Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

SRGC Shows and Events => Events => Topic started by: Giles on March 28, 2009, 06:02:06 PM

Title: AGS Exeter
Post by: Giles on March 28, 2009, 06:02:06 PM
Some Daphnes

D.juliae
D. x hendersonii 'Solferino'
D. x hendersonii 'Fritz Kummert'

(all Robin White's)
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Giles on March 28, 2009, 06:07:26 PM
General view
Jim Almond's 6  Correction: Eric Jarrett's 6
Robin White's 3
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Maggi Young on March 28, 2009, 06:10:07 PM
Ooh! Great plants! You've been speeding again, haven't you, Giles?  ;D

My nose was sent into overdrive with the  mere thought of the Daphnes but I ADORE the Trillium nivale.... SUCH a fab plant!!
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Giles on March 28, 2009, 06:14:44 PM
me? speeding???

Cushions:
Dionysia 'Chris Grey-Wilson'
Dionysia 'Ewesley Mu'
Dionysia 'Adora'
Androsace vandellii
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Maggi Young on March 28, 2009, 06:20:25 PM
Well, Giles, I had heard you had "go-faster" stripes painted on your bicycle.......and your slippers.... ;)
I just tore my eyes away from the Trillium to spot the Saxifraga retusa in that six pan.... I like that , too.... not much wonder he won a medal with a six like that!
Yummy cushions, too.  What's the weather like down there? Not too stormy , I suspect, or those plants would never have made it from car to bench in one piece!

Oh, my word, I've just realised that the perfect white cushion at the rear of the six pan entry is a Chionohebe pulvinaris..... Lovely!!  8)
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Giles on March 28, 2009, 06:23:05 PM
Crazy foliage: Leucothoe axillaris 'Curly Red'
Orchid: Neotinea tridentata
Sax. edithae 'Bridget'
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Giles on March 28, 2009, 06:28:41 PM
(part of) The Nicholson Collection.....(he'll kill me when he gets back!!!!)
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Maggi Young on March 28, 2009, 06:32:19 PM
Nah! He'll be all proud and happy!

 How did you keep from pinching all those lovely Daphnes off the show benches? Was the security on them pretty tight??  ;)
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Giles on March 28, 2009, 06:33:59 PM
Townsendia (unknown species)
Dionysia khatamii
Viola pedata
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: WimB on March 28, 2009, 06:36:01 PM
I like the Neotinea tridentata,
the only one of that genus I had ever seen was Neotinea ustulata which is very nice also.

Very beautiful cushions also. And I'm in love with Viola pedata which I still haven't found.
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: ranunculus on March 28, 2009, 06:42:40 PM
Super images, Giles ... I'm sure there are many more to follow?  ... But what an incredible Six Pan !
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Giles on March 28, 2009, 06:43:34 PM
Some bulby things:
Beuavalia forniculata (this is what it said on the label - but can't find any name like it in the books)
Onixotis stricta (again not sure about the name)

That's all of my photos.
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Maggi Young on March 28, 2009, 06:55:43 PM
That'll be Bellevalia forniculata...... what a mouthful.

You have a great eye for bringing us the good stuff, Giles, thanks!  :-*
How perfect is that Viola?
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Giles on March 28, 2009, 06:59:44 PM
re. the (very perfect) Viola:
Wim, Aberconwy Nursery have 2 forms of it, if you wanted one, let me know and I'll pick one up for you at the next show,(assuming they still have some)
and post it to you. (They are £3). PM me if you're interested.
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Maggi Young on March 28, 2009, 07:00:17 PM
I think that Onixotis stricta is now correctly Wurmbea stricta.... those taxonomists at it again!
See here
http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/Onixotis
and here
http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantwxyz/wurmbeastricta.htm for more info on "the rice flower"
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Paddy Tobin on March 28, 2009, 07:21:40 PM
Giles, Great report; delighted to be able to see all these wonderful plants; enjoyed it greatly.

Many thanks, Paddy
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: tonyg on March 28, 2009, 10:12:34 PM
Townsendia (unknown species)
Looks like Townsendia condensata.  Mine will flower while we are away for Easter!
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Dionysia on March 28, 2009, 10:22:38 PM
Excellent though Jim Almond's six pan was, the one featured earlier was Eric Jarrett's and his Chionohebe pulvinaris not only won the best plant in a 19cm award but also the Farrer. :)
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Giles on March 28, 2009, 10:27:49 PM
Oops...many apologies!
I've made the correction.
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Lvandelft on March 28, 2009, 10:44:04 PM
Giles, thank you for showing all these beautiful plants.
And congratulations to David with his First!
I love that Viola pedata..... and so many other plants too.
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: ranunculus on March 29, 2009, 06:25:45 AM
Very hearty congratulations to Eric on his magnificent Six Pan and his very worthy Farrer Medal winning Chionohebe ... Jim WOULD have been so proud of them!  :D   Thanks Paul for rescuing the situation - trust you had a satisfying day?

Well done young David, will you be exhibiting all over the country now?   ;D
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: David Nicholson on March 29, 2009, 11:18:45 AM
My day at the Show passed in a haze of euphoria. Not my first attendance at a Show by any means but my first dip of the toe in the water at exhibiting in Section C.

Result:
Class 105: 3 pans rock plants distinct.  First.
Class 108: 1 pan Primula. First.
Class 110: 1 bulbous plant. First.
Class 111: 1 pan rock plant raised from seed.  Third.
Class 114: 1 pan judged for foliage effect:  Second.
Dartington Trophy for most prize points in Section C

Beginners luck of course.

I have to say I was utterly gob smacked and if at 0830 when I walked into the Show Hall someone had said 'you're going to win a prize' I would have thought them to be mad!

Thus my picture taking was severely hampered by my state of euphoria and thanks to Giles for setting the scene. I just can't remember what is on my camera, may be only a photo record of my own stuff, but will check later and post something hopefully.

I also had a very pleasant surprise when a Forumist turned up at the Show bearing a tray of lovely plants for me and refused to accept a penny for them. Thank you again most sincerely.

My evening was then crowned by a few glasses of good single malt and a fantastic Annie Lennox concert on the box. What a day.


Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: David Shaw on March 29, 2009, 11:49:26 AM
Well done, David. They were a nice set of plants that you took to the show. See you in Edinburgh on Saturday when you can get some SRGC awards!
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: maggiepie on March 29, 2009, 12:17:29 PM
Wonderful pics Giles, the daphnes are so beautiful, I wish I could smell them.
The viola is amazing.

David, congratulations on your success, have you come back to earth yet? ;)
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Maggi Young on March 29, 2009, 02:20:48 PM
I'm pleased that we have now got the right owner for those lovely plants and  can give Eric Jarrett the credit he deserves for some super plants!
That Chionohebe is gorgeous!!

 Congratulations again to David.... WHAT a Good Day!!  :-*
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Luc Gilgemyn on March 29, 2009, 03:32:03 PM
Well, Giles, I had heard you had "go-faster" stripes painted on your bicycle.......and your slippers.... ;)

Maggi,
I noticed Giles doesn't have a nickname in his avatar yet.... I guess there's some inspiration for one here... ??  ;D ;D


Many congrats to David !  Very well done indeed !
Now it's definitely time to change the text under your signature Mr Nicholson... it no longer stands !!!  ;)

Giles,
You don't seem to mind the extra mile hopping from one show to the next !  ;D   Sorry we didn't meet this time... I missed the ferry..  ;D ;D ;D
A big thank you for the great pictures though !!
Wonderful show - tremendous plants once again !
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Ulla Hansson on March 29, 2009, 05:33:12 PM
Giles,
The image of Viola pedata went straight into my heart. I have never seen such a color on a Viola.  :o  Do you know if
Aberconway send plants?   
Ulla
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Giles on March 29, 2009, 06:06:41 PM
Ulla,
No, they don't do mail order. It would be a case of one of us picking some up for you at one of the shows (which they attend) and posting it to you ourself.
The postage costs would be quite high (more than the cost of the plant), but if you want it, I can do it!

Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: David Nicholson on March 29, 2009, 08:33:01 PM
I forgot to add, in my euphoric out-pourings about the South West AGS Show, that not all of my Saturday went well. I forgot to buy our usual Saturday evening lottery ticket for which we always use the same set of numbers. Of course, four of our numbers came up-sod it >:( >:(

Most of my pictures were pretty awful but some of the more reasonable ones are posted here.

Firstly to get me out of the way, my winning 3 pans of rock plants distinct included Primula marginata 'Kesslering's Variety', Primula x pubescens 'Mrs JH Wilson (both of which I have posted recently in the Primula thread) and Primula 'Aire Waves'. So no further pictures of these.

My second in Class 114 for 1 pan judged for foliage effect was in fact one of my clones of Primula marginata 'Caerulea' which has sulked all year and refused to flower. But, it has lovely foliage! First pic below.

My winner in Class 108 for 1 pan Primula was my Primula marginata 'Fred Salter', not the largest plant in the world but in my view a lovely form and it really suited it's small clay pot. Second pic below.

My winner in Class 110 for 1 bulbous plant was my Juno, Iris graeberiana which has come on a lot since I posted it in the Juno thread a few days ago. My picture doesn't do it justice though and is the third pic below.

The fourth pic illustrates the massive difference in experience and class between showing in Section C and the Open Section. The fourth pic is of Jim Almond's winning entry in Class 21 for 1 bulbous plant excluding Frits, his Iris graeberiana. The fifth pic shows the cards he got for it. Luc, this illustrates why I shall not be changing my signature line just yet.

The fifth pic shows Eric Jarret's Farrer winning Chionohebe pulvinaris. What a plant and what a six pan collection he had on the table.

Mention has been made of the prize winning Viola pedata benched by Robin White which Giles pictured. In Section C my friend Mike Quest won best plant in Section with his Viola pedata which he bought from Robin White at last years show. Good pedigree there.



 



Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Mick McLoughlin on March 29, 2009, 08:47:03 PM
Congratulations on your successes David. If you are still after a 'Broadwell Milkmaid' next time you're in Yorkshire call in as I have a couple ofsets (unless you're at the Chesterfield show?).
Thank you to everybody for the pictures of another good show.
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: David Nicholson on March 29, 2009, 08:52:31 PM
Hi Mick, many thanks. I'll PM you.
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Maggi Young on March 29, 2009, 08:54:30 PM
These Milkmaids from Broadwell are buxom wenches, are they not? Or ,as we  would say in Scotland, "sonsy deems"  ;D

David, if it is any consolation to you, Ian was moved ( on account of the £14million roll-over) to buy  not one but two Lucky Dip tickets for Saturday's Lotto..... not a single number  in the bunch. :'(
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: David Nicholson on March 29, 2009, 09:02:59 PM
Maggi I've only won two £10's since the lottery began. The last time I got four numbers my daughter was going to buy the ticket and she forgot. I'm fated to be poor for life ;D
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Luc Gilgemyn on March 29, 2009, 09:17:49 PM


The fourth pic illustrates the massive difference in experience and class between showing in Section C and the Open Section. The fourth pic is of Jim Almond's winning entry in Class 21 for 1 bulbous plant excluding Frits, his Iris graeberiana. The fifth pic shows the cards he got for it. Luc, this illustrates why I shall not be changing my signature line just yet.



It is a wise man who replaces an achieved goal by the next one !  ;D ;D
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Diane Clement on March 29, 2009, 09:42:29 PM
Thanks for all the pictures, and congratulations to David for his awards. 
I'm afraid you have now taken the first step on the road to show addiction. No one has yet found a cure, but for many of us, the only thing that keeps up going through the week is the thought of the next one   
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Michael J Campbell on March 29, 2009, 10:07:42 PM
Quote
I'm afraid you have now taken the first step on the road to show addiction. No one has yet found a cure

Diane. I have been cured, Dublin show is on the 4th of April and I am going to a wedding on that day. ;D The last show I attended I got a gold award,but no more shows for me.
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Brian Ellis on March 30, 2009, 10:15:20 AM
Well done David, keep it up ;)
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: SueG on March 30, 2009, 10:47:56 AM
Well done David - the first of many I'm sure!
Sue
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Michael J Campbell on March 30, 2009, 05:06:18 PM
Congratulations David,you are on a slippery slope  :o
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: David Nicholson on March 30, 2009, 07:53:07 PM
Thanks for all the pictures, and congratulations to David for his awards. 
I'm afraid you have now taken the first step on the road to show addiction. No one has yet found a cure, but for many of us, the only thing that keeps up going through the week is the thought of the next one   

Thank you all.

Diane, I must admit I found the couple of days before the Show very stressful as I've never previously thought about my plants in any terms other than my own. It took me ages to decide which plants to take and I changed my mind many times. I even loaded them in the car on Friday evening to save me having a mind change on Saturday morning! If nothing else it made me clean my pots and Maureen was chuffed to see my newly found attention to cleanliness.

Exter is only three quarters of an hours drive for me but it did mean me getting up at 0645 and I don't really recognise morning times before 0815 these days-more stress! I have to say though that I got every help in the Show Hall with loads of people putting me right on how best to sort myself out.

How you cope with a Show over a hundred miles away from home must be a logistical nightmare and might be make a good Diary for times of the year there is not much to say about plants.
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Diane Clement on March 30, 2009, 08:19:04 PM
How you cope with a Show over a hundred miles away from home must be a logistical nightmare and might be make a good Diary for times of the year there is not much to say about plants. 

David, I had thought of doing a blog or two later in the year about shows and what happens behind the scenes. 
As for long distance shows, last Saturday, my alarm went at 3.30 a.m. :'(
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: David Nicholson on March 30, 2009, 08:46:04 PM
At that time I couldn't see the car never mind the plants ;D
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Diane Clement on March 30, 2009, 09:07:15 PM
At that time I couldn't see the car never mind the plants ;D   

Nor me  ;D  (The car was already loaded - I always do that the night before)
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: David Shaw on March 30, 2009, 09:13:59 PM
David, we are recognising the 'early start' difficulties for ourselves and often go down on the Friday night staying in a local Travel Lodge. We treat it as a weekend break.
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: maggiepie on March 30, 2009, 10:16:34 PM

David, I had thought of doing a blog or two later in the year about shows and what happens behind the scenes. 

Diane, I for one would be very interested in reading about what goes on behind the scenes at a show.
Never having been to one and never likely to, I'd like to read about everything from start to finish.
Am sure there are others like me who would love to know more. ;D ;D
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Maggi Young on March 30, 2009, 10:34:53 PM

David, I had thought of doing a blog or two later in the year about shows and what happens behind the scenes. 

Diane, I for one would be very interested in reading about what goes on behind the scenes at a show.
Never having been to one and never likely to, I'd like to read about everything from start to finish.
Am sure there are others like me who would love to know more. ;D ;D


Well, it starts very early in the year, or even in the previous year with the Show Secretary  booking the hall and contacting nurserymen to see who wants to come. Then there's the booking of the tables, the printing of posters, the organising of adverts, free and paid for, the writing of press releases to tempt some free publicity, the working out of rotas for the teas, the door, the stewards, the judges to be invited. The checking of the table coverings, for show hall and tea room, and kitchen supplies, the decision about what kind of soup to make ....and... and.... how much would you like to discover.... it's a long story .... then you get on to the tasks  of the exhibitors......that's another long story.....then's there's the day and the aftermath....the whole jingbang is quite an epic! :o 8)
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Dionysia on March 31, 2009, 01:07:05 AM
There has to be a touch of masochism attached to showing. Whilst I can't speak for the organisation of the show itself, getting the plants ready is a major undertaking. On Friday I get home from work at 7.15 am and after taking Gill to work, battle commences. The pots will have already been cleaned and new top dressing applied before the Friday. Despite this it can take up to six hours on a Friday giving a final spruce up, relabelling and boxing the smaller plants in B&Q collapsible boxes. The bigger pots (20cm and above) go direct in the car but it is of course a jigsaw without a picture as it is always different plants from the previous show. It's not usually possible to load the car until the sun is setting in case they go over. By the time I go to bed at say 10pm I'll have been up for around 30 hours. On a long trip (Kent show is 160 miles each way) we might need to start at 5am to get a good parking space. When you've got 42 plants as we had at Kent this year, you don't want to be carrying them too far. If you're lucky you then get some time to relax, if you're judging that rest must wait a few more hours. At the end of the show the plants need to go back in their previous positions or you've got no chance so it's a good idea to draw a plan. There then follows a two or three hour drive home and guess what, the plants need to be taken out of the car. If your tired (and who wouldn't be) you leave it until Sunday morning but then you have to get up early so the sun doesn't fry them in the car. Finally they have to be put back in their homes after a quick drink (the plants) unless of course they won't be going to another show in which case you might want to remove the flowers. On Sunday last I spent 6 hours taking the flowers off more than 30 Dionysias, 8 of which were 30 cm in diameter. So you see, we are mad but I hope people enjoy them vicariously. :)
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Luc Gilgemyn on March 31, 2009, 08:49:10 AM
 ::) ::)
And I thought it was a hardship having to get up at 04.00 a.m. to get to the Kent or Harlow show just to have a look at it...
 ::) ::)

Again, my deepest admiration for all involved in these one of a kind shows !!!  :D :D
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Jo on March 31, 2009, 11:47:13 AM
The Exeter was wonderful as always but I had to zip round quickly cos I had to go across to the south east. Sorry I missed you David :( my eyes were glued to plants  :) but congratulations on your results  :D

I took a few pics but didn't photograph the labels as well which was a mistake  ::) However here are some Dionysias just to remind us what a fiddle taking flowers off must be  :o  They were absolutely stunning.

Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Jo on March 31, 2009, 11:59:03 AM
And some more pretty things  :) :)
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: maggiepie on March 31, 2009, 12:16:48 PM

Diane, I for one would be very interested in reading about what goes on behind the scenes at a show.
Never having been to one and never likely to, I'd like to read about everything from start to finish.
Am sure there are others like me who would love to know more. ;D ;D


... how much would you like to discover.... it's a long story .... then you get on to the tasks  of the exhibitors......that's another long story.....then's there's the day and the aftermath....the whole jingbang is quite an epic! :o 8)
[/quote]

All of it Maggi, especially the exhibitors, the trials and tribulations, the funny bits, I bet there are lots of great stories.

Quote
There has to be a touch of masochism attached to showing.

Paul,  thanks for your input, it really helped see into the life of an exhibitor  ;D
Can't imagine carting 42 plants around ( unless it is a trip home from the nursery  ::))
It sounds both exhausting and fun and a full time job, but without people like you, people like me would never get to see these beautiful plants in all their glory. ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: AGS Exeter
Post by: Maggi Young on April 01, 2009, 02:26:01 PM
A wee note about "the Chesterfield Show"..... this is the

AGS North Midlands show, Saturday, 4 April 2009 - 12.00 noon to 4.00 pm
at BROOKFIELD SCHOOL, CHATSWORTH ROAD, CHESTERFIELD  S40 3NS
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