Watching the preparations of SRGC for 'Gardening Scotland', and the final display has been exciting and educational - especially having been involved in doing the same thing for the Hardy Plant Society at Chelsea a number of times. It would be difficult to put together an alpine display for our local Kent Garden Show, but the Kent HPS which has a much larger and enthusiastic membership, did put on a lovely and rewarding display, even if not with quite the panache of SRGC. There is a close connection between the AGS and HPS in Kent simply because many who run them belong to both.
Hardy Perennials lend themselves to a more romantic 'cottage' garden type display, which must hold universal appeal to keen gardeners, and was certainly a contrast to many of the more individual displays from nurseries. Some of the combinations of plants and colours were very attractive and probably one of the greatest enjoyments of putting together such a display - it is very much the same thing that you would do in your own garden. Alpines are rather different because the individuality of the plants tends to come to the fore, but the same sense of ecological and aesthetic sensibility must be what makes a display so 'right'.
Amongst the other displays 'Just Air Plants' was beautifully put together and Tom Hart Dyke from Lullingstone had some stunning specimens of cacti and succulents. This is the first time I have been to the Show and although very many of the outdoor 'nurseries' were very homogeneous (ie: lots of plants all from the same sources), amongst them were quite a few with more exciting plants for the knowlegeable and adventurous gardener. The interest shown in the Kent HPS stand was very encouraging and I expect I shall be back next year!
