Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
SRGC Shows and Events => SRGC Shows Questions and Answers => Topic started by: Maggi Young on October 10, 2013, 09:50:20 PM
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12th October 2013
NEWCASTLE : PONTELAND SHOW- held in the Darras Memorial Hall, Ponteland.
This show is a joint SRGC /AGS show - this year SRGC rules apply.
Following the super displays at both the SRGC Discussion Weekend show and the AGS Loughborough Show last weekend, we all hope that there will be another great show at Ponteland this coming Saturday - 12th October. It's always such a cheery show - have fun everyone!
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...and a very good show it was. The Forrest medal was won by one of several good cyclamen shown by Bob and Rannveig Wallis
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What a lovely C. graecum - looks perfect in every detail.
Hope you had a nice drive up and down to the show, Stan.
I think our SRGC Subscription Secretary, ChrisB, had a very successful day with her plants in Section II - six first prizes and most points in the section - Well done Christine!!
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the three pan may be Christine's - more snaps tomorrow
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some people pictures
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and some more
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five more
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a remarkable display of skill in embroidery earned Jean Morris a gold medal for this exhibit -it must have taken many hours of patient work
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a rapid tour of the show benches -others will no doubt add better close ups and words
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more
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and some more
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more
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more
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and again
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and more
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and others
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yet more
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an interesting section of cut flowers berries etc
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best plant section 2
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an entertaining ornithological quiz on the local group's info board
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members' plant stall as well as nurseries with nurserymen-and women
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finally the caption competition
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Wonderful plants and what a great show 8)
Thank you for documenting it so well Stan, and for taking the trouble to share it with us here.
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Stan - a tour de force of superb photos - why, I think I can even smell the bacon and black pudding through the flowers...... very nearly as good as being there!
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Thanks Stan, bad cold prevented me doing the 4.30 am start and 3 hour drive, almost as good as being there.
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Stan - a tour de force of superb photos - why, I think I can even smell the bacon and black pudding through the flowers...... very nearly as good as being there!
I purchased some bp from Alan's shop so am about to enjoy the smell and taste again
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Hello, thanks Stan for all the pictures, I drove down with Cyril we judged some remarkable plants so very well grown, we also enjoyed the Bacon and B.P rolls everyone seemed to be waiting for them well done to the Newton family and Peter all the others as well. I am posting a few pictures with close ups of the needlework by Jean Morris WOW so many months I think to make even one, a very well deserved Gold. cheers Ian the Christie kind. We were also delighted to see Glassford he drove down with Jean .
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A few more. Ian
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Last few, Ian
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I am glad that Ian of the Christie kind had some pictures of the outstanding exhibit of embroidery, needlework etc shown by Jean Morris as it was an outstanding exhibit, but, not only was there this 'vast' exhibit of her art on two sides of an expanded display but she was there in person with, set up by the side of the display, a compete 'how to do' and demonstration were you interested, in the technicalities of the subject, a treat indeed for all who attended the show. The award of 'Gold' somehow does not seem enough but is the best that can be awarded. I know Peter Maguire spent some time photographing the display so I hope he puts up some of these later.
My usual ramble through the show taking pictures when I was not interfering with the paying public so here goes
Being a Scottish Rules show this year we had a Forrest Medal which was won by Bob & Ranveig Wallis with a fine specimen of
Cyclamen graecum ssp graecum, to be honest they had many plants that were deserving of the award . I happened to be in the vicinity when the local press photographer was making them do there stuff so got a side on view. They had a field day in many classes so I will group some of these together now
Empodium flexile (class 19)...liked this last year, even more this
Cyclamen graecum ssp anatolicum (26)
Narcissus miniatus, a new one to me, well admired by those in the know
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To continue down the Bob and Rannveig Wallis theme,(note correct spelling this time) they won class 1 with, from front to back, Hyacinthoides lingulata, Oxalis speciosa and Cyclamen graecum ssp candicum
Cyclamen cilicium album (55)
Colchicum baytopiorum
There were other exhibitors in case you think this was a Wallis display
Shortia uniflora grandiflora (27) from C&I Baibridge, President doing her stuff, the flash picture does the specimen well as shows it in real colours
Coprosma petrei from Trevor and Angie Jones, this was a Forrest contender, the flash again makes it look like it would outdoors which was not the case in the show hall, none the less a really nice exhibit from a pair who are stalwart behind the scenes helpers at this show and the spring show in Hexham
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There were a few Gentian on display this year so
Gentiana x sino ornate (16) shown by Mala Janes was one of the biggest there in a maximum size pot, went up for the Forrest, Ian Christie made me carry it up for the Forrest judging, he sad he would carry it but I did not feel like giving him the kiss of life if he pegged out on the way so I carried it instead (and back too)
Gentiana sino ornate 'Gorau Glas' (Welsh for Best Blue) (16) from Keith and Rachel Lever
Gentiana 'Braemar' (63) Stan de Prato
Colchicum 'Atrorubens' 67) from Ivor Betteridge was a stout, short exhibit of a nice colour
Cyclamen hederifolium 'Lysander' (9) from Ian Kidman
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I am sure Show Secs are very happy to have commercial exhibitors who not only bring and pay for a sales table but also exhibit fine specimens as well. Tim Lever is another of that dedicated bunch and here are a few of his exhibits
Oxalis massoniana...quite a few for sale I saw on the Aberconwy tables
Gaultheria crassa 'John Saxton', a much admired plant, I gather there is a waiting list a mile long from the Nursery
To my great annoyance I did not take a picture of Primula sherriffae that Tim had on display, the first time I had ever seen it 'in the flesh', was really just as I had hoped it would be, my hope for the Forum is that Peter Maguire can post some pictures, he being the Official Photographer he just has to have a few.
Another well travelled exhibitor this year is Don Peace, now second in the AGS Open Aggregate, a considerable feat. Some of his exhibits included
Cyclamen mirabile (58)
Crocus niveus (67) the best crocus at the show (Newcastle Spoon)
Galanthus peshmenii
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Crackin' plants, Grommit --- er, sorry..... George
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To continue with some more Don Peace exhibits
Sternbergia greuteriana (46)
Polystichum setiferum plumosum densum (13), caught my eye, I do grow ferns (even had one the bench for the first time ever) but this one was really crisp and clean
As you might expect, joint show sec Alan Newton had a busy weekend but he still managed to coax a few winners on to the show tables
Crocus goulimyi (71), sorry not the best of pics
Petrocosmea cryptica (49)
Saxifraga fortune 'Cherry Pir' (51) B & Smethurst
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Seems the order of my last post got a bit scrambled but still got there. Down to the last few
Another from the Smethurst stable caught my eye as new to me, in fact is they are still in their early days with the plant as well but I felt it loks like it might have some potential was
Correa 'Pink Mist', (52) could develop in time into a good show plant
Saxifraga forunei 'Fumiko' (96) from our own Christine Boulby
Ever popular, and growing in popularity at this show, are the cut alpine flowers class (93) which was won by an fine exhibit from Helen Kidman which combined the pristine quality of the cut flowers with the exhibitors art of presentation, neat pristine, compact where others tried to put too much into their small containers leading to crowding and overwhelming of the entry. From front to back and left to right Helen had Erodium 'Purple Haze and Cyclamen gaecum, Geranium 'Ballerina' and Viola cornuta alba and at the back Cyclamen graecum alba and Erodium guttatum
Finally
Class 80, 3 pan silver or grey...the flash here shows it off well and
Class 81, 1 pan silver or grey
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I have the pictures George is hoping for and have been processing the files today. Look again in a day or so, it's our local group meeting tomorrow night and there's also something else I have planned for tomorrow, what was it.......? Ah yes, the day job. :-\
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Thank you George for your concern about my welfare the Gentian sure was in a BIG pot with about half a hundred weight of compost this was I am assured allowed within the rules for the show and from the show manager said quote it is an Alan Furness special pot well please make them smaller??. George you are the Young kind thanks again for your kindness. cheers Ian the Christie kind
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It wasn't really that heavy Ian. I had to take it away for a photo (after the show, as I ran out of time) and coped without putting my back out, must have been a highly organic compost.
I've certainly struggled with worse!
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Many of the plants have been already covered by other people's photographs, so I thought that I would show some of the more unusual aspects of the show in Ponteland. Firstly Jean Morris' wonderful display of embroidery of alpine plants. Jean has been entering these works of art in AGS artistic competitions for many years, and I have always looked forward to seeing what she has produced for the new season at the Loughborough show every year.
Her display at Ponteland seemed to be the total of her work over the years and it was a rare treat to see it all gathered together at one time.
1. The maestro herself with half of the display - the other half was around the back of the boards you see here - great for close examination, but not conducive for photography. The orchids and tulips on the second board from the left appear to be paintings from this distance, but were in fact all embroidery.
2. Close up of one of my favourites - Meconopsis x sheldonii, with iridescent blue threads showing well against a black background. Unfortunately the individual works were difficult to photograph due to the protective layer of covering plastic which picked up reflections from all around. A poor photograph, but it gives a reasonable impression of the exhibit.
3. A different type of embroidery with explanatory notes.
4. The workbench.
It would have been possible to spend hours looking round this display, and unfortunately I only had about 20 minutes to get some photographs before moving out of the way as the judges arrived to award the exhibit an almost obligatory gold medal. (there would have been a lynching for anything less!)
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A couple of years ago, Alan Newton introduced into the schedule a class for '5 named varieties of cut alpine plants in fruit, cone or seed....shown in own containers'. This originally caused great discussion amongst the judges for whom it was quite radical idea! It now seems to be better appreciated, and we are starting to see some more imaginative ways of presenting the (parts of) plants.
1. Overview of the class (94, for those of you sitting there with a schedule in hand)
2. First place: Peter Hood - the conventional approach, with matching glasses, as been seen for many years at spring shows with flowers instaed of fruiting bodies.
3. 2nd, David Boyd, with some eye-catching Arisaema seed heads
3. 3rd, Mike and Pearl Dale with a very different approach to the word 'container'!
All very different, and it is to be hoped that other shows will pick up on this imaginative approach to a class which seems to go down well with the visiting public and provides scope for a bit of creative thinking.
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Class 94 is fantastic - much more interesting than the spring version, to my mind - and very aesthetically pleasing to see all the variety in presentation. The concept is a real winner for me!
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Whilst we still have a class for cut flowers at the Newcastle show, I did not take any pictures of these entries this year. Alan had sneaked in another innovation, one of cut foliage, where a decorative base could be specifically be used. Another little gem of a class.
1. Overview of class 41
2. 1st: David Boyd
3. 2nd: Jean and John Morris
Some lovely little displays here, and it will be interesting to see the entries in this class next year.
More to follow tomorrow......
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Class 94 is fantastic ...
I agree. Those snow-white berries look amazing. Presumably they're Sorbus, but which?
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I have similar berries on a Sorbus that came to me as Sorbus fruticosa.
It grows to about 1.5m high, then it tends to get pruned to keep it small, so I don't know how high it would grow if unchecked.
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I have similar berries on a Sorbus that came to me as Sorbus fruticosa.
It grows to about 1.5m high, then it tends to get pruned to keep it small, so I don't know how high it would grow if unchecked.
I grow this too Peter. It came with this label from Anberconwy nursery but it isn't correct (which Keith Lever himself has confirmed). I did cheekily look it up in someone else's copy of the monograph to find the correct name but have since forgotten it. In our dry limy soil it has only reached about 1m high in 8 years and has yet to be pruned.
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Thanks Peter and Darren. Unfortunately my opportunities to buy from Aberconwy are limited without mail order, but have you ever tried propagating it from seed?
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Darren,
I wouldn't normally prune mine, and it has reached 1.5m, but sometimes my back is turned and I look round to find my wife's been busy with a pair of secateurs.... :'(
It is at least now multistemmed - call it coppicing. ;)
Ashley,
I haven't tried it myself from seed, mine came a a local group sale as a seedling from, I think, Alan Furness. I did give some berries to Peter Semple in Glasgow and he had no problems raising plants. There's perhaps a handful of berries left on the plant at present, so I can send you come if you send me a PM and if the blackbirds haven't eaten them when I get home from work - should be ok, there's plenty left on the S. aucuparia they go for first. ;)
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Much obliged Peter. PM sent.
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Thanks Peter and Darren. Unfortunately my opportunities to buy from Aberconwy are limited without mail order, but have you ever tried propagating it from seed?
Yes Ashley - it germinates fine after a winter outside. I've plenty left if Peter's blackbirds have been busy.
Peter - yes, Susan is a bit keen on the pruning too but so far this Sorbus has either escaped notice or she has been very subtle about it ;)
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Thanks Darren. If Peter doesn't fancy hunting for blackbird droppings of the right provenance then I might take you up on that kind offer ;) ;D
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I'll post a few more photos of the plants this evening - not everything, as they have been well covered by George, Stan and Ian, but just one or two details.
Firstly the Primula sherriffae shown by Tim Lever that George forgot to take a photo of - you can see why this was much admired.
Secondly Coprosma petrei whixh won a certifiacte of merit for Trevor and Angie Jones. Almost impossible to photograph as a complete plant (here's my best effort), but the berries were fabulous in close-up.
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Not only difficult to photograph, Peter - it must have been very tricky to transport as well - quite a feat to get it to Ponteland in such beautiful condition.
Wonder how many are coveting the primula......... :D
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Thanks Peter, I knew you would come up trumps on the Primula, I was ashamed of myself not to have photographed it as I spent ages looking at it, talked to Tim about it etc, how I missed it goodness knows, only excuse was that time was short as I seemed to be doing stuff all day and there was always a good crowd round it admiring it...pathetic excuse I know.
Another point that you 'raised' by accident probably, is that the lighting at the stage end of the hall can make foliage plants of a certain ilk not stand out, Trevor and Angie's plant being an example, the small silver classes another, is that in the show hall exhibitors are at the mercy of the lights in the hall but that's exhibiting.
Of more concern is the way the Powers that Be in the AGS are of the opinion that Group Shows cost too much to stage and so should be reduced in number, if that's the case I am glad I am nearing the end of my showing career!i
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You're right George. There is certainly a powerful faction who have an aversion to the shows. I hope they realise how many members of thirty years plus like us will leave if the shows are decimated and how many nurserymen will lose a major source of income, both of which can only lead to a reduction in the number and variety of plants available to members in general to buy.
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I hope they realise how many members of thirty years plus like us will leave if the shows are decimated
Lord knows I have no brief for the AGS but isn't showing a bit like a drugs addiction once you've got it (and I certainly haven't in fact I find shows quite boring and only go for the nursery access) you can't live without it and you'll just get on with the extra miles and fewer shows.
I notice (but am not surprised) there has been no mention of this on the AGS Discussion (misnomer) pages!
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David, one of the best things about shows is the nursery access, they act as a showcase for plants and nurseries. you are not alone in using them for that purpose. It's also often where nurseries source material to bring new plants to the market. many of the plants you but started on a showbench and then made it to general circulation. Yes for us addicts it is an addiction but that is not the only purpose of shows, great places for book and seed sales as well.
If you would like a discussion on the AGS forum try starting one!
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David, one of the best things about shows is the nursery access, they act as a showcase for plants and nurseries. you are not alone in using them for that purpose. It's also often where nurseries source material to bring new plants to the market. many of the plants you but started on a showbench and then made it to general circulation. Yes for us addicts it is an addiction but that is not the only purpose of shows, great places for book and seed sales as well.
If you would like a discussion on the AGS forum try starting one!
.... and you don't need to be a member to access any of those, just pay at the door. Which is one of the reasons why my AGS membership will not be renewed after this year.
I have something of a history of raising issues on those pages that affect members and need to be discussed by "on the ground members" but have found that the words "head" "raising" and "parapet" appear to militate against open discussion :P
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The independent / financially autonomous group system the SRGC uses ensures that shows will only close if the local group decides. That seems to make more sense.
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If you would like a discussion on the AGS forum try starting one!
Done ;D
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Sandy Leven's report on the Ponteland Forrest Medal award is now online :
http://files.srgc.net/Showreports/PontelandMedal2013.pdf (http://files.srgc.net/Showreports/PontelandMedal2013.pdf)
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Now Sandy's full show report for Ponteland is online :
http://files.srgc.net/Showreports/Ponteland13.pdf (http://files.srgc.net/Showreports/Ponteland13.pdf)
And the page for all Sandy's Reports:
http://www.srgc.net/site/index.php/shows/sample-menu (http://www.srgc.net/site/index.php/shows/sample-menu) 8)