An Evening of Making Music With Cucumbers & Hendrick's Gin

Gin in teacups.

A few weeks ago the most bizarre yet intriguing invite from Hendrick's Gin landed in my inbox inviting me to Hendrick's Perilous Laboratory for the Absorbment of Natural Teaching (or P.L.A.N.T. for short) and promised me an evening that was to be focused around making harminous music with cucumbers (and no, it wasn't an innuendo) at the RHS Garden Show. It was quite possibly the most peculiar invitation I've ever received in my six years of running this blog, so of course my curiosity got the better of me and I rather enthusiastically accepted the invite not really knowing what to expect. Also, it's worth noting that I almost never turn down anything that involves the promise of gin, especially if it's Hendrick's!

Upon entering the blooming and beautiful RHS Garden Show, we were invited over to the Hendrick's pop-up laboratory, decorated in the most eclectic and bizarre fashion with plants and vintage oddities dotted around in vintage style cabinets. The extremely charismatic Hendrick's Laboratorians gathered a mass of people over to their work space to begin their musical experiment.

Quite literally making music with cucumbers!

Each person takes a seat next to a contraption where a set of cucumbers are rigged up to a piece of software that when triggered created sound. Each set of cucumbers is designed to play a different style of sound meaning when the cucumbers are 'played' simultaneously, you begin to create a harmony with the other cucumber instrumentalists taking part in the experiment! I'm not going to lie, it's hard to explain the experience of making music by stroking a cucumber but it was tremendously fun (for proof, please see the last photo that Kaye shot of me having an absolute ball!)

Tikka Tofu from Rupert's Street

After curating the perfect musical piece with your fellow cucumber connoisseurs, you are aptly rewarded with a Hendrick's gin & tonic, which is certainly a touch! After all of the merry musical excitement, we chowed down on some delicious vegan delights from Rupert's Street. They're a travelling food truck that specialises in sustainable and healthy food for events and I just could not resist the sound of their tofu tikka, which didn't disappoint!

We spent the rest of our time coo-ing over the luscious, green house plants that adorned the RHS Garden Show with our Hendrick's concoctions in hand. I was in my absolute element that evening as I was treated to a few of my favourite things in life: gin, plants and some banging vegan food!

The Perilous Laboratory for the Absorbment of Natural Teaching will be going on tour across the festival circuit this summer. You can catch them at Lost Village, Edinburgh Festival and Standon Calling, where you'll be able to experience the magic of making music with cucumbers yourself! You can find more information regarding the P.L.A.N.T. tour here.

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