Ponteland Show

[ichristie]

Hello all, I visited the show at Ponteland yesterday with Cyril, a good run down with sunshine and showers, the showbenches were brimming over with excellent plants, the medal winner was a superb pot full on Biarum marmoraris with a very close second to a magnificent Colchicum Alba, my favourite was a yellow South African bulb from the Wallaces (also the medal winners) Empodium ?  we called it Emodium as the scent was like something from a chemists shop also several great Gentians the best was from Keith Lever but very well flowered were several from the MacNaughtons. The Newton family as always provided the food ably assisted by Peter , Breda and Alistair, Trevour and Angie Ray Drew's missus the bacon rolls were great and the lunch wonderfull. We had 15 for the Joint Rock meeting and saw several plants from the show bench. Thanks to everyone who made this a super day, a few pictures of my favourites, cheers Ian the Christie kind

[ichristie]

Hello again here is the correct spelling for the Biarum marmarisense,   cheers Ian the Christie kind

[veteran vet]

Went away for a few (wet) days straight after the show, glad that Ian of the Christie kind had posted some pictures, as no one alse has will post a few more. Was a really fine show, much better than I had thought was possible given the season/year we have had, on display a wide range of plants and it was good to see the gentians back this year after being scarce last year. Quite how Alan Newton had the time to display so many quality plants with enough firsts to comfortably win the Most Points in the Open section, do the Secretary/Entries bit and he/Brenda/daughter (with other helpers) doing the catering for 'officials' to such a high standard is beyond me...I was cream crackered just getting my few plants ready for the show and being on my feet most of the day.
To business...a few plant pictures, some repetition but who cares
The Farrer medal plant, Biarum marmarisense was an exhibit that you could have walked by without saying 'wow' but closer inspection (in my case once it was pointed out) revealed it to be a pristine exhibit ...from Bob & Rannveig Wallace Another from the same stable was perhaps more to the liking of the passing crowd  viewing the benches, I did notice that the plant opened more when out in a much lighter area for photography than when it was seen around judging time...
Empodium flexile
Again the Wallis clan were the only entry in the Small Six and many felt the judges were a bit harsh giving the entry only a second...such is exhibiting.. and two from the six were
Sternbergia sicula
Colchicum cupanii ssp glossophyllum

[veteran vet]

I will continue in a Bob & Rannveig Wallis theme with
Oxalis lobata
Oxalis speciosa
Last years Forrest Medal winner (it being an SRGC year for the show last year) David Boyd came close to repeating the feat in the Farrer medal stakes with a magnificent pan of
Colchicum speciosum alba, a plant that is one of my favourite autumn bulbs but I just cannot grow it either in a pot or in the garden it lasts a year or so and then is gone, what a pleasure it was to see so many fine flowers on a very large exhibit.
At the other end of the size spectrum was a fine exhibit of
Colchicum autumnale album exhibited by Andrew Ward...all the way from Wisbech no less...how we exhibitors travel!
It has been an 'iffy' year for getting crocus to flower at the right time for exhibition but
Crocus banaticus did so for Martin Rogerson and
Crocus kotschyanus did so for Jim Mcgregor

[veteran vet]

If I had had the choice of taking one plant home from the show I would have chosen
Gaultheria crassa 'John Saxton', exhibited by Keith and Rachel Lever...is on my 'to look out for' plants for next year...and I attach two pictures one being a bit of a close up...is nice in the picture, would have been even better in a lighter part of the show hall...good that so many plants with the 'John Saxton' name are such fine plants
The Levers also had a fine Gentian on display
Gentiana sino ornata 'Gorau Glas' which won the L W Browne trophy for the best gentian in the show...it translates from the Welsh as 'Best Blue'. The plant was also awarded an 'Award of Merit' by the Joint Rock at the show...my picture is courtesy of Peter Maguire as somehow I took all the details but forgot to photograph!!
A final plant from the Levers' was
Oxalis perdicaria 'Cetrino', also awarded a PC...I was given a piece of this oxalis quite a few years ago by an exhibitor at this show with precise instructions on how to grow..I have followed these to the letter but still no flowers..but still have the plant

[veteran vet]

Where are the cyclamen you will be saying so three from Ian Kidman who told me a few days before the show he had nothing to show and then produced
Cyclamen hederifolium albiflorum
Cyclamen hederifolium
Cyclamen hederifoilium Lysander...new one on me this, not quite sure where the Lysander fits in
However the best cyclamen in a 19cm pot or less (The Ewesley Salver) was won by Don Peace with
Cyclamen mirabile

[veteran vet]

Back to Gentian again and Ian McNaughton had several plants of
Gentiana 'The Caley' on display and they were awarded a PC by the Joint Rock
As you would expect an autumn show has autumn foliage and has several classes for foliage plants. The Newcastle Trophy for the best foliage plant went to
Celmisia hectori
and the Autumn foliage class was well supported and nearby was
Rhododendron macrosepalum linearifolium
Of a more perfect symmetry was
Rosularia serpentinica shown by Ivor Betteridge
Remaining on foliage I was taken by the variation to be seen in the Cyclamen graecum cultivars on display so I attach a few
Cyclamen graecum ssp anatolicum
Cyclamen graecum ssp graecum
Cyclamen graecum forma greacum alba

[veteran vet]

Petrocosmea are now widely exhibited, Alan Newton being to the fore in this field, and as you might expect there were quite a number on show at Ponteland. Sadly from my point of view my pictures of the many cultivars on display were  c....p and only one is fit in any way for the forum and that is
Petrocosmea sericea shown by Barry Winter
Saxifraga fortunei (was a cultivar name but I did not get), exhibited by Tom Green
New to me was a shrub exhibited by Brian Russ
Polygala virgata
I always admire ferns in fine exhibition condition as it is another group of plants I struggle with but Dave Newsome produced an excellent
Cheilanthes eatonii
To end we were priveleged to have two wonderful exhibits/displays at the head of the hall, both produced by local group members, that were the epitomy of what you want from such exhibits, ie either good, clear, stimulating educational advice or the type of exhibit that is a classic seasonal display. To that end the Ruby Anniversary theme started in the spring show at Hexham continued on now at Ponteland...produced by Nala Janes...is shown in its entirety and of one board in close up while the Autumn Display produced by Mike Dale fitted the theme to perfection in its lay out and colour.
And lastly, there is always someone who toils over the scriptures, here doing the awards etc is Terry Teal, group sec.