SRGC Aberdeen Show May 16th 2009

[Maggi Young]

We miss you guys, Chris, perhaps you should come back  for a visit for the next show?
No photos from us yet, still  to tidy the show paraphenalia and gett everything clean and ready for next year. Potting Shed at the BBC for me this morning and it was so nice today that I had to take the opportunity for a nice walk before catching up with the emails etc.
Looks like Southport had a lot of plants on the bench; we were a few down on last year but it worked rather well in that folk could see the individual plants rather beeter that way, so no real problem there 
Show hall looked very pretty, even though the weather was mostly dull and duller. Thanks Graham, for having the strength after your efforts volunteering at the show to get some photos online.
As usual, it takes many many hands to make light work of a show day..... if I listed all the folks who  gave so generously of their time and talents to make the day such fun, you'd think I was reciting the phone book! There were many helpers and many who were there all day, working their socks off in all sorts of capacities and they all add up to a lovely friendly, fun gathering with happy socialising as well as great plants.... what could be nicer?
Good to welcome some folks to the Aberdeen show for the first time, including some of our NZ visitorsd from last weeek, who had juggled their holiday to fit in another visit ot Aberdeen to see  the show. We were so pleased they came and they looked pretty happy with the day, too. They certainly took the prize for the "we've come furthest" competition.

The Forrest medal was won by Cyril Lafong, with a really chubby thicket of Cypripedium calceous var pubescens.
More details of plants and people in a couple of days time, when I find where the camera is in all these boxes that are lying about the place!
I think indication are that the show was a financial success as well, with enough monies coming in to pay all the hall hire costs etc, si that is  good news too..... I thought our Treasuruer, Bill McGregor was likely to have a pleasing day when 6 gallons of soup was consumed.... that's about 30 litres, I think.... a lot of leek and potato soup, anyhow! Lord knows how many buns the Kitchen Gang buttered and filled ..... LOTS!!! 

Another brief word of thanks to all the marvelous volunteers who made the day terrific.....the Aberdeen Team of SRGC is truly fantastic.....( pity about the local football teams, but, hey, you can't have everything!) ........ thank you, Friends, you are the BEST!

[ranunculus]

Superb images from an excellent show, Graeme ... many thanks for posting (and is it possible to join a Cyril Lafong masterclass at the earliest opportunity?  What a grower - what a showman - what a pleasure to see such magnificent plants - MANY THANKS, CYRIL).

[David Shaw]

I don't know what happened to these pictures of Graeme's. They were posted them last night but have only just appeared on Carol's and my screens. They definitely weren't there at lunchtime today - bad weather in the Glens again?
Whatever, many thanks for the pictures, Graeme, they help to extend the delights of the show experience for those of us fortunate enough to be there.
Is it an ageist thing or does everyone see pictures posted of plants they insist they never saw at the show. Did Graeme nip down to Southport for a couple of pics? I'm sure I never saw that lovely little Aquilegia on the bench. Oh hum.

[Maggi Young]

David, Graham had posted his pix in a new thread and I merged the two.... you had not spotted the other thread before I merged them this afternoon!

[David Shaw]

Great stuff, Batman!

[Carol Shaw]

Pity about the weather, although it looks like people are having fun ratting through the seeds, would love to see a pic of the plants for sale bench 
I love the little epimedium.

So do we Helen... it is such a perfect wee plant - thankfully the judges thought so too!

[Anthony Darby]

That's a lovely pot of Cypripedium pubescens, and I take it a pot of C. 'Sebastian' behind left?

[Maggi Young]

Yes, Anthony, it is 'Sebastian' and, it was really gorgeous; so elegant ; I loved it!!

[Graeme Strachan]

Thanks to all for the comments - much appreciated.
I must say thank you to the workers behind the serving hatch who put up with my strange sense of humour all day on Saturday. I think that they thought it was novel having a man helping in the kitchen. (or trying to help or just trying)
Q. What kind of soup?
A. Potato and Leak or Leak and Potato.

Anyway enough of that.... Here's my last, last, last final photos.

            Graeme

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Great pictures Graeme - Thanks very much for giving us a window to watch this excellent (despite the weather...) show !  Gorgeous plants once again.

Not very often I've seen Silene acaulis, shown in the last batch, flowering so well in captivity.

Thanks again !

[ChrisB]

I'm so pleased to see Epimedium grandiflorum 'Nanum'.  I have this plant and somehow had lost its name.  Now I shall keep it safe.  It is a superb plant, love the foliage with the dark red edge when it first emerges.  The flowers are a bonus!

[Anthony Darby]

Mmm. Nice green patio pot.

[Maggi Young]

Mmm. Nice green patio pot.

There were several, Anthony... and very smart they looked, too. Very practical homes for plants in many cases 

[Anthony Darby]

They are really great for my cyps as they are not porous so don't dry out and frost won't crack them like it does the terracotta ones.

[Maggi Young]

They are really great for my cyps as they are not porous so don't dry out and frost won't crack them like it does the terracotta ones.

And tough enough to withstand children, dogs and footballs, for the most part. They look a lot neater when sitting about "empty" when the plants are dormant than terracottas, too.