jacqui Brocklehurst, who intends to hold a ‘Herbal Tea Party’.

Expect to see a number of gardens tackling climate change and sustainability issues, with many designers tackling some important topics by featuring drought tolerant plants and predicting the future of gardening if global warming continues.

Throughout the show extensive shopping opportunities bring together a collection of products of quality and distinction; which means no-one goes home from Tatton without their arms full of goodies, be it plants, gardening gadgets, or gifts for the home and garden.

Tickets are now on sale - to book visit:

Web: http://www.rhs.org.uk
Tel:  (0870) 842 2229

By now we are all very aware of the importance of being green, but a recent survey conducted by the Ideal Home Show reveals that we are still not 100% sure how to do our bit and fear that it’s quite costly, so many of us are holding back.

This year’s Ideal Home Show (running until 1st April 2007) can help, as the show is packed full of eco features, products and advice - so why not visit Earls Court London, and follow the eco trail?

Top Stops on the Eco trail include:

· The Show Village consists of 3 different houses, offering great eco ideas like timber frames, glazing for solar gain, open plan space for easier  heating, kitchen gardens and more.

· The ‘Pure’ Advice Centre in partnership with B&Q and problemsolved.co.uk provide free advice on how to compensate for your carbon emissions and more; B&Q will also offer advice on water saving.

· The Eco homes expert Oliver Heath will be in the Home Ideas Theatre on Sunday 25th March, offering advice and handy tips on how you can be more Eco friendly.

· Concept Products Awards This popular feature will be giving visitors an insight into the future of furniture and gadgets such as EcoSave and Trident Home Energy Monitor, designed by Britain’s talented young design graduates.

·There are also many green exhibitors at the show.

Web: http://www.idealhomeshow.co.uk
Tel:  (0870) 606 6080 - Ticket Hotline