WEST OF SCOTLAND DISCUSSION WEEKEND 3rd - 5th OCTOBER 2008

[ranunculus]

Just arrived home from a truly magnificent SRGC Conference.

It would be so easy just to say; 'Many thanks' to the organisers, to the presenters, to the lecturers, to the fellow delegates, to the hotel staff and to the host of willing volunteers and slope off to bed, but that would not do justice to the three incredible days that we have just enjoyed.

The planning of this annual event was immaculate, the lectures were breathtaking, the company was truly delightful, the catering (both service and substance) was amazing and the ambience was Scottish Rock through and through ...

To anyone and everyone who participated in any way in this 'tour de force' - you should feel justifiably and immensely proud!

Images to follow when time and tide allow....

[ranunculus]

Where to begin?

I have already thanked, eulogised and probably embarrassed the organisers of this truly memorable event in a previous posting, but over-egging is still a legal pursuit here in Lancashire so further praise to you all.
From the welcome embraces of Maggi and Ian to the hugs of farewell at departure it was a very cosy affair.
No-one can accuse the Scottish Rock of timidity - newcomers can look forward to being welcomed to one of these events with open arms and heaving bosom (and that is just Ian) - one is not so much greeted as engulfed (and that is extremely jolly after several hours on the M8 motorway or, in my case, on a twin-prop from Manchester airport).
I suspect that the words ‘lack of planning’ could never be applied to a SRGC event but they were beyond utterance at this particular weekend. The two Anne’s (Chambers and Bush - a superb name for a pop group, I might add) had been involved and that says it all!
The lectures were a delight. Robert Rolfe, who presented two feats of memory and linguistics unseen in these parts since the days of Chic Murray on acid (see footnote if you don’t possess a kilt or are under the age of fifty years plus) was a star in the firmament but fellow celestial bodies included Omagh’s Brian Duncan; Lasswade’s David Rankin; Dublin’s George Sevastopulo; Sweden ((and Friesland’s) Gerben Tjeerdsma and canny son of Inverness, Andrew Fraser. (Please excuse the punctuation - it is only 6.30am here in sleepy East Lancashire).
The venue and the service were impeccable, the food was as splendid as everyone had predicted and the company was made up of over one hundred and fifty fellow ’rockers’, so the company was GOOD.

I am tempted to post my images in chronological order but I haven’t the time (as Chic Murray might have said; “the old jokes are often the worst“), so I will divide them into three categories; a) venue and plant sales; b) the Show and c) the celebration dinner and auction …. Please enjoy.

The next conference is in October 2009 … please try to be there … any effort is bound to prove worthwhile.

(The late, great Chic Murray was a wonderfully droll comedian  - a master of words with an almost surreal style of presentation).

NOTE TO MAGGI : Would it be possible to locate my original posting of thanks to everyone and slot it in prior to this posting please?
I have scoured the last ten pages but cannot locate it. Sorry to be a nuisance.

Cliff, my little Buttercup, 'tis done! My pleasure!      M
 

 

[ranunculus]

VENUE : BEARDMORE HOTEL, CLYDEBANK : 3rd to 5th OCTOBER 2008

PLANT SALES - Images captured during a lull in the plant sales area

[ranunculus]

Initial batch of images from the Discussion Weekend Show

Staging
Berberis Kobbold
Cyclamen coum
Crocus goulymii
Fern class
Gentians
Sternbergia lutea
Three pan entry
Three pan exhibit

[ranunculus]

Show opens ...

SHOW HALL
SHOW HALL
SHOW OPENS ...

[ranunculus]

...And now for the plants...

Cyclamen rohlfsianum
Eriogonum
Sempervivum arachnoideum
Slate trough
Superb exhibit
Three pan exhibit
Winning cyclamen
Winning exhibit
Winning exhibit

[ranunculus]

Plants ... Batch Two...

ACIPHYLLA HOOKERI AND CELMISIA HOOKERI
AUTUMN COLOUR AND SILVER FOLIAGE
CYCLAMEN
CYCLAMEN
CYCLAMEN HEDERIFOLIUM
CYCLAMEN INTAMINATUM PINK FORM
GENTIAN COLOUR
GENTIANA BLUE STREAK
SHOW EXHIBITS

[ranunculus]

Plants ... Batch Three ...

BEST CONIFER
BERBERIS KOBBOLD
CYCLAMEN COUM
FOLIAGE CONTRAST
GENTIAN
GENTIANA BLUE STREAK
SAXIFRAGA FEDERICI-AUGUSTII
SAXIFRAGA FORTUNEI EARLY RUBY
STERNBERGIA LUTEA

[ranunculus]

Plants ... Batch Four ...

AGNES AND JIM SUTHERLAND VIEW THE EXHIBITS
GENTIANA BLUE STREAK
PETROCOSMEA
PHOTOGRAPHIC ENTRIES
SHOW BENCH
STERNBERGIA LUTEA
STERNBERGIA LUTEA 2
SUPER ENTRIES
VIEWING THE SHOW

[ranunculus]

The plants ... Batch Five ...


CYCLAMEN MIRABILE
FOLIAGE CLASSES
IN THE SHOW HALL
PETROCOSMEA
SHOW OPENS
SUPERB CYCLAMEN

[ranunculus]

The prizegiving ...

MASTER OF CEREMONIES ANNE BUSH
ANNE BUSH AND SHOW ORGANISER JOHN LEE
IAN CHRISTIE PRESENTING TROPHIES TO DIANE CLEMENT
JEAN WYLLIE ESCAPING FROM THE LIMELIGHT
SANDY LEVEN LOOKING UNUSUALLY SERIOUS    FELLOW ORGANISER BILL ROBINSON IS ON THE RIGHT
PRIZE FOR IAN YOUNG

The thanks ...

FLOWERS FOR THE ORGANISERS OF THIS MAGNIFICENT EVENT
SIX FLOWERS AND IAN! 

[ranunculus]

Back soon with the celebration dinner and plant auction...

I will leave you with a sartorial taster ....


IAN AND MAGGI YOUNG
BRIAN AND SHELAGH SMETHURST
FORUM BELLES   SHELAGH SMETHURST, DIANE CLEMENT AND ANNE WRIGHT
FORUM MEMBERS ALL  BRIAN & SHELAGH, DIANE CLEMENT, ANNE WRIGHT AND ROMA FIDDES

[Lvandelft]

Thank you for showing us so many excellent pictures Cliff!

The venue and the service were impeccable, the food was as splendid as everyone had predicted and the company was made up of over one hundred and fifty fellow ’rockers’, so the company was GOOD.

These are certainly some good reasons to think about making such a far travel oversea!

[art600]

Cliff

A really outstanding record of what was obviously a wonderful event.   

[ranunculus]

Many thanks for your kind comments Luit and Arthur... and my thanks to dear Maggi for granting my earlier request.

This was my first visit to a discussion weekend (after many, many years of good intentions) and I had been forewarned (forearmed) about the auction, but knowledge is no substitute for experience.  Suffice it to say that Mrs Young was the auctioneer and humour was the medium used to part sober ( ) delegates from their rapidly diminishing savings ...

But, prior to that, a brief look at the cutting of the 75th anniversary cake ...

ANNIVERSARY CAKE
CUTTING THE CAKE
CHEERS