The Discussion Weekend Show, Clydebank 2007
report by Sandy Leven




Clydebank is home to many of the ocean going luxury liners of the last century; home to John Brown's shipyard where the Queens were built; Singer sewing machines made here are still used in all four corners of the world.
What a change then to have plants from all parts of the world come to Clydebank!
We even had two Transatlantic Ambassadors from the USA who made the crossing, not by sea but by air, landing jus over the Clyde from the hotel at Glasgow airport.





Panayotti Keleidis, from Denver, with Sandy Leven and with Ian Young


Bill Brown from New York state

We also had a Scandinavian members


From Sweden Peter Korn with Susan Band


Our Viking friend from Norway is Knut Lunde with jean band and Julia Corden


Also from Norway Geir Moen here with Ian Young and Margaret Glynn, from Balymena

The Beardsmore hotel was built to accommodate the relations of private patients who were expected to use the adjacent hospital. Another dream into which millions of Government money disappeared is now Scotland's National Hospital. If the hospital care is as good as that which we received in the hotel then take me there when I get sick!


The Beardsmore hotel


There is so much public space in the hotel, reminiscent of hotels in Dubai. For this report the show is more pertinent than the rooms and the food but neither of these could be faulted. The show was excellent too.

A Wee bit of history.



Twice best in show here and at Ponteland the previous week.
The Jim Lever Trophy for Best Cyclamen was won by the Best Plant in Show, Jean Wyllie's Cyclamen hederifolium an exquisite mass of pink flowers. SRGC rules allow one plant to win a Forrest medal only once in a season, so since Jean triumphed the previous week at Ponteland she could not take home a second medal for her show stopper. Still everyone knows the rules and the Cyclamen was indeed the best in show. In his lecture Cyril Lafong expanded on the rule by pointing of that his plant of Sebaea thomasii could have won three Forrest medals in one season because it stays in good form for so long. Jean also had Most Points in Section 1 and took home the Mary Bowe Trophy.


Stan da Prato swept the boards again in Section 2

Crocuses and Colchicums
Still enough of rules, and back to plants. The Discussion Weekend show is smaller than other but always has interesting plants. Where better to start than with 'autumn crocuses'. Alongside the true Crocuses these Colchicums more than held their own. Colchicum speciosum album is one of the most magnificent autumn bulbs, with huge goblets of purest white. In the garden wee slugs always make mine look as though they had been blasted with a shotgun. The smaller Colchicum autumnale flore plena album always give a good show. The bulbs produce a succession of flowers over a long period. Colchicum 'Water Lily' likewise has a succession of flowers.


Colchicum speciosum


Colchicum autumnale flore plena alba


Colchicum 'Water Lily'

As well as these big examples which all do very well in the open garden there were two examples of the diminutive Colchicum cupannii - the usual pink and a white form which was new to me.


Colchicum cupannii and the white form

Many species of 'true' crocuses are just starting into flower in early October.


Crocus kotschyana cappadoicus


Crocus speciosus


Crocus hadriaticus, nicely presented

Call the fire brigade! Mark Smyth's plants of Nerine sarniense including this brilliant vermilion form [Sam Wolsey] were startling. Not hardy outside in Scotland I wonder how much protection they need to flower in Northern Ireland. I struggle to get mine to flower. I suspect I need to feed them more.


Nerine sarniense 'Sam Wolsey'

Tony Rymer showed two fine pans of Oxalis in his 3 pan bulb entry.


Nearest the camera is Oxalis mason rum. Allium thunbergii is at the back .You will have gathered I have forgoten the name of the pale Oxalis in the middle. [A pale form of O.pes-caprea?]

I thought my snowdrops looked OK but they were not a patch on Kath Rimmer's panful of Galanthus reginae olgae.


Galanthus reginae olgae

Barry and Cathy Caudwell managed to flower the regal looking Zephyranthes candida , the white rain lily from the River Plate area of Uruguay.

In 1513, the plain of the Rio de la Plata was so carpeted with bazillions [a word meaning infinite numbers whish was in this bit of information] of Zephyranthes candida, that the Spaniards who "discovered" it called it the River of Silver.
Remember the film 'The Battle of the River Plate'? Remember the pocket battleship 'Graf Spee'? Remember Montivideao? Remember John Gregson, Anthony Quayle and Anthony Finch? Well if you do you are as old as I am. One of the first pictures I went to! I saw in Freuchie, Fife, in the local hall. Every time the reels had to be changed the lights went on. Black and white. Thanks Barry and Cathy for bringing back memories and all with one white flower. I don't remember any Zephyranthes in the film!


Zephyranthes candida from the Silver River Valley and Abernyte!

Gentians provide a great splash of colour at the Discussion weekend show. Ian Christie and Tim Leven vied for the honours in the gentian classes.


Ian young disguised himself as a Cyclamen but was spotted a admiring the gentians


Ian and Anne Christie and Tim Lever


Gentiana 'Limelight'


Gentiana 'Angus Beauty'


Gentiana 'Shot Silk'


Gentiana 'Silken Giant'


Gentiana 'Saltire seedling'


Ruth and Tony Rymer with Darren and Susan Sleep admire the wonderful Presidential Gentians

Without doubt Jean Wyllie's Cyclamen hederifolium was this year's best Cyclamen but there were other smaller stars on the bench.


A big plant of the diminutive Cyclamen intaminatum from Glassford Sprunt, who is shown above with Malcolm McGregor.



Class 1 was dominated by Cyclamen. Sandy Leven won the class and the East Lothian Trophy with C.africanum, graecum and hederifolium


Sparaguea umbellata from Margaret and Henry Taylor

Foliage


Celmisia semi-cordata ssp aurigans, still splendid my favourite Celmisia shown by Alan Furness Celmisia semi-cordata ssp, aurigans


Celmisia longifolia, also Alan's


Alan Furness with Jim Jermyn


Harvey Shepherd explains the finer points of fern cultivation to Ron Nurse.
The fern is Cystopteris alpina


Salvia daghestanica


Microchacrys tetragonal


This guy has changed from being a Helichrysum into Ozothamnus coralloides.


Coprosma 'Marble King' from Brian Smethurst


The immaculate Brain and Shelagh Smethurst

People and other flowers


I don't want know what Davie was telling Maggie but he was obviously pleased


Roger Smyth appreciates how much work the show secretary has to do.


David Mowle and Dora Holmes


Isa Hall and Bette Ivey deep in conversation.


Maureen and Brian Wilson enjoy the evening


Peter finds a £20 note!


John with Jean in fall back position


Fred and Ian relax after a hard days listening!

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