CLEVELAND AGS SHOW - Saturday 3rd April 2010 at Stockton-on-Tees

[ranunculus]

Just returned from another wonderful AGS national show at Stockton-on-Tees in Cleveland and will post just ten initial images from this lovely event.  Hearty congratulations to Show Secretary; Norma Pagdin and her team on a successful and friendly day.
Even more hearty congratulations to Tom Green (resplendent in his SRGC top) on his first Farrer Medal success with his glorious Sebaea.

TOM GREEN AND HIS FARRER MEDAL WINNING SEBAEA
THE FARRER MEDAL PLANT
SAXIFRAGA 'RED POLL'
LOVELY PRIMULA VULGARIS SSP. SIBTHORPII SHOWN BY JOHN RICHARDS
DIONYSIA CURVIFLORA
SHOW BENCH COLOUR
DIONYSIA BRYOIDES
LOVELY HEPATICA CLOSE-UP
MINIATURE GARDEN ENTRY WITH GARDEN FURNITURE
CLEVELAND SHOW 2010 BENCH

[Maggi Young]

Hurrah! Well done, Tom.... what a great plant- and perfectly co-ordinated with his green SRGC top! 
Tom Green is a regular visitor over the border for the SRGC Shows with his well grown and presented plants.... how exciting to see him win a Farrer at Cleveland... are you going for a Forrrest next week in Edinburgh, Tom??!  



Thanks for getting back  so quickly with photos, Cliff.... I must go back now to see the other photos after that excitment seeing Tom!

[Maggi Young]

Just thinking, Cliff.... wasn't it a bit tricky for the Piglets to find a lunching place that wasn't full to bursting because of the holiday weekend? Don't tell me you were reduced to packets of crisps in the car -park?  Or did you stick with tea and  cake from the Show?

[Mick McLoughlin]

Maggi,
Have no fear. A suitable hostelry was found within walking distance of the show. They know their inns these piglets. Free hot cross buns supplied for exhibitors in the morning as well. Thanks to all for a well organised show again.
Mick

[ranunculus]

Arrived at the selected hostelry to find this advance party of Pudsey Piglets battering on the door!

[ChrisB]

Its been a great show day, that's for sure.  Here are a few pics I took:

First, Woodsia polystichoides, which won a 3rd for the Smethursts, but was then GIVEN to me to look after.  I can't believe it even now.  I have to learn all about how to care for this precious plant, grown from spores, yikes!!!  Any advice will be welcomed.

Next, a lovely Trillium rivale, which I just loved, the plant and then a closer look at the flower.

A lovely pot of Tecophilea

And the Farrer winner, Sebea thomasii  Bravo Mr Green!!!

[ChrisB]

Sax dinnikii was shown by Ian Kidman.  This picture does not show just how wonderful the flowers are, you have to gaze into them to know they are not made from silk.

Pulsatilla vernalis shown by the Smethursts well deserved the 1st they got

Primula 'Miniera' was a lovely plant shown by Don Peace

Primula vulgaris ssp. sibthorpii was in an enormous pot, shown by John Richards

Primula Netta Dennis was shown by quite a few people, but this one by Barry Winter I liked more than the others, even though it didn't have the volume of flower the others had.

[ChrisB]

P. Eveline Burrow - Ian Kidman
P. eliator ssp. meyeri - John Richards
Narcissus calcicola - Ian Leslie
Muscari pallens hybrid Early Rose, very pretty delicate colour, love this one, Diane (Clements)
An impressive mini garden shown by the McLaughlins.  Such a lot of work must go into the perfection these exhibits demand

[ChrisB]

Mecanopsis paniculata was shown in a foliage class, and what a stunner this one was.  Sorry, didn't get the name of the exhibitor, if anyone knows, please let us know.

Another wonderful pot of Hepatica nobilis by David Boyd

Haastia pulvinaris by the Johnsons

The three pan exhibit of frits won David Boyd a first, what a nice group it was - F. tuntasia ssp tuntasia?/ F. olivera and F. carica

[ChrisB]

Fritillaria caucasica - G Young
Fritillaria carica shown by Robert Rolfe
Douglasia nivalis - Ian Kidman
Dionysia curviflora - Ian Kidman
Dionysia aretoides sorry didn't get exhibitor

[ChrisB]

Daphne blagayana 'Brenda Anderson' shown by the Bundy's such lovely scent.  Please make sure plants like this are close to the front of the bench so we can all take a sniff mmmmmmm

Loved the foliage on this cyclamen persicum - David Boyd

One of my favourite corydalis - popovii shown by the Bramleys

Callianthemum anemonoides shown by John Richards, lovely thing

Bolax gummifera - Ian Kidman

[ChrisB]

Benthamiella patagonica - Ian Kidman
Benthamiella nordenskjoldii - Alan Furness
Accompanying cultivation notes for above
Three pan of primula shown by G Mawson

And finally, a couple of shots of exhibitors and visitors

[Lesley Cox]

Many thanks to those who remembered the rest of us who can't attend these fabulous shows. Without the regular picture "fixes" we'd be suffereing badly.

Who are the two Forumists in the last picture please? To be honest they look more excited about the noshing possibilities provided by the above hostelry, than they do with the show itself. Obviously they hadn't "pigged out" at the time this last pic was taken.

[ranunculus]

Lesley ... the two piglets are Martin Rogerson and Tony Lee ... two thoroughly likable gentlemen and forum regulars!

[Peter Maguire]

Good to see Tom's Sebaea getting the Farrer; it was in contention for the Forrest medal at Hexham last weekend, before just losing out to the Trillium nivale. It looks even better this week!