SRGC Perth Show 19th April 2014

[Stan da Prato]

the nice food supplied and served by   local members is always  a feature of the Perth show.

[David Nicholson]

Smashing report as usual Stan. Was it a very big hall or was it very quiet people-wise?

Could someone tell me please what is the purpose of a "Certificate of Merit"?

[Stan da Prato]

people at work

[Stan da Prato]

Smashing report as usual Stan. Was it a very big hall or was it very quiet people-wise?

It is a big sports  hall but most pics were taken  once  many of the visitors had left as it is easier to see the plants then

[Stan da Prato]

as usual  there were several candidates for the caption competition

[David Nicholson]

"We can't give Certificates of Merits for trousers, sorry"

[Peter Maguire]

David,

Certificates of Merit are generally awarded to exceptional plants that did not quite win one of the other awards, but are deserving of special recognition, or at least that's my understanding of them.

[David Nicholson]

Thanks for that Peter. So really it's the "Nice plant but not nice enough to win anything so we'll give it a Certificate of Merit" prize. Or am I just an old cynic

[Maggi Young]

 I think that is too cynical a view, David.

To win a certificate of merit a plant must be exceptional in some way.  It need not have been in the running for one of the trophies, ( in other words not merely a consolation prize!) it may be very well grown, perhaps a fine example of a plant that is very difficult to grow ..... in some way exceptional, (in a good way!!) anyhow.

[Maggi Young]

The show looks grand - Julia and her Team will have been pleased with that, I'm sure. I do hope they are enjoying a quiet day with chocolate as a reward.

[johnralphcarpenter]

as usual  there were several candidates for the caption competition

Picture 1: "She's behind you!".

[ChrisB]

Super show summary Stan, bet everyone has gone home tried but happy!  Congratulations to Cyril for yet another stunning plant!

[Peter Maguire]

Definitely too cynical David, Sue Simpson's Clematis tenuiloba 'Ylva' being a case in point. Superbly grown and looking wonderful in its small fish box trough (which was within prescribed pot dimensions), but it wasn't even within the the remit of any of the formal prizes.
(see Stan's pic 131, reply 3 in this thread)

[David Nicholson]

Yes, I agree Peter the Clematis was superb but my question would be why wasn't it within the remit of any of the formal prizes since it fulfilled the pot size requirements. It's just in my mind the C of M doesn't have the same "ring" to it as a Forrest or a "First" or is a C of M sort of converted to a points score?

[Maggi Young]

The Clematis will likely have won a "first" in its class, though, David.
The Certificate of Merit  is a  very high level of  award,  on a par with Best in Show, or Best Primula and so on- to recognise  a plant with is really worthy of note and reward.
Growers are invariably very pleased to get a Certificate of Merit - it's every bit as prestigious as one of the various  trophies. Of  course, the Forrest is the top of the tree, but the other trophies and Certificates of Merit are the next level.