Well what do you know – it’s National Allotments Week! The event runs from 9 – 16 August and is put on by the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners.

I discovered this somewhere around the blogs so I went to check it out yesterday. I quite fancy the idea of an allotment. We moved into a flat in February with no outdoor space whatsoever and although we’ve attempted growing some herbs and chilies in our kitchen, it’s just not the same as having a proper garden. I’d really like to try growing veg! Plus kids just naturally seem to love gardening and it is so valuable for them to see where food comes from.

So, excited by National Allotments Week, I promptly got on the intrawebs and found my nearest allotments which are in a fancy part of Hampstead. They are surprisingly budget-friendly and I asked to be put on the waiting list (they all have a waiting list, wouldn’t you know). But then I got a sad note saying they’d actually completely closed even the waiting list earlier this year because 40 people were waiting. The next closest allotments, in the next borough over, have waitlists too but I admit I’ve become a bit demotivated.

However, dreaming of my very own patch of land in London and growing my own fruit and veg like some sort of domestic goddess got me inspired enough to do the next best thing and sign up for Abel & Cole’s weekly fruit & veg box deliveries. I’ve heard they are very good. I’m just hoping I didn’t get us in over our heads with the £15.95 box – that’s seven seasonal vegetables with potatoes and three fruits every week!

If you’re keen to sign up with Abel & Cole, I searched high and low for a voucher code but came up empty handed. They do promise that if you order a weekly box of summer fruit & veg you’ll automatically get the fourth free.

As for National Allotments Week, the idea is to “to promote the awareness and availability of allotments both locally and nationally and to show the public and the local authorities the strength of support and interest for the heritage of allotment culture.” Unfortunately I can’t see any actual events or activities listed on the site.

Do YOU have an allotment or a proper garden? Soooo jealous!

I’m in  New York for BlogHer this week (yay!) but if I weren’t, I know exactly what we’d be doing today: the pop-up maze in Trafalgar Square!

How cool is this? A giant pop-up maze has appeared in Trafalgar Square as part of a campaign by the West End Partnership to encourage visitors to enjoy getting a little lost whilst exploring the area. I don’t see anything on the site or in the press release about it being free, BUT the PR who sent the tip to me said it is free so hopefully he will not disappoint us!

For five days beginning 2 August, visitors can enjoy exploring the maze and wondering through many of the West Ends most famous streets, lanes and squares. Each ‘Street’ within the maze will highlight some fascinating facts about the cultural history of the West End, such as Carnaby Street, which apparently inspired Ray Davies to write The Kinks hit ‘Dedicated Follower of Fashion’, or Trafalgar Square, which is said to be home to the world’s smallest police station. The maze is open from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. each day.

Upon reaching the heart of the maze, visitors will be rewarded with an exclusive taste of the amazing entertainment, culture, dining and shopping on offer throughout The West End. The rolling programme of activity highlighting the best that the West End has to offer, includes:

• Monday – A vibrant showcase from some West End’s top shows – including Priscilla Queen of the Desert drag queens, some Avenue Q puppets and couple of Sherlock Holmes!
• Tuesday – China town arrives with a bang as giant paper dragon and lion puppets weave their way through the maze and live dragon candy making sessions take place at the centre of the maze
• Wednesday – London’s finest Saville Row tailors will be trimming the hedge first thing
• Thursday – One of the UK’s leading young orchestra groups, The Platti String Quartet, will perform a variety of stunning pieces, filling the maze with beautiful music.
• Friday – On the last day it’s time to party as we celebrate the iconic Carnaby Street with a swinging 60’s vibe, including live music from 60’s tribute bands and lots of vespas – groovy! There will also be a small exhibition of photographs from iconic 60’s photographer Phillip Townsend, picture include Twiggy, the Rolling Stones and many more. (Phillip will be available for interview if requested)

The maze itself measures approximately 30m x 20m and each hedge is 2.4m high. The maze has been constructed using 118 individual 2m sections, with a mixture of laurel and thuja hedging. Six articulated lorries delivered the hedging to Trafalgar Square on Sunday evening and a dedicated team worked through the night, taking approximately six hours, to build the maze structure.

Cheyenne Spur Steak and Grill in the O2 in Greenwich have built a beach outside the restaurant for school summer holidays! “Spur on the Beach”  is complete with a beach-load of sand, palm trees and hula girls. There are deckchairs to lounge in and beachballs, buckets and spades to keep the kids happy.

And best for your budget, kids eat free from lunchtime to five p.m. on weekdays until “Spur on the Beach” season ends at the end of August.

For more details and T&Cs visit www.ukspur.co.uk.

The kids’ TV channel Boomerang is hosting the free Boomerang Pets Party in London’s Regent Park this Saturday!

This sounds like such a fun event. Activities run from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and will include Garfield’s Kitchen, Pink Panther Pet Salon, a petting zoo and pet celebrities. Kids are encouraged to bring their pets!

Boomerang have provided these details about the event’s activities:

· Garfield’s Kitchen – We all know Garfield is crazy about his food, particularly his favourite dish lasagne! Why not head down to his very own Pet Kitchen pulled straight from Garfield’s set and be wowed by a whacky chef who will definitely put the fun into cooking.

· Pink Panther’s Pet Salon – Join The Pink Panther and friends to discover all of the fabulous ways to style your furry friend. There will even be the chance for little ones to make their own bespoke pet collars, making sure their kitty is the best looking in town!

· Pet celebrities – Pet heroes from around the country will be present at the event, so don’t miss your chance to meet them in the flesh.

· Petting zoo – For those who don’t have a pet to bring along, there’s a chance to come and spend some time with some of the cutest animals around.

· A special surprise for dogs – A tasty treat will be on offer for dogs to tuck into. Turn up to find out how to tantalise your pooch’s taste buds!

For all the details visit the site here.

LastMinute.com has loads of offers on days out and theme parks for the upcoming school holidays.

Here are a few of the best:

• london eye up to 20% off
• madame tussauds up to 20% off
• cadbury world from £11.90
• ghost bus tours from £10
• speed boat rides up to 38% off
• legoland discovery centre from £9.30
• alton towers up to 20% off
• thorpe park up to 20% off
• legoland up to 15% off
• chessington up to 50% off
• diggerland from £15

Heritage Open Days 2010 celebrates England’s fantastic architecture and culture by offering free access to properties that are usually closed to the public or normally charge for admission. This year Heritage Open Days will run from 9-12 September. To search the directory for sites near you, click here.

Heritage Open Days is England’s contribution to the European Heritage Days, a Council of Europe initiative, in which 49 countries take part. In addition to Heritage Open Days, events include:

• London – Open House London (18-19 September)
• Scotland – Doors Open Days (every weekend in September)
• Wales – Open Doors (every weekend in September)
• Northern Ireland – European Heritage Days (11-12 September)

We’ve loved catching sight of elephants in the Elephant Parade conservation campaign all over London and now they are gathered all in one place (well, two places) and FREE for a few days only.

The Elephant Parade campaign that shines a multi-coloured spotlight on the urgent crisis faced by the endangered Asian elephant. Brought to you by www.elephantfamily.org, the event sees over 250 brightly painted life-size elephants located over central London this summer.

Head down to the Royal Hospital Chelsea TODAY or MONDAY from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. or catch the indoor herd at Westfield Shopping Centre until 30th June. Admission is free and open to the public.

If you’re going to Royal Hospital Chelsea, please use the London Gate Entrance on Royal Hospital Road, nearest tube being Sloane Square. No dogs are allowed. For more information download the infosheet here.

This weekend, head over to Daunt Books to see a selection of more than 60 works by Gruffalo illustrator Axel Scheffler. Works include original illustrations from childrens’ favourites such as ‘The Gruffalo’, Stick Man’ and ‘Tabby McTat’ and all are for sale. Scheffler himself will be there from 10.30-12.30 and 2.30-4.30 for a booksigning.

Thanks to Maida Vale Mums for the tip!

On Sunday I also think the Spitalfields City Farm Annual Sheep and Wool Fayre looks like fun. From 12 – 4 There will be demonstrations of sheep shearing and the chance to have a go at crafts such as knitting, weaving, spinning and felting plus live music and theatre.

Lastly, on Sunday, The London International Gallery of Children’s Art are having a Paper Jewels Workshop from 2 – 3:30. Boys and girls aged 3+ can join in to make necklaces and bracelets from decorated and coloured paper. Book a place at 0207 281 1111 or just drop in.

French Connection are having a sample sale this weekend at Centro One, 39 Camden Street NW1 0DX (enter on Mandela Street).

Hours are Friday 28th May 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Saturday 29th May 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 30th May 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Look out for ladies’ coats and jackets from £40, knitwear from £20, dresses from £20 and tops from £10, men’s coats and jackets from £40, knitwear from £20 and shirts from £20, kidswear and accessories from £5.

There is a £1 entrance fee that goes to Children with Lukaemia and Richard House Children‘s Hospice and no cheques or amex will be accepted.

Credit for the details on this post goes to SampleSalesLondon.co.uk

lastminute.com have some fantastic offers on days out at the best theme parks in the UK – perfectly timed for half term!

Thorpe park up to 60% off

Legoland up to 45% off

Alton towers up to 40% off

Chessington World of Adventures up to 40% off

Offers good until 31 May!