Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: ChrisB on April 27, 2011, 01:11:06 PM
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Was at the Cleveland Show last Saturday and had another chance to see John Dower's wonderful mini garden. Here are a few pics of its various aspects.
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Great job Mr. Dower !!!! We've really missed seeing you guys this year.....and your wonderful mini gardens.
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Another opportunity to see this and other wonderful mini-gardens at the AGS East Cheshire show at Wilmslow on Saturday April 30th.
... And, after viewing the show benches you could join the Pudsey Pigs and their groupies at the pub to witness this annual cultural serendipity ...
Alan (a past winner of this prestigious trophy) had to emigrate to Kentucky to escape the fame and adulation!
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.......and the cholesterol Cliff......
All our friends are most welcome to come to Kentucky and try out the Hazard Hog!!!
Any takers?
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Chris, approximately how big (wide, tall) are these delightful little gardens?
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Chris, approximately how big (wide, tall) are these delightful little gardens?
Lesley, if my memory serves me correctly, this garden is in a 12" (36cm) diameter clay pot. This is the maximum size allowed under AGS show regulations.
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Thanks Chris. I think I might make a few as a subject for a talk to our local group. I don't think we've covered mini gardens as such before. Not even troughs for quite a long time. If I start very soon, maybe a talk next year.
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Yes, I think John's garden is about 12 inches in diameter, but could be slightly larger from my memory. The others at the same event were also wonderful, and not quite as wide. One was in a broken clay pot and looked super, with a tall piece of tufa making it look like a very steep mountain side. John showed me how to put the plants in, something like the demos that Cliff gave us in a thread in 2008 (you'll find it if you search). Those were great 'how to' pics step by step. Love these things. Bought a few pieces of tufa recently and I'm hoping to do something with it soon, but I know it will take ages for it to age and look as well populated as those at shows at the moment. But I'll try....
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Lesley, John produced a good 'How to' leaflet on mini-gardens for the AGS recently. Unfortunately it doesn't appear on their website among the other 'Easy Leaflets' to download.
I too have been gathering bits and pieces to try to make one of these but still need to get my act together and assemble it.
36cm is just over 14 inches so they are really very small.
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Thanks again Chris for the Cliff tip and also Vivien. I seem to remember that little booklet and will have it somewhere. I've been packing paperwork of all kinds into wine boxes recently, so it may take a little while. An awful lot of paper can fit in a wine box and then I find I can barely lift it. ::)
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A very quick search for mini gardens 2008 has so far given me numerous references to "reminisences" or "reminiscent" or "Administration" and close other words. I'll keep at it.
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Yes, I think John's garden is about 12 inches in diameter, but could be slightly larger from my memory. The others at the same event were also wonderful, and not quite as wide. One was in a broken clay pot and looked super, with a tall piece of tufa making it look like a very steep mountain side. John showed me how to put the plants in, something like the demos that Cliff gave us in a thread in 2008 (you'll find it if you search). Those were great 'how to' pics step by step. Love these things. Bought a few pieces of tufa recently and I'm hoping to do something with it soon, but I know it will take ages for it to age and look as well populated as those at shows at the moment. But I'll try....
I've been searching for the relevant posting myself, Lesley and Chris ... can't seem to locate it - I can remember posting quite a number of images!!! Perhaps we need to call on Wonder Woman (you know who you are)! :-* :-* :-*
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I think this may be the thread you're looking for.... Miniature Gardens http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2591.0 ;)
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See ... you always produce the goods! Many thanks Maggi.
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Wonder woman indeed Cliff. Thank you Maggi, as always. Will PM you later today, probably in the boring bits of the WEDDING telecast.
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Hi Chris,
The mini garden in the broken pot was one of Mandys. I have some photos of its construction to upload but i'm having computer problems at the moment. There are 2 mini garden classes at Wilmslow this weekend so a chance for everybody to brinh theirs along for the show.
Cheers
mick
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Just catching up a little with my forumist 'duties' and noticed this thread by ChrisB.
Thanks Chris - and I hope to see the results of your efforts on the bench soon.
Alan G is right that 36cm is the upper limit for AGS shows (that's 14 and an eighth inches in UK Alan!) The garden which has done so well for Clare & me this year is 34cm and just deep enough. (It is heavy though - hence our decision to show jointly now!)
I bought the pot back in the 90's and, had I known then what I know now, I would have bought the lot.
There has been some discussion with a lady potter in Yorkshire with a view to the making of similar creations but no news yet.
Mick & Mandys' broken pot was (I am convinced ;)) a result of some inspired potting - or perhaps a complete accident! Either way it just shows what a great eye they have.
There are a number of exhibitors preparing minigardens just now and I would love to see the numbers on show increasing.
Who knows, we may one day beat the ELEVEN which were shown in Hexham back in the nineties.
There are few better ways to introduce new people to alpines than minigardens, hence the ad hoc workshops at shows as well as more organised group efforts.
I will encourage the AGS to get the leaflet on the website as they have run out at the shows after proving a real encouragement in respect of recruiting.
Wilmslow yesterday had four gardens in a really super colourful class.
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I will encourage the AGS to get the leaflet on the website as they have run out at the shows after proving a real encouragement in respect of recruiting.
Good idea Johnny.
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Thanks Mick. It was really nice, well thought out. I've got one or two broken pots and am wondering if I should use one of those for mine. But they have to be frost proof or its game over really. Whatever I use, I'm planning to leave it out in the cold frame sunk in the sand but open to the elements when I finally get around to creating it, but first I have to decide on the right container. It can't be too big or I'll not be able to carry it myself, so I'm still thinking this out. Got a bit of practice today re-doing one of my container gardens. It was overgrown and looks much better for its renovation already. So, John, I hope to have a minigarden next season, but probably not before. I'm working on it.....
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Chris,
One way to guard against frost damage is to soak the pot in a weak pva (wood glue) mix and then dry out completely.
The amount of water which can get into the pot is less and the risk of spalling reduced .
It is difficult to find high fired pots of a suitable size which is why plastic is often used. While this also has advantages in regard to weight it doesn't look quite the same as a broken clay!
Keeping it plunged seems a good idea to me.
J.
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Thanks for that tip, John. I'll do that when I find the right pot. I've got loads of broken ones here, need to take a close look at them to decide on one. I agree, clay looks infinitely better than anything plastic. I did think of using a styrofoam box made to look like stone sink, and I may still have a go with this regarding weight, as a back up. But I shall get there eventually. I took those pics to remind me of the sort of thing that can be successfully grown in those conditions really, but then decided to share them here. Its such a lovely garden!
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I'm sure you will Chris.
Just in case anyone isn't an AGS member :P and therefore hasn't had the minigarden leaflet, it is now downloadable from the AGS website.
JohnnyD
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I'm sure you will Chris.
Just in case anyone isn't an AGS member :P and therefore hasn't had the minigarden leaflet, it is now downloadable from the AGS website.
JohnnyD
We have no problem in advertising the AGS leaflet.... get it here :
http://www.alpinegardensociety.net/pdf_files/publication/11_MiniGarden_sc.pdf
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Thanks Maggi, you are a star.
J.
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No worries, John. As you know the SRGC is happy to encourage the growing of our favourite little plants by whatever means possible and to aid sister organisations wherever we can.
Personally I think the more folks we can get 'having a go' with a mini garden the more will discover the pleasure of this particular method and have fun with entering them in the shows as well as decorating their gardens and perhaps moving on to bigger troughs and container gardening, all of which are ideal for alpines as well as being the perfect answer for the restricted spaces many of us have for gardening nowadays. :)
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Well said Maggi.
I am absolutely convinced that it is plants/people which make the societies a success, and minigardens are just one way to get people interested.
Every show sees people stopping to pore over the gardens believing them to be difficult. They are not. Download to leaflet everybody and have a go.
JohnnyD
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Maggi your reply #10 in the Minature Gardens thread of 2008 (see below) make things quite difficult for showing.
For SRGC shows, rules about "miniature garden" entries vary as to size allowed....
e.g.
"1 miniature garden, not exceeding 0.37 sq. m (4 sq. ft) planted with living plants, no cut flowers allowed"..... this last instruction is applied to all.
or " 1 Miniature garden, container sides or diameter not exceeding 45cm, planted with rock plants "
or "1 container, various rock garden plants, arranged for effect, maximum diameter ( or length of side) of container 30 cm "
or " A container of rock plants, arranged for effect, all plants to be living"
or "1 miniature garden with longest sides or diameter not exceeding 45cm."
So, you see there are no hard and fast rules....
AGS rules are simple and standard so the exhibitor knows which pan to buy from the outset and can exhibit the same container in more than one show.
SRGC rules for different shows go from 30cm at Glasgow and Perth to 45cm at Edinburgh and calculating the Stirling show from 4sq ft. = 61cm along one side. So a pan suitable for Edinburgh and Stirling is not suitable for Perth or Glasgow. Should the SRGC not standardise the pan size for all shows and cut out the confusion. I think the 36cm for AGS shows is a good standard size and would like to see this for SRGC shows. I have thought for some time that I would like to design a Minature Garden for showing but have been a little confused as to which pan size to go for. I think 30cm is too small.
What is the thinking of the SRGC and what do others think.
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Differences allow exhibitors to choose their preferred size, Graham.... but if one has a 30cm garden there is no bar to showing it in the other shows where the limit is larger. The limits are just that, "limits" not the sizes that must be shown. :)
My suspicion is that a good little 'un will beat a good big 'un every time in that section, anyway!
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I understand that a 30cm pan is eligible for those shows with a higher upper limit, and I also see the need to set an upper limit. But I don’t see the reason for setting a low (30cm) upper limit at Perth and Glasgow. Which means the limit is limiting at these two shows.
It seems I will have to look at a 30cm pan for the best option of it being ready for any of the shows.
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I see your point, Graham.... can I suggest you drop a note to the relevant Show Secs. and Barry Caudwell to draw their attention to it? I can pass a note but a direct submission can't hurt!
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I think a MAXIMUM of 30cms sides is too small but my back and rapidly deteriorating right arm muscles wouldn't agree with me. ???
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I see your point, Graham.... can I suggest you drop a note to the relevant Show Secs. and Barry Caudwell to draw their attention to it? I can pass a note but a direct submission can't hurt!
Hi Maggi,
I will do that.
I now don't really have any choice but to set one up do I. :)
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Hi Maggi,
I will do that.
I now don't really have any choice but to set one up do I. :)
Tee Hee! ;D ;) You didn't think I was really as daft as I'm looking like a cabbage, did you?
(Apologies to non-native English speakers who won't understand that at all..... :-X)
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Hi Maggi,
I will do that.
I now don't really have any choice but to set one up do I. :)
Tee Hee! ;D ;) You didn't think I was really as daft as I'm looking like a cabbage, did you?
(Apologies to non-native English speakers who won't understand that at all..... :-X)
;D
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Look forward to seeing yours on the bench next year at Edinburgh... will mine be beside it though, that is the question....
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Not sure whats going in it yet. I have some ideas though. Probably will be later than the Edinburgh show though.
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Just a short follow-up to the pics which Chris showed of our mini garden.
It is the equivalent of 'Tuesday plants' - you know the ones - great last Tuesday or will be next tuesday!
This time it is more last week - etc...... >:(
Still, it demonstrates what an ongoing joy these little gardens can be, show or no show. :D
JohnnyD
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Never mind 'the world in a garden'... here is a world in a pot! 8)
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That's looking great john,
I have my pot now - it's 36cm so will have to hope it's ready for a 36cm show, unless the rules change next year.
I think I have formulated my plan now. I have the plants in the garden so will be potting it up in the autumn. Hope it will be ready for next spring but may have to wait another year.
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Great to hear Graham.
At the same time I suggest you take lots of cuttings of saxes and sedums and campanulas and dianthus and etc etc etc, - stick them all together in one pot of really gritty stuff.
That way you will have a whole mass of small plants which will fill in the gaps as you build the garden.
If using tufa - stick some in there as well and leave the tufa on the garden or in another trough to establish.
Looking forward to seeing the results.
Cheers,
JohnnyD
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Thanks for the tips John.
However, mine might be something slightly different :-\
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Can't wait! :P
J.
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Great to see the updated pics John. Which campanula is it you have there? And which species of globularia? I'm growing lots of both from seed at the moment. Don't they look good in the garden?