Cleveland AGS Show held on 4th April 2015

[ranunculus]

Just back from another excellent AGS Spring Show, this time held at Stockton-on-Tees.  Hearty congratulations to the Show Secretaries; Norma Pagdin and Barry Winter and their hardworking team, who welcomed a host of exhibitors and a magnificent array of beautiful plants.  The vote for the Farrer Medal winning exhibit must have been very interesting as there were contenders spaced around the hall.  The eventual winner of the 'Best in Show' and the 'Farrer Medal' was an exquisite example of the rare and difficult Dionysia michauxii exhibited by Derek Pickard, a local and very prolific grower of these enchanting cushion forming gems.

Derek Pickard and his Farrer Medal winning exhibit.
Dionysia michauxii
The Farrer Medal plant was exhibited in Class 10, where the opposition consisted of these two magnificent entries, each of which may potentially have been considered for the Farrer on another day.

[Maggi Young]

Three plants that good in one class are the stuff of dreams for any Show Secretaries   

Super Farrer plant from Derek Pickard - congratulations to him!

[ChrisB]

Well done Derek!

[veteran vet]

Easter Weekend means Cleveland Show and for once the weather was kind. Another new venue for the show, the show hall was ok but the long carry from the car to the hall was not welcome, especially as this year for the first time I had entered quite a few plants in pots near the maximum size. Although the long carry was not welcome the cheery reception from those organising the show was as welcoming as ever, helped with the ache from knees and shoulders!
It looked to me as perhaps there were fewer plants on the bench...the way this spring has been is pretty much the same for all shows so far...but there were some really nice plants to be seen. Also it is possible that there were fewer paying public through the door but the trade stands seemed to do a decent trade.
I will do my usual run through plants that drew my attention, some repeats from earlier shows but quite a bit of new.

[veteran vet]

There were some really big pans in the early classes of the Open section as can be seen from this bench view of classes 4,5 and 6
Class 4 had one entry, from Frank and Barbara Hoyle, Cyclamen pseudibericum, Dionysia aretiodes and Primula Pink Aire. They also had
Primula allionii 'Mrs Dyas' in (2)
Primula 'Broadwell Milkmaid (2) from Derek Pickard
Saxifraga columnaris (15) from Geoff Mawson earned a Certificate of Merit

[veteran vet]

It was a good day for saxifrage and I will be showing you quite a few
Saxifraga 'Coolock Kate' from Ian Leslie (15)
As already reported the Farrer Medal was won by Derek Pickard with
Dionysia michauxii (10), in the same class another contender for the Farrer was shown by Geoff Rollinson. The judging of this took some time as both plants had nearly equal merit and judging was decided by one vote however Geoffs plant lost out but got a CofM
Dionysia gaubae

[veteran vet]

Geoff Rollinson also won another CofM for his
Primula allionii 'Crusader'
Cyclamen persicum 'Rhodes Form' (9) from Ivor Betteridge who had the most points in the Open Section
Saxifraga TJR615/01, a cinerea hybrid from Mark Childerhouse (23). He also had a huge Coolock Gem at the show...another heavy one to carry
Fritillaria carica from Don Peace (21)
Trillium chloropetallum 'Val Mulvihill' (20) won the David Baker vase for the Best Plant from North America for Fred and Pat Bundy

[veteran vet]

Saxifraga x dinninaris 'Ray Woodliffe' from Robert Rolfe (48), closely followed by
Saxifraga x dinninaris from Tommy Anderson (45)....it seems from looking at lots of x dinninaris yesterday there is considerable variation to be seen
Dionysia lurorum x aretiodes (46) from Brian Burrow
Corydalis solida ssp incisa alba (59) Ivor Betteridge, a really nice plant
Townsendia hookeri from John Bunn (58), in better flower than last week

[veteran vet]

Another Dionysia from Derek Pickard in 57
Dionysia bryoides
Fritillaria amana from Mala Janes in 67, relegating Don Peace to second with
Fritillaria aurea x pinardii
Fritillaria reuteri from Ann and Michael Morton (64) I show as two pictures as it was difficult to get the whole plant in one, one pic shows inside the flower, the other the outside

[veteran vet]

Ivor Betteridge had a nice three pan entry in 64
Allium elburzense
Narcissus jonquilla var minor
Ipheon 'Rolf Fiedler'
Pleione 'Shantung' from Jim Watson (63)...he is heading for  Edinburgh this weekend!
Another Saxifraga 'Coolock Kate' this time from Geoff Rollinson in 61

[veteran vet]

Class 85, one for three plants all requiring the same cultural conditions had several entries, one of which was from Alan Furness and I also show his notes as well
Fritillaria tubiformis (84) from George Young
Primula henrici from Peter Hood (83)
Ranunculus crithmifolius, unfortunately I did not get the exhibitor but I think was Don Peace. Is one of my favourites, sadly lost my plant a few years ago and no seed germinated (still have the pot though, ever hopefull)

[veteran vet]

Cryptantha compacta from Alan Furness (81)
Callianthemum farreri (80) from Dave Riley was much admired, I also show his notes on cultivation
Arcterica nana from Mala Janes (76), in the same class was
Phylliopsis halleri 'Sprite' from Trevor Harding

[veteran vet]

Soldanella carpatica alba from Barry Winter (50) is a lovely specimen, makes you want to grow alpines
I made a comment last week about who has the bragging rights in the Barraclough household, no doubt who it was yesterday as Heather won the North Riding Trophy for the best pam Primulaceae in the Intermediate section with
Primula 'Clarence Elliot'
Fritillaria bithynica from Ian Leslie (67)
Robert Rolfe giving Derek Pickard a few tips on how to grow Dionysia
Anemone caucasica (14) from George Young, in better flower than Hexham

[Maggi Young]

  Cryptantha compacta from Alan Furness  is a little gem - and so is your pan of Anemone caucasisca, George. 

[veteran vet]

Another view of the hall, this one being a table in the Large Open
Those trough specialists John and Clare Dower did it again in 41
Sebaea thomasii from Jim Watson (47)
What I grow as Hepatica transsilvanica Flora Plena, it came from Eric Watson many years ago, did not impress the judges, I was told by one I had taken a whole lot of rosettes and stuffed them into the pan (35cm one)...guess he doesn't know a lot about hepatica flowers and how they don't like being handled
Class 45, the small six, had two entries and again lead to considerable debate among the judges as to 1. the winner of the class and then 2, once that decision had been made was whether it was good enough for an AGS medal. The winner was Ian Kidman and it was awarded the medal. I picture it as a group in this post and as individuals in the next post