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Helen - I remember you saying on the AGS Discussion pages that mentoring could be good for new members; it seems to have worked well via this Forum! I think having similar practical discussions about growing plants at the Shows themselves could be brilliant; the example at the Summer Show South was very interesting. I could imagine doing something like this on planting a trough (now I have actually got on and done this!), based on the descriptions on the AGS website, and also on seed sowing which is such an important part of growing. Some exhibitors could give 'master classes' on their particular specialities (we quite often have talks on these but I never remember seeing anything at a Show - but I have only visited those in the south). Even the judges could discuss the plants and how they see them, as Ray Drew does at his local Group meetings, so effectively. I think this might begin to make the Shows a little less intimidating for many newcomers, and provide an introduction to the plants which can otherwise seem very 'special' even to those of us who know they are! The trough demonstrations at the Czech Conference were a wonderful example of how this works. So once you've built your bulb frame and have lots of burgeoning pots...