Northumberland Show at Hexham, 2010

[Darren]

Michael,
I'm sorry to hear of your negative experiences over there. I'm pretty sure things are different here. I've been lucky in that we have several very good growers and exhibitors in our group . Being a shy chap I would never actually approach someone to ask for cuttings or seed but this has been offered anyway when I express an interest. One of our members (now a successful exhibitor) told me that he had been (as a relative beginner), to visit, and been treated very generously, by such luminaries as Geoff rollinson, Ian Kidman, M & C Brown etc. This is hearsay of course - I'm not the networking type myself and am on very few Christmas lists! I'm certainly not in the 'Judges Club' and have never even spoken with any of the above except the Browns - who immediately gave me a Cyclamen I'd admired, typical of their famed generosity.

That said - I do feel that as Sue says, there is often a conservatism within the judging that sometimes limits the range of plants likely to win prizes.

For myself I can't complain as I've done well with some seriously obscure (and not especially hardy) plants at shows since i started exhibiting.

[veteran vet]

I could not resist these two images for the bulb despot to drool over

Fritillaria chitralensis (Edinburgh RBG I think, also not too sure re spelling)
Narcissus munozii-garmandiae (Edinburgh RBG)

I have not had time to follow the excellent coverage of the Hexham Show on the Forum, will get time tonight

[veteran vet]

What a lot of interesting comments, I can not help but add my pennyworth. With reference to judging most shows have different judges each year but there is a relatively small number of judges on the circuit, however it is very obvious, both from judging myself and from stewarding in behind judges during judging, that judges have their own tastes and like certain types of plants more than other types. So if you get a judge who does not like your particular type of plant then that year you come in second, third or nowhere but next year the judges are likely to be different and your plant may be the flavour of the month. This is hard if you only show at your local show, but if you show fairly regularly it is swings and roundabouts as far as I am concerned. Most judges are exhibitors themselves so are aware what is new, difficult, rare, common and are v aware of what is well grown...it is not a fluke that good growers win each week, they do so because they grow good plants.

[veteran vet]

Following on from my last post I usually find AGS shows friendly affairs although, as I am not a forward type of bloke, it took me a while to just walk up to people and ask questions. I have to say that when I did I never met with a rebuff, always friendly chat and advice. When I started showing I always showed whatever was in flower (following on from Sue Gills comments) as I was of the opinion that even if the judges were not impressed, if it converted one viewer to grow alpines or go and buy it from a nursery then that was good enough for me, it was amazing how often the plants got a sticker. If we can get this message over to people in our local groups then we would have more entries in C

[Michael J Campbell]

Only one show here and more or less the same judges every year. Sometimes there is a rep from Pershore but they usually bow to local influence.

[Maggi Young]

This is of course, an SRGC Forum and I can tell you that in SRGC Shows there have to  be a certain number of Judges from outwith the local area and no-one may Judge more than two years in a row in one show.

[Michael J Campbell]

Maggi, we need you over here to organize  a couple of shows, and then I might be able to start showing again.You obviously do things different over there.

[Darren]

Thank you for that George. I only do two shows so I do notice, for instance, that most years I get more firsts at Hexham than I do at Blackpool. So yes - it does vary.
I have also noticed ( ) that recently the top award has gone to decidedly tender plants (Australian Orchids etc) which were sniffed at when I exhibited the same species ten years ago. Nobody went as far as marking them NAS on grounds of hardiness but I'm sure it was considered.
I see this as a positive sign that things have changed over the last decade.

I'd like to further qualify my remarks by saying that I perfectly understand why the likes of Dionysias and Saxes etc are going to get the top prize - I am the first to admit that to get one of these in show condition is harder than with most bulbs and even the Cypripediums etc. Sorry, but it is, and the exhibitors of these cushions fully deserve their successes in the shows.

Anyway - thanks for posting your pic of the RBGE plants. Especially the Narcissus which I've coveted for years!

[Anthony Darby]

I could not resist these two images for the bulb despot to drool over

Not just the BD. I'm drooling too.

[Maggi Young]

I could not resist these two images for the bulb despot to drool over

Not just the BD. I'm drooling too.

Yes, these two would be favourites for a few of us, as George knows!

BD is been out cooing over these bulbs for practically the whole time they're in flower.... just as well they are going past as his Erythronium season gets into full swing or he'd have to be beside himself....

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Thanks for the excellent report  on the show everybody !! 
I enjoyed the discussion about showing and judging as well ! 

[shelagh]

On the subject of Narcissus I spotted the Wyllie Wife and Daff as a Brush sitting down to have a cosy 'tete a tete' (get it) re bulbs.

[Ragged Robin]

Thanks to everyone involved in exhibiting and reporting on the Hexham Show it portrays a wonderful event with some great looking plants grown by Forum Members.  I love the way Darren describes the build up to showing his prize winning Corydalis integra  - unexpected surprises in growing and catching a favourite at its peak is just great.

I'm a great believer in nurturing enthusiasm too.... and who could not be swept up by the enthusiasm of the Forum Members in so generously sharing their experiences at Shows or at home?

[james willis]

Could I please just add my thanks to all those who took photos at the Hexham Show.  I had hoped to return to the UK and to be be there this year but something called "events" got in the way so to see those beautiful photos did much to make up for the disappointment of being unable to attend.  I am looking forward to seeing what Show Secretary Peter Maguire is going to post, so go for it Peter!
Jim Willis

[Peter Maguire]

Jim,
You should know show secretaries don't have time to take photographs! Last year was a pleasant exception.