Shows around the country- 22nd March 2014

[ranunculus]

John, this may all sound petty and ridiculous, but a) there is a class available for the larger (whether that be 'slightly' larger or more pronounced) exhibits; b) an extra centimetre or two on the size of a pot doesn't sound much, but actually provides space for a whole lot more plant thereby giving that exhibitor an unfair advantage; c) rules are 'usually' there for a reason and you automatically sign up for these by taking your plants to the show; d) these pot sizes are very necessary for the show secretaries who have to allocate VERY LIMITED bench space on the evening before the show and just a few centimetres here and there can make an ENORMOUS difference.
… But I do agree … it does SOUND petty and ridiculous to those who are not involved!!!   

[Tim Ingram]

The Townsendia was a super plant - here's another picture of it, and also one of Trillium nivale (which Eric also showed). You hardly need to say anything more about them! Last year the trillium was laid flat by the frost the day before the show, but stiil looked very good on the day. Eric is just one of the finest growers of alpines there is, and since he has always exhibited and judged plants I expect he takes this in good spirit - he does have quite a few Farrer medals and red cards under his belt! Perhaps we should once in a while hold a show with no judging and just see if more people might come along and be involved? Once you know you can grow a plant well, I'm not sure it is so necessary to be continually recognised for this? We all see it anyway. And of course Cliff is right - how can you have a Show without rules? But it is also possible to stage non-competitive displays that are more educational, and have the miniature gardens and small flower arrangements which bring in a different way of looking at showing off plants and how you like to grow them; the first picture for example - a flower arrangement from Lee and Julie Martin.

[cycnich]

My brain tells me not to comment on this but my heart says if you feel strongly enough about something then you have to even though it will backfire on you without doubt. I have been an exhibitor for 25 years and a show secretary for 15 of those. I have seen some strange decisions in that time but this has to be one of the worst. For a plant to be considered for best in show it has to have won its class unless it is in a three pan entry, that is black and white and there is no argument, it cannot be best in show if it has already been beaten. This plant was placed third,the reasons are irrelevant. Whilst the pot was only marginally oversize it was oversize and as such was NAS full stop. I know Eric very well and he's integrity is not in doubt, it was a simple mistake. What is in doubt however is the decision of the director of shows or his representative on the day not to exclude the plant altogether. A person who has not been mentioned here is the owner of the plant that was runner up to best in show and there would have been one, I bet that person is well chuffed. If you ask the many people who do not show anymore and those who have left the society there are some common words used, Arrogant, aloof, out of touch, on this occasion guilty as charged I think. This is not bending the rules this is ignoring them.

[Maggi Young]

I can think of at least one occasion at an SRGC Show when a Forrest medal was awarded to a plant that  had been beaten in a one-pan class. I fear that  these things will happen from time to time, regrettable though that may be.

[cycnich]

I can think of at least one occasion at an SRGC Show when a Forrest medal was awarded to a plant that  had been beaten in a one-pan class. I fear that  these things will happen from time to time, regrettable though that may be.

I am sure you are right but that should not be possible.

[Jon Evans]

After a couple of weeks off at Loughborough (too busy sorting out the artistic competition) and at Kendal (too far to travel), I was the AGS Show Photographer at the Kent Show, and have now posted the results on the AGS website here -

http://www.alpinegardensociety.net/discussion/atshows/AGS+KENT+SHOW+nd+MARCH+/18470/

I'm not really qualified to comment on the judging issue, which people clearly find contentious.  However, I would observe that the plant in question was marked NAS (not according to schedule), and not given a place in its class.  As such, one can argue that it was not beaten in its class, but excluded from the competitive class because it did not satisfy the requirements of the class.  A Farrer medal can be awarded to a plant which is not in a competitive class (e.g. in a display).  It seems to me that the status of entries which have been deemed NAS is something that needs to be clarified, and it will no doubt come up in a show committee meeting in the near future.

[Maggi Young]

And some fine photos you have there too, Jon.

[Maggi Young]

Next weekend, March 29,  there is the joint  SRGC/ AGS show at Hexham and also the
AGS  SOUTH WEST SHOW, West Exe Technology College, Hatherleigh Road, Exeter, Devon EX2 9JU (M5 J31 then A30 for 2 miles. A377 towards Exeter for ½ mile then left at traffic lights and left again onto Cowick Lane. At the next lights turn right into Hatherleigh Road and college entrance is on the right)

[ranunculus]

Miniature garden class at East Lancashire Alpine Garden Society Show 22nd March 2014.

[veteran vet]

Been following the discussions re rules etc, rules are rules so either you apply them or why have them, a very apt comment is how does the exhibitor who was second feel when they know the winner was in an oversize pot...happened to me more than once, always felt peeved.
Enough, I took a fair few pictures on Saturday, usual mish mash of likes, could get a decent picture as no one around, took my eye as I wandered around camera in hand. I just started somewhere and walked up and down the benches so in no absolute order
Iris bucharica 'Baldschuan Yellow' 52, Ivor Betteridge
Corydalis solida 'Penza Strain' 62 Ian Leslie....was not the biggest in the class but very compact and good colour
Callianthemum farreri 65 Diane Clement....not sticker but was of interest, just a tad on the small side
Saxifraga oppositifolia Norway Form from Mala Janes (67
Viola jooii 81 Alan Furness

[veteran vet]

Peter Hood had quite a few Primula bracteata straight and hybrids on the benches one was
Primula bracteata in class 53
Fritillaria carica 73 from Clare Oates up against the winner of the class
Fritillaria aurea x pinardii from Don Peace
Narcissus minor 'Douglasbank' won the Narcissus salver for yours truly, was lucky that on the day other mightier plants were elsewhere
Don Peace also won the small six pan and so an AGS medal. from front to back, left side first there was
Fritllaria carica, Primula 'Broadwell Milkmaid', Dionysia bryoides
Corydalis solida 'Penza Strain,  Dionysia gaube, Primula miniera

[veteran vet]

The classes for New in Cultivation (88) or Rare in Cultivation (89) always stimulates my interest so
Iris narynensis ssp archibaldii (88) from Jim Almond caught my eye + his notes
Iris zaprjagajewii (89) from Jim also + notes

[veteran vet]

also in class 89, the winner in fact was
Androsace baltistanica from Brian Burrow + notes.
Much admired, is a plant I have always struggled with and never got as good as this one was
Astragalus coccineus (78) from Peter Farkasch
Of a totally different nature and spectacle was the less flamboyant
Hutchinsea alpina ssp brevicaulis (29) Ron and Hilary Price, not the best of pictures but you get the idea
Tim Lever produced what was for me the first Daphne of the season with
Daphne 'Collington Crown'

[veteran vet]

Tommy Anderson continued in his rich vein of form this year with
Corydalis glaucescens (16)
Callianthemum anemonoides (17) won the Jim Lever Memorial Trophy again for yours truly, quite appropriate as the plant originally came from them some years ago
Fritillaria gibbosa (21) from Ivor Betteridge, managed a decent picture of it for once
Viola brevistipulate hidakana (26) Barry Winter
Trillium rivale 'Winifred Murray Group' again from me....as far as I can work out this is still the original plant that I got years ago from Kath Dryen, have lots of its seedlings on the go, all shades and colours

[veteran vet]

Androsace have in the main been few and far between this year but
Androsace laevigata (27) Chris Lilley was a nice plant as was
Androsace sempervivoides 'Susan Joan' (10) Georgina Instone and
Androsace lehmanniana (10) Geoff Rollinson
Dionysia microphylla (13) from Derek Pickard
A most unusual looking plant from Tim Lever was
Junellia coralloides, no sticker but just caught my eye as being 'different'