Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
SRGC Shows and Events => Events => Topic started by: Maggi Young on February 03, 2015, 08:08:02 PM
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Show Sec. at Harlow is Kit Strange - who will be in Dunblane the previous weekend 21st February, talking at the SRGC Early Bulb Day
Dunblane Early Bulb Display 21 February 2015 - Victoria Hall, Dunblane
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
"Kewing for Bulbs with Kit Strange"
with talks at 11am and 2pm by Kit Strange of RBG Kew.
Harlow show poster
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Our VRV friends had a problem with their transport arrangements and had to cancel their coach trip to the AGS Harlow show, but forumists Wim Boens and Ruben Billiet have made the trip privately - so they'll be enjoying themselves today at the show, whose Secretary is Kit Strange, recently the speaker at the SRGC Dunblane Day.
In related news, John Amand (a regular attender with his wife Helen at SRGC events the Early Bulb Day and DWE) who gave Kit a lift to and from the Dunblane event ( after an appearance with Nesta at the RHS London Show which won their nursery another gold medal ) has since whizzed over to the USA for the Philadelphia Flower Show, where they have won yet another award!
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From the "Philly Show" - Well done to all involved!
But back to the Harlow Show, where I learn from Twitter that Bob and Rannveig Wallis have won another Farrer Medal with a pot of Scilla libanotica
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Photo by Jim McGregor, from Twitter
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Just back from Harlow with 191 photos to look at (not all for the forum!) but just one to start. Lots of orders ready to be collected. The picture of the Farrer Medal is interesting although the colour isn't correct. My pictures came out with much the same colour and it is far too mauve. I will post some later that I think I have got nearer to the real thing but want to consult the memory of others first.
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This is the Farrer Medal winner with the white balance altered so we think this is probably nearer to to the colour we saw but a mixture of natural and electric light is not easy to control.
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A few more.
1. The exhibit by the Alpine and Rock section of Kew
2. Gymnospermium albertii within the exhibit
3. A nice lot of people there. Or are there? And nearly a selfie!
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That last is a clever shot, David - and lots of fun!
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I do like Gymnospermium albertii - though I wish I had enough botanical knowledge to understand it as a member of the Berberidaceae ! :-\
We used to grow it in an open frame where it seemed happy enough - but the mice liked it even more than we did..... :'(
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That is a superb picture of the Kew exhibit. Harlow is incredibly lucky to have this link with Kew that brings people and plants to the Show. This was one of the busiest Early Spring Alpine Shows that I remember for a long time - I think there must have been a strong attendance from non-AGS members as well as members, and a reasonable number of younger gardeners which was heartening to see. David Haselgrove gave a short welcome and appreciation of all those who had put the Show together, and encouragement for visitors to get involved which was very nice too - and important for the Society. There were rather less plants on display but never the less some superb examples like these below, and an amazing range for sale from the nurseries, which is always such a feature of the Harlow Show.
1. Bob and Rannveig Wallis's lovely grouping of plants with the Farrer winner.
2. Paul and Gill Ranson's fascinating dionysia display. Great way of comparing plants - would be interesting to see this done with saxifrages! or androsaces!!!
3. Galanthus 'Sophie North' from Don Peace, showing why this is such a perfect snowdrop for display like this.
4. Another grouping of plants from Don: I like these particularly probably because first and foremost it is combinations of plants in a garden setting or in nature that appeal so much.
5. Another mix from Ivor Betteridge.
Nice to meet quite a few snowdrop enthusiasts some whom I have only known from the Forum here before!
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The Kew display is lovely, I would really have enjoyed seeing it in person.
The RBGE alpine department, headed by John Mitchell and Elspeth Mackintosh, work very hard to bring a display like that to most of the Scottish SRGC shows, including those in Northern England which are held jointly with the AGS.
Elspeth is usually aided by Struan Harley and the two of them can be seen hauling masses of quality plants to and from the shows in all weathers. The quality of display is always superb and it is a wonderful example of "outreach" from the RBGE to a wider audience.
The Ransom display - smaller though it may be - is of huge interest and attractive to boot.
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The non competitive display pot we have shown at South Wales and Harlow has caused quite a lot of interest which is gratifying. What hasn't always come across is that it is a specific display of D. afghanica and its f1 and f2 hybrids to show the tremendous colour variation. I thought it might be useful to post the notes which have been on the bench with the pot but which have not been posted on this or the AGS site. With luck and space it might make Loughborough as well.
Paul R
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( Edit by M to move photo of notes to full size and add Tim's photo of the display)
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Thanks, Paul - I've brought in Tim's photo to show all together.
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The non competitive display pot we have shown at South Wales and Harlow has caused quite a lot of interest which is gratifying. What hasn't always come across is that it is a specific display of D. afghanica and its f1 and f2 hybrids to show the tremendous colour variation. I thought it might be useful to post the notes which have been on the bench with the pot but which have not been posted on this or the AGS site. With luck and space it might make Loughborough as well.
Paul R
:o :o :o :o I like that display very much Paul !
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Thanks for the editing Maggi. You'll gather that being a Luddite I had a problem with the resizing! Glad you enjoyed it Kris. When we got home the show plants finally showed some sign of waking up so will hopefully have some better entries soon (or am I tempting fate knowing the Met Office's track record)
Paul R
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Happy to help, Paul.
I'm confident that at some point during the show season the audience will get the full benefit of your lovely plants - best wishes for a good year !
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I know I have sometimes questioned the very strong emphasis on exhibiting alpines but that is only because I think new gardeners are much more likely to be drawn to the Specialist Societies and the Shows by a stronger attraction of alpines as garden plants as well, which is much to do with them receiving far better recognition from the gardening media in general. Paul and Gill Ranson's and all the other plants I showed really warrant a much wider recognition. They are brilliantly grown but very special in the eyes of many gardeners. Greater publicity about alpines, however it can be done, would be worthwhile and is important to stimulate more people potentially to consider exhibiting plants too.
The cost of hiring a venue like this school is pretty high and falls largely on the nurseries involved - and yes many travel considerable distances which is a big cost in itself - so getting a good attendance is important. But the other point is - these plants are not simply gardened with, they are part of a much greater understanding and appreciation of the plant world in general (it's not only Botanic Gardens that have this) and so they are actually pretty relevant to all those kids and teachers who attend these schools that are so often used for Alpine Shows. It's interesting that Ross Barbour found such a good response from children in primary schools to the idea of growing alpines - but what about kids in secondary schools? There was that beautiful display from Kew at Harlow and I expect Kit and Joanne and all those who made it would have been excited if a lot more potential younger gardeners had seen it too. (I speak as someone who was introduced to alpines in my early teens and have been fascinated professionally and intellectually about plants ever since). Obviously you can't make kids interested if they are not - my own children don't have such a great interest and they have been surrounded by plants! - but there is that spark which some young people get on seeing the detail of alpines which can then carry on throughout life. So it would be good if the schools themselves got a bit more involved with what is going on, and conversely the societies providing that information and educational displays that might appeal more to younger gardeners.
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Here are some more pictures from the show.
1. Another view of the Kew exhibit
2. Galanthus plicatutus Augustus
3. Something tickling Chas's fancy?
4. Perhaps this
5. General view of the show benches
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Next few.
1. Crocus 'Ruby Giant'
2. Iris 'Nicolai'
3. Iris histrioides 'Lady Beatrix Stanley'
4. Iris stenophylla
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Now for a few people.
1. Bob Wallis
2. Rannveig Wallis
3. Still buying
4. Not sure if Arthur is selling or talking!
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Hi David. img 1238 is not stenophyla. Some type of hybrid no doubt.
Maybe rosenbachiana/nicoli x maracandica/tubergeniana.
John B
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Really? It has been judged at this and also last year at South Wales by amongst others Tony Hall of Kew who is happy with its naming.
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Hi David. img 1238 is not stenophyla. Some type of hybrid no doubt.
Maybe rosenbachiana/nicoli x maracandica/tubergeniana.
I always take a picture of the label after photographing the exhibit so can only go by that particularly as I know nothing about iris. It has, however, as said previously been judged as that and did not get an NAS.
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I always take a picture of the label after photographing the exhibit so can only go buy that particularly as I know nothing about iris. It has, however, as said previously been judged as that and did not get an NAS.
A truly different colour for stenophylla! Would love to have it in my collection :)
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Excellent pictures as always David,I also found Iris Nicolai interesting, ;D
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I was intrigued by this plant at Harlow being labelled Iris stenophylla since I thought it had been shown at Caerleon in 2014 as Iris galatica. Luckily I took a record shot last year (attached) and so didn't have to rely on memory.
Since I can't imagine that Bob and Rannveig take their labels lightly, it would be interesting to know what prompted the change of name. Whatever it is, a quietly beautiful and subtle plant - look at the range of colours in one flower.
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Some things that caught my eye in Harlow:
An nice assembly of cut flowers.
Galanthus woronowii 'Elizabeth Harrison'
Iris reticulata 'Alida'
Narcissus cantabrica
Narcissus 'Minicycla'
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Some more:
Primula 'Arduaine'
Scilla mischtschenkoana
and (a bit of a black flower ;)) the new chairman of the Flemish Rock Garden Society.
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Just to follow up the discussion of the naming of the Iris stenophylla...
The plant was indeed exhibited last year at Caerleon as Iris galactica. But that name (and photo) was discussed extensively during and after the show by several people including I believe Tony Hall, and the eventual conclusion was that it was a form of Iris stenophylla.
The few photos I took of the show are now on the AGS discussion forum here http://www.alpinegardensociety.net/discussion/atshows/Early+Spring+Show+Harlow/19867/ (http://www.alpinegardensociety.net/discussion/atshows/Early+Spring+Show+Harlow/19867/)
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From the Pacific Bulb Society wiki. Also in "The Iris" Brian Mathew notes flowers of a blue color.
And W.R. Dykes in "The Genus Iris" states it is in shades of blue with wide wings on hafts.
PBS wiki
Iris stenophylla grows on rocky hillsides in southern Turkey at fairly high altitudes. Flowers are violet to lilac blue with a yellow crest surrounded by a white, violet spotted zone.
John B
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In reading both books now it is a good match for I. galatica.
John B
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Jon,
thanks for clarifying this. If Tony Hall thinks it's I.stenophylla then that's good enough for me! Another photo I took at Caerleon shows the vertical label with the name Iris stenophylla clearly printed on it, in contrast with the 'show' label, so it's interesting to note the reversion to the original.
John D
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For Iris stenophylla follow this link to the AGS Plant Encyclopaedia.
http://encyclopaedia.alpinegardensociety.net/plants/Iris/stenophylla (http://encyclopaedia.alpinegardensociety.net/plants/Iris/stenophylla)
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For Iris stenophylla follow this link to the AGS Plant Encyclopaedia.
http://encyclopaedia.alpinegardensociety.net/plants/Iris/stenophylla (http://encyclopaedia.alpinegardensociety.net/plants/Iris/stenophylla)
and this one to Iris galatica! http://encyclopaedia.alpinegardensociety.net/plants/Iris/galatica (http://encyclopaedia.alpinegardensociety.net/plants/Iris/galatica)
The PBS pages are most useful in these hunts, I think http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/JunoIrises (http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/JunoIrises)
I would however, be most interested to hear what Oron, Fred , Hans A and Peter T have to say on the matter.
As an aside - am I the only one who thinks the flowers in this year's plant look in poor state? I presume they may have just been at the stage of unfurling but they do look rather rough.
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I agree Maggi. Many irises can often look good even as they unfurl, but it does no favours for this plant, which looks as though it could have done with another day or two the for the flowers to open fully and reach their peak.
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Last year the plant did receive a certificate of merit whereas this year it was in a 3 pan which was unplaced. I agree, it was still unfurling.
Paul R