AGS East Cheshire Show - 1st May 2010

[Diane Clement]

It's taken me a while to catch up with sorting my pictures, but I'll start the backlog with AGS East Cheshire Show.

Some warmer weather prior to the show meant that a superb range of plants in flower and foliage were seen on the bench at East Cheshire.  Large plants of Trilliums, Saxifragas and Lewisias were brought into the show hall - some causing considerable difficulties in transferring such large and heavy pots from car boot to show bench.

Geoff Rollinson demonstrated his excellence in growing Androsace, with several pots around the hall, and his largest pan of Androsace cylindrica x hirtella winning the G F Smith Trophy for the best pan of Androsace and the Farrer medal for best plant in the show (his 30th, an incredible achievement).

Androsace cylindrica x hirtella

[Diane Clement]

Mark Childerhouse has shown some excellent pots of Saxifraga earlier this year and at this show, Saxifraga pubescens ‘Snowcap’ took over as sax of the week - several pots on the bench, Mark’s being the largest and best was awarded a Certificate of Merit and a First Class Certificate from the Joint Rock Committee.  

Saxifraga pubescens ‘Snowcap’

[Diane Clement]

The class for one pan from North America class was won by a large pot of Trillium grandiflorum exhibited by Chris Lilley and this was also awarded a Certificate of Merit.  Chris reckoned the plant to be at least 20 years old.  

Trillium grandiflorum

[Diane Clement]

Another Certificate of Merit was awarded to Alan Keay for a large white Lewisia cotyledon ‘Alba’

Lewisia cotyledon ‘Alba’

[Diane Clement]

An AGS medal is only awarded in a six-pan class if the entry is voted for by a majority of all the judges.  Barry Winter was successful in winning an AGS medal for a colourful entry in the large six pan with Corydalis flexuosa ‘Purple Leaf’ (labelled as the synonymous ‘Blue Dragon’), Zaluzianskya ‘Orange Eye’, Pleione formosana, Saxifraga pubescens ‘Snowcap’ and two pots of Lewisia cotyledon in pink and orange. 

[Diane Clement]

The small six-pan class and an AGS medal were won by Lionel Clarkson including Gentiana verna ssp balcanica, Campanula biebersteiniana, Silene araratica, Androsace villosa ssp taurica, Androsace robusta ssp purpurea and Daphne petraea ‘Punchinello’ a selection from Peter Erskine unusually with inner flower lobes light pink and the outer ones dark pink.

[Diane Clement]

Arisaema thunbergii subsp urashima shown by Tony Lee

[Diane Clement]

Cyclamen persicum Silver leaf form shown by Ivor Betteridge

[Diane Clement]

Ivor Betteridge had a good show, winning the Cheshire Challenge cup for the most first prize points in the Open Section,

He won the large 3 pan foliage class and his entry included:

Hepatica ‘Millstream Merlin’ (earning its keep as a foliage plant at mid-season shows as well as an excellent plant in flower earlier in the season), and
Disporum smithii ‘Rick’ - the plant was originally bought with the name ‘Riele’  which has now been assumed to be a misreading by a nursery of a handwritten label ‘Rick’ although the incorrect name perpetuates in nursery lists and websites. 

[Diane Clement]

Asarum campniforme shown by Jim and Wilma Wright

Androsace wardii shown by Geoff Rollinson and notes

[Diane Clement]

Trillium albidum shown by Ian Instone

Colourful lewisias, and at the centre of the picture, Salix cashmiriana shown by Ron and Hilary Price

[Diane Clement]

And to finish, a general view of the showbench

[Maggi Young]

The show looks great, Diane, thanks for taking the time to post the photos...... it really doesn't matter when they get here, we just so enjoy  seeing them!  

[Lesley Cox]

Indeed they are all wonderful. For Best in Show I would have found it hard to go past the white Lewisia. Maybe not the rarest or most difficult but such an achievment to have so many flowers in such perfect condition over the whole and large plant at one time.