London AGS Show 15th April 2008

[Greenmanplants]

Been a while since I posted anything here but felt you needed to share yesterday's Farrer at London.

Lee and Julie Martin to be congratulated on winning with Androsace studiosorum. 

[Maggi Young]

John, we've missed you very much .....how lovely to have you make your return with this wonderful winning potful of colour from those nice  Martin folks.... great growers, aren't they?
What a super plant this is for exhibition, never looks so good outside but it is still a great plant for a raised bed.

[Carlo]

Fantastic! I continue to marvel at the show winners we see on the forum. Anyone have an idea of the percentage that are pot-grown as opposed to lifted for the shows?

[Maggi Young]

Carlo, I would estimate that around 95 percent are pot grown.

[ranunculus]

I would hazard a guess that about 10% of the exhibits at any given show are lifted from the open ground, many wonderful plants remain in their pots for a number of years and reappear for their annual dose of red, blue and yellow stickers.

I believe I'm inviting some good-humoured banter by replying to your query Carlo....I will be told in no uncertain terms that 'only current exhibitors can answer such technical questions!!  

Maggi....you must have pressed your button two milliseconds before me!

[Greenmanplants]

Carlo,

I was about to answer when Cliff came in.  I would guess the % to be even lower.

I don't exhibit, as I've nothing worth showing, but will occasionally lift a plant from the garden to show,- I have nothing much in pots bar propagation material and leave everything to the mercy of the weather and wildlife outside.

There used to be a specific class for plants lifted especially for showing, but it seems there was a lot of doubt about whether some of these actually ever left their pots.

Here are a couple more from the show which is still on today, two 6 pan classes; the Sewell Medal and the Royal Bank of Scotland Trophy both won by Cecilia Coller, an absolutely fantastic lady who brings a full van of the most delightful plants to every show. the plants are still on the bench and  will only be removed this evening.   

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Wonderful pix and plants John !
That Androsace studiosorum is absolutely stunning - and there's even some buds unopened !!!!

Thanks for making us drool 

[Diane Clement]

Anyone have an idea of the percentage that are pot-grown as opposed to lifted for the shows?

Of course, it all depends.  If you grow and show dionysias, then it's 100% pot grown, I'm sure.  Many growers of rhododendrons and other ericaceous shrubs grow them in the garden and lift them.
 
Of the last two shows I did, -
At Chesterfield, of the 5 plants I took, 4 were lifted from the garden.
At East Lancs, of the 10 plants I took, 6 were lifted from the garden, 2 of these at midnight by torchlight, a few hours before they were staged.

[Maggi Young]

It's an interesting angle this, pot or lifted theme. we used to lift a lot of stuff for shows, until two things happened... 1) the plants were too big to stuff in a pot that was portable or
2) the plants grew together and through eachother in the garden and so weren't easy to lift or made a poorly shaped plant when lifted.
When that happened we did go over to plants kept in pots for showing.... easier when they are grown under glass anyway.
And what fun we had showing our plants! And what success Those were the days
Now, there is nothing in the garden which could be lifted to show without causing major damage to half a dozen other things in the vicinity. Under glass we have gone over almost entirely to bulbs (this may not be either news, or surprise, to many of you  ) and since the BD has decreed that maximum use must be made of smaller square plastic pots, it is the sad case that lots of our plants , while growing healthily, are too crowded to be show plants, being somewhat drawn for lack of light in their very crowded quarters! Alos we have a problem with roots coming out in to the sand plunge, which also makes problems for removing pots.

Never mind, we had a good run at the shows and I doubt that some of our record making SRGC points totals will ever be beaten, so that's kind of compensation!  Work as Show secretaries keeps us up to the mark, of course.... which brings me back to the likes of the redoubtable Cecilia Coller.....where would the shows be without the contributions of such talented growers who are able and willing to travel such distances to support the events?  I do not know how that particular lady manages it........my back gives out just thinking about that much work nowadays, and I do not think I am being too rude if I suggest that Ms Coller is a good few years ahead of me in age
She's a marvel.... should be made an AGS Angel for Services to Shows! 

[Carlo]

Thanks to all for your responses to the pot vs. lifted question. Since we have nothing like your show system here (curious, that...), it's interesting to hear how it all works...

[ranunculus]

I'm leaving myself open again here...but when I DID exhibit (quite frequently for twenty plus years), I can honestly say that I never once lifted a plant from the garden.  I have been known to change a pot (usually to a slightly smaller size to be 'as per schedule') or to replace a cracked, badly stained or ugly pot, but everything was grown (the majority in the open all year) in pots in a garden measuring 8 metres x 4 metres that also included two small greenhouses (for propagation purposes), frames, a shed, washing lines, etc., etc. etc. AND I always sowed over three hundred packets of seed every year.  Don't ask me why Sue is still with me or how I managed....I simply don't know?
Even though the sky is grey and very overcast I will attempt a couple of shots (from the rear bedroom window) at this moment to illustrate how much better the situation is now....just imagine the same area with one more greenhouse, a garden shed and perhaps another four or five hundred pots.
Carlo...I submit the evidence for the prosecution in the case against 'growing for showing'!  It becomes an addiction.
Now then; 'When is the next (fix) Show"?

[ranunculus]

Of course my dear friends in Kentucky will testify as to just how much better the garden looks now....there is now space to swing a very small and malnourished kitten!

[ranunculus]

Perhaps I had better explain (before the animal welfare people descend on the house in their droves) that we British have a jocular expression to be used when space is at a premium....i.e. 'Barely room to swing a cat' (which probably relates back to the use of a lash (or cat o' nine tails) as a punishment.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

This has been a very instructive afternoon Cliff 
Always eager to learn.

Great view of your garden as well !
I'm particularly fond of the (undoubtedly a Ranunculus...) plant in pot nr 124 in the 6th row from the left 

[ranunculus]

Thanks Luc....trust you to pick the only plant with aphids! 

...But you were right, it IS a buttercup...!