Midland AGS Show at Knowle, Solihull

[Maggi Young]

I love Diane's Rhododendron dendrocharis .
The Cassiope is a huge cracker, though I like to see the calyces showing red,  this colour is lost quite quickly when the plants are under glass.

[ian mcenery]

Maggi I don't grow this Cassiope variety are you saying that outdoors the calyces are red on this one?

[Maggi Young]

Yes, Ian, outdoors the calyces are a nice red. There are some types that have paler calyces, with just a hint of red, there are some of those in Gothenburg that I've seen photos of, but most of the cassiopes with a red/bronze calcyx will fade it pretty quick indoors. The fabulous plant shown at Solihull has spent some time indoors, going by the very pale colour of the calyx. This was to protect it from the weather, I expect, unless the exhibitor always grows it under glass, which seems strange, since it is hardy enough. I would think it is a case of pre-show protection for safety!

[Luc Gilgemyn]

I hope last night's postings didn't leave you with too much of a hangover Cliff !   
Thanks a lot to you and Ian for letting us be at the show !!! 

[ranunculus]

Many thanks Ian....I knew you were out there somewhere.  Sorry we didn't get a chance for a proper chat at the show, so many photos to take and so many friends to catch up with and SO many plants, books and seeds to buy.

I appreciate the kind comments Luc.

[Diane Clement]

Maggie, I thought that this subspecies gracilis DOES have green calyces 

[Maggi Young]

Maybe you are right , Diane, I certainly thought ssp.gracilis had the red also. Quite prepared to be wrong, it won't be the first time

[Diane Clement]

OK, I'll attempt to find some pics not previously shown.  Firstly, thanks to all for kind words about my Rhododendron.  I was actually a steward in the hall and desperately trying NOT to look like I was trying to hear the judges and surreptiously count all those hands going up in the air to vote.  I was so excited about the award, I haven't really recovered yet.  Oh dear, must get a life I suppose 

Oh, some pics
Cyclamen rhodium vividum
Cyclamen creticum
both shown by Ian Robertson who brought a truckload of superb cyclamen

[Diane Clement]

To continue ...
Daphne cneorum pygmaea album
Daphne petraea Lydora
Pieris japonica Sarabande (a super garden plant with me, this one grown by Harry Roberts)
Viola dephinantha (one of these made its way from Robin White's stall back home with me, not for the first time, will try and keep it alive this time)
a 3-pan from John Dixon including Primula bracteata and Dionysia diapensiifolia

[Diane Clement]

And a few from behind the scenes
Setting up the show the day before
and waiting for the plants ...
general view of the show
and my car waiting to be unloaded with now famous rhodie front right of pic.  Caption competition this week for this one. OK, I've already had "a Safe-way to transport plants to the show"  you got to do better than that

[ranunculus]

How about.....


'Car boot sale....returns department'



Sorry Di....you can kick me on Saturday at Harrogate!!!

[ranunculus]

The piccies are excellent (and congratulations again on the adulation that Saturday inspired)>

[ian mcenery]

Cliff

I'm surprised that there were any piccies left for us to show after your gargantuan efforts. Just goes to show how many plants were on display in spite of a major AGS conference weekend clashing with the Midland show

[Paddy Tobin]

Cliff and Diane,

An excellent report on the show and fabulous photographs. Indeed, viewing online has the great benefit of being able to view the plants at great leisure and to return to them as often as required. Many thanks for such a thorough photographic report.

A question/comment, if I may:

I find it difficult to see why plants which can be better grown in open ground in the garden are so regularly given awards when presented pot-grown at a  show.

For example, I'm sure many have seen a pot of daffodils given an award at a show and realise that this is quite an ordinary plant to grow and indeed this is especially so when the pot looks like the bulbs could have been bought the previous autumn, potted up and presented at a show the following spring. Growing them and presenting them was hardly a challenge to the horticultural abilities of the grower so I fail to see why an award should be given to such a plant.

Perhaps I have oversimplified my comment yet I am convinced that I have seen many plants receive awards when the plants would have been better grown if planted in the garden and not in a pot and feel that growing them in a pot does not in fact show them being grown well.

On the other hand, I have seen many exceptional plants presented at shows and appropriately recognised and awarded. These for me are the plants which could not have been grown other than in a pot and in the shelter of a glasshouse or bulb frame and would no thrive in the open garden. Success with these difficult to grow plants certainly deserves recognition.

Hopefully, I shall be able to attend the show in Dublin on Saturday next and expect to see many exceptional plants and unfortunately others which do not deserve bench space not to mention an award.

Paddy

[Rob]

Hi

I’d like to add my thanks to Cliff for his fantastic show reports.

I found three last plants which I don’t think have been posted yet

Arisaema sikokianum
Leucojum nicaeenis
Sedum humifusum

Following from Paddy’s comment, is there any etiquette about posting pictures.

Not being a regular at the shows, I don’t know which the exceptional plants are, from those which do better in the garden.

 
Regards,
Rob