Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
SRGC Shows and Events => Events => Topic started by: Palustris on May 18, 2013, 07:58:08 AM
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One of our favourite places for a show.
Funny, it is also where I first joined the SRGC. The then treasurer was based in Southport.
Still not done the pictures from Solihull though.
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Just back from another superb AGS Show, this time at Southport in Lancashire. The threatened persistent heavy rain was replaced by intermittent drizzle and even this didn't deter hardy exhibitors from filling the hall with colour, foliage, sights and scents. The benches were resplendent with plants of every hue and the judges must have agonised over every decision.
Southport welcomed visitors from north of the border who came and saw and conquered. Cyril Lafong journeyed south with a car full of magnificent plants and stole the show with his beautiful Daphne calcicola, which took the Farrer Medal for 'Best Exhibit in the Show', while he stole my heart with an incredible pan of Cypripedium 'Ursel' (fasciolatum x henryi).
Many thanks and hearty congratulations to Roger Beecham, his tireless team of helpers and, especially, to the few who worked all day in the kitchens providing sustaining teas and coffees. Your efforts were greatly appreciated.
Another magnificent show that demonstrates the overwhelming beauty of our special mountain plants.
Cyril Lafong and his beautiful Farrer Medal winning Daphne calcicola (corrected - thanks to George Young).
Cyril's superb Cypripedium 'Ursel'
Close-up
Lewisia benches
Three-pan colour
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It looks like another bumper show Cliff - those three-pan classes could always be relied upon to attract many more entries than would turn up on the day, but not any more. They've been very competitive (and full) this year.
I assume that now Cyril has conquered Scotland, he's setting his sights on English domination also. Where next - a personal stand at Chelsea? ::)
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Some cracking good exhibits there! Well done Cyril. What a wonderful daphne.
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Slight slip of the notes there Cliff, the Farrer plant was Daphne calcicola, just to be sure checked with the man himself who is staying at the Burrow residence tonight
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Absolutely no excuse, George ... apart from a) taking no notes whatsoever; b) having a memory like a sieve; c) a lunchtime drink; d) a very poor secretary; e) dementia; f) dyslexia; g) anything else that might just save the tiniest semblance of street cred.
Apologies all and apologies to Cyril ... it WAS a WONDERFUL Daphne.
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Cliff was intoxicated by the scent from it, to be sure.
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The Southport show benches are groaning under the weight of all those super plants - what a grand show.
Well done to the Glenrothes Greenfinger for his successful trip south.
Good too, to see dear Mrs Clement safely restored to AGS show-land after her Czech adventures.
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The Southport show benches are groaning under the weight of all those super plants - what a grand show.
Well done to the Glenrothes Greenfinger for his successful trip south.
Good too, to see dear Mrs Clement safely restored to AGS show-land after her Czech adventures.
Diane barely had time to taste her lunch for her verbose praise of Prague ... it's safe to say, she enjoyed it IMMENSELY!!!
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Thanks all for the pictures from Southport and very well done Cyril his first expedition that far South with plants and what a cracker, cheers Ian the Christie kind
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I will stick a few pictures up...I have quite a lot...over coffee. As can be gathered from posts above it was a cracking show, as John Richards said when presenting the prizes, he had been going to Southport for at least 20 years and this was, in his opinion the best one yet...I must say I agree. There were many plants that in a routine year would have had a shout at the Farrer, not sure how many went up before the judges at the end.
My usual trundle round the show taking pictures of what I liked, was able to photograph in the hall
Androsace cylindrical Geoff Rollinson, (6) one of at least 4 of similar quality and size on display, one was in for the Farrer
Androsace studiosorum, Cecilia Coller (4) who won the most points in the Open Section
Dionysia involucrate, Geoff Rollinson ..I had expected to see a few of these on the bench but was the only one I noted
Lamium armenum Tommy Anderson (2)
Haberlea rhodopensis Cecilia Coller (7)
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Class 11 for Orchidacea had some really fine entries so I photographed them all
Cypripedium 'Gisella', Robin Pickering
Cypripedium 'Ursel', Cyril Lafong
Cypripedium parville, Ian Instone
Cymbidium goeringii Wilma and Jim Wright (plus a close up) is always one I find hard to photograph
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One more lot then outside again
Daphne calcicola, Farrer Medal, Cyril Lafong (20)
Daphnes petraea 'Grandiflora', John Richards (20), in any other year would have had a chance of the Farrer, was only second to D calcicola, he should have put it in another class possibly
Saxifraga 'Duncan Lowe, Frank and Barbara Hoyle (3 & 10)
Fritillaria camschatcensis Clare Oates (13)
Class 8 3 pan Lewisia, in this case L. cotyledon hybrid, L. 'Ashwood Ruby', L. 'Carousel Hybrid', Martin Rogerson
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Silene hookeri, Barry Winter (15)
Sedum heterodontum, Paul Street (16)
Anisitome imbricate var imbricate. Geoff Rollinson (17)....it is in flower by the waY
Gentiana verna Ian Instone (18) in the British native class, large pan
Pinus mugo 'Suzi', Dave Riley (24), has done very well for Dave this year, possibly won every time out
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Rhododendron keiskei var ozawae 'Yaku Fairy', Cecilia Coller (23)....we used to see this frequently at shows, seldom now...this exhibit was as good as it gets but was not good enough to win the Best pan Ericacaea which went to
Cassiope lycopodiodes 'Beatrice Lilley', Dave Mountfort (22)
Sempervivum ciliosum var galicicum, CeciliaColler (28)...why does she always have to have plants with long names!
Helichrysum pagophyllum, Frank and Barbara Hoyle (29)
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Realise I had missed out class 1, I was the only entry but blue instead of red....seriously miffed at the time
Androsace studiosorum 'Doksa', an exact 36cm pan, weighed a ton, last time I will carry it...was awarded a Certificate of Merit
Erigeron aureus...an old favourite of mine
Oxalis patagonica...was told later was not good enough...is 20 years old, every year one or two flowers, on Saturday approx. 40 don't think they knew what they were seeing as is seldom on the show bench
Townsendia condensata
Lamium sandrasicum...was lucky to make the show as while cleaning the pot on Thursday it fell over and plant half fell out, broke off some branches etc, however managed to fiddle it back into the pan, do a bit of tidy...did not actually go back in as low as it was before for some reason and decided better to make to with what I had rather than ruin it!
Last plant in the 6 was Fritillaria liliacea, not as good as I have had it in the past but consider myself lucky to still have it after the winter of 2010 gave it the hammer.
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Will move on to the Small Open now and I managed to win the Small6 pan which made up for not doing so in class 1...swings and roundabouts. This was made up of Erigeron montanensis and Penstemon uintahensis at the back, Oxalis laciniata and Hymenoxis acaulis caespitose in the middle, Androsace cylindrical x hirtella and Lupinus Lepidus var utahensis at the front
Penstemon uintahensis also won the Best in 19cm pan (I took the photo at home the following day!)
Hymenoxis acaulis caepitosa
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Hit send by mistake, senility creeps in
Class 36, a three pan class had no less than 10 entries (might have been more), filled with fine plants among which were
Silene californica, Robin Pickering
Euryops acraeus, Cecilia Coller but the class was won by Ivor Betteridge who had
Allium elburzense (Robert Rolfe thought it may something more rare than that) and
Cyclamen persicum as part of his 3 pan (3rd was a Sax but couldn't get a pic.)
In Class 38 Rod and Shirley Johnson had a lovely
Primula albenensis, a nice form, there have been a few washed out ones at shows this year
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I know I have put up a picture of Androsace cylindrica but there were a few named
Andrisace cylindrica 'Val d'Ossue'Shown by Clare Oates (39)
Martin Rogerson obviously has a passion for Lewisia and he contested the Lewisia classes with some success
Class 42 was made up of L. columbiana hybrid, L. cotyledon hybrid and L. tweedyi
In Class 43 Martin had
Lewisia glandulosa (a new one for me I think)
and
Lewisia brachycalyx in class 52...I used to grow this, is a lovely plant, somehow had forgotten all about it (more senility!)
Cypripedium parviflorum var makasin from Diane Clement (47)
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Adding to the Lewisia list was
Lewisia nevadensis rosea from Brian Burrow (43)
Ranunculus alpestris, Ian Leslie (45), a nice glossy pristine example, he also had a C.of M. for
Saxifraga x malbyana in 46 where
Saxifraga pubescens 'Snowcap' was also shown by Clare Oates
Allium shelkovnikovii from Ivor Betteridge in 49, he likes his Allium does Ivor
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Fritillaria affinis, Clare Oates (52)
Arisaema amurense 'Korean Form', John Bunn (53)
Pyrethrum leontopodium, Brian Burrow (53)
Haastia pulvinaris, Geoff Rollinson ( 54)
Myosotis colensoi, George Young (54)
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Cypripedium calceolus, Mavis and Sam Lloyd (55)
Viola lutea, Brian Burrow (56), small apn native to British Isles, this was second to Pinguicula grandiflora from Don Peace but despite taking 5-6 pictures none came out good enough
Cassiope myosuroides from Sam Sutherland (59), travelling all the way down from Kincardine to earn his red sticker, good to see him and the wife
Daphne petraea 'Tremalzo' Lionel Clarkson (61), not the best one you will have seen but I have a soft spot for it, not seen too often now
Anemone narcissiflora, Brian Burrow (70), rather taken with this, not seen it for a few years since my last visit to Europe
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I managed to win the 3 pan 'New and Rare' (67) with
Lewisia stebbinsii, also was awarded a C of M
Fritillaria epirotica 'Yellow Form' and
Viola flettii, not content also won the 1 pan rare class with
Trillium decumbens
In the 1 pan New in Cultivation (68) Cecilia Coller had
Asarum dimidiatum (not sure you will be able to make it out in the small size pictures we have to post nowadays!)
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Wonderful report, George ... you had a very successful day in every respect.
Don Peace's lovely Pinguicula grandiflora.
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I am very pleased to say that I am at the end of my list (thank goodness I can hear you say)
Androsace Helvetica from Geoff Rollinson (71)
Androsace geranifolia, at least that's what the label says, I gather those that know thought it might not be, still interesting though (sadly I did not get exhibitor)
Campanula wanneri, Pamela Anderson (76)
Aquilegia canadensis nana, Jackie Street and finally
Class 82, the Trillium cuneatum at the back was the best plant in the B Section shown by Paul Street, the Allium at the front shown by Andrew Ward who won the most points in the B section, sadly I forgot to note the name of the allium
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Super photos and report, George - thanks for sharing.
P.S. You can still post photos that are under the 200KB limit that are up to 760 pixels across- plenty big enough! ;)
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Many thanks George for taking us to the show with
your beautiful pictures.
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Just a few from Southport AGS Show ... no exhibitors I'm afraid ... I just tour the benches and take images that appeal.
Asarum maximum
Beautiful cypripedium
Campanula bellidifolia
Correa 'Dusky Bells'
Cyclamen foliage
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A few more ...
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A few more ...
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A few more ...
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P.S. You can still post photos that are under the 200KB limit that are up to 760 pixels across- plenty big enough! ;)
Maggi, I take your point but as most of my full data pictures are between 3-4MB, the hassle of getting them down below 200kb now takes a couple of hours when once I could edit and annotate the full size pictures, press edit, select all, 600 max dimension and hey presto I had the lot in less than 5 mins, now to keep below 200kb and yet have a picture that is close to the limit (otherwise you have such a small picture on the forum that its not worth looking at) you virtually have to single resize every one (or do continual batch resize to get below 200, editing in the ones that fit) is such a time consuming effort I have to wonder if it is worth it. If by chance you hit on 200kb dead on the server rejects these as too large.
Is just my point of view, others more technical may have an easier way
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Hi George,
I too used to batch resize my images and posted far more than I do now ... I now resize individually and it is a time consuming procedure that inhibits the hours I can spend putting presentations together or working in the garden.
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I use ACDSee. Ian suggests I batch resize as he can do with show pix but I prefer to do them one by one - I may do this only by setting a pixel size of 760 for the widest side, or by cropping and then setting a pixel size - it takes very little time. My full size photos are around 3 to 4 MB for the most part. I find that by selecting the pixel size they are invariably taken down to under 200kb and are ready for posting.
I have not got the technical expertise to explain why this might be- I only know it works!
Looking around the forum, the level of fine detail possible in such resized photos is quite remarkable.
PS As I mentioned elsewhere - A photo sized at 200kb will actually be a little larger when the data files are included and this will make it "over the limit" for posting.
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I use Microsoft Office Picture Manager and resize pictures individually. 640 by 480 pixels usually comes out below 200kb but I had three recently which were over the limit. The original file sizes were about 6MB which is bigger than usual. I do not know how this happened. I have no idea what determines the file size when I take a photo ??? I am not very technically minded.
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More on the photo resizing question :
I have just batch resized my snaps from the Czech Republic - many were nearly 5 MB and all are now under the 200kb limit for the forum when resized to max 760 pixels wide.
Ian says that if you are not getting down to under 200Kb with resizing for the forum, using whatever programme you have, then you need to adjust the compression as well as selecting the pixel size. Our ACDSee shows us this choice as a slider for "best compression to best quality" but others will vary, of course.
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i have used an version of PictureIt10 which came free with Windows some years ago.
I find that if I simply reduce a pic to 5" x something it is fine. It is also very quick.
JohnnyD