Highland Show 28 April 2007

[David Shaw]

The local Highland Show was held in Inverness today and the winner of the Weir Sheild (eqv. Forrest medal) was Tina Finch with Gentian Acaulis. I hope to put a few more pictures up in the next few days.

[Maggi Young]

It was a lovely day for the highland Show in Invereness yesterday. Great to sse some chums but apity not to see more! The plants were in good order and the hall looked very Springlike with all the colour.
Tina had this super Gentiana acaulis as well as a bunch of other good plants.Tina won the prize for most points in Section II. Local Convener, Birthday Girl and Show Secretary Carol Shaw and her husband David had brough along a good carload plants too and were rewarded with the trophy for best bulb, a pan of Fritillaria affinis and one for the best primula for Primula aureata. Most points in Section one was won by that excellent grower, Olive Bryers...I think Olive is a bit of a magpie, she likes ALL sorts of plants and had a terrific range on display, all well grown and presented. There was an impressive range of plants altogether... no mean feat from I saw some full bags being carried off!

Mike Hopkins and I journeyed up on the train to judge the classes and really had a super day out. I do not doubt Mike would like me to thank all of the Highland Group members who made us so welcome and who gave us such a good lunch, too!
I, very stupidly, forgot my camera.... but David was able to grab a few shots, though not, of course, of all the prize-giving etc., in which he and Carol were invloved. we'll get a "flavour, though, I'm sure.

[David Shaw]

Maggie, many thanks to you and Mike for coming all the way to Inverness to act as our judges. I am glad that you enjoyed your day and hope that you found some of our plants to be of interest.

Here are a few of the pictures of the show.

1  The exhibitors are all members of Highland Group so the number of plants on the table is much less than in other shows. This is expected but we would like more bodies throwing monet at us.

2  Our multipan class is a three pan class and produces some nice plants

3  Judges Mike and Maggie are immediatly recognisable and on the left is Maeve Lewis, club secretary and todays' cheif steward

4  Best primula in show was primula aureata exhibited by Carol and David Shaw

5  Ranunculus chrithmifolius is just as difficult to grow as it is to pronounce. This plant gained a Certificate of Merit for Olive Bryers who amassed most points in Section I for the Highland Trophy.

[ranunculus]

Congratulations to Olive on her splendid Ranunculus crithmifolius....as David remarked it is; 'Just as difficult to grow as it is to pronounce'.

[David Nicholson]

............. This is expected but we would like more bodies throwing monet at us...............

David, I too would like to have a Monet thrown at me

Thanks for the pictures, almost as good as being there.

[Paddy Tobin]

Good show, many thanks David.

As you say, numbers are small but it is also obvious that the plants are of a very high quality, so numbers are not the most important concern of any show.

Maggi! I didn't recognise you without your blue raincoat.

Paddy

[Anthony Darby]

If anyone is throwing monet - or should that be money - about I'll be there.

[Maggi Young]

 In the Harrogate show thread I mentioned that some plants were evident there and in Inverness... though I haven't the pix to prove it, I'll just mention a few that were easily the equal of their southern counterparts. There were large, showy plants of Ramonda myconi, Arisaema sikokianum (with about six flowering stems, grown from seed in 2003) two different forms of Haberlea rhodopensis (one a very big pot of the usual type and one a chunky potful of a super form that was a miniature version... smaller leaves, charming little flowers, really eye-catching. This was grown by Tina Finch who told me that it has always been diminutive and, given that the plant was so healthy, I dismissed any thoughts of it being smaller because it was hungry! And yes, I have asked for a leaf or two to root!)
There were several smart Lewisias, bringing their extraordinarily clear bright  colour to the hall, but the one that Mike H. and I were most taken with was a pan of Lewisia brachycalyx... full of flower and looking fab, it too was in the grown from seed class. The Shaw's Primula aureata was a good one, smeeld nice, too!!
 Gentiana acaulis,the best in show plant, was a cracker and the dark blue flowers, highlighted with green could not have been fresher.

[David Shaw]

I have searched my pictures for ones showing the plants listed by Maggie. Most are cropped from larger pictures at least one (Tina's Haberlea) is too small.
1 Ramonda myconi - Olive Bryers
2 Arisaema sikokianum - seedling from Davie Sharp
3 Haberlea rhodopensis with large leaves - Olive
4 Haberlea rhodopensis with small leaves - Tina Finch
5 Lewisia class
6 Lewisia brchycalyx from seed - Olive
7 Gentian acaulis to try and show true colour - Tina

[Maggi Young]

Well done, David! Great minds, eh? I think that folks can see what we're on about. You can see, too, that Tina's diminutive Haberlea is indeed a neat little thing, although the plant itself was quite a large potful. I think all your colours are very true to life.