SRGC/AGS show - Northumberland - Saturday 10th October 2015

[Stan da Prato]

...not finished yet. Now for some of the people who make the show possible. I was most impressed by the little booklet explaining  the show to the public which the north-east  group had made up. Displays are a feature of shows in this part of the country and this autumn Mike Dale put up   very nice  display on flowers and philately. At its centre was a very good exhibit of ferns.

[Stan da Prato]

local group members at work

[Stan da Prato]

people among the plants

[Stan da Prato]

more

[Stan da Prato]

and others

[Stan da Prato]

and more -the man in the first picture is the owner of the centre

[Stan da Prato]

The club plant stall and several specialist  nurseries add to these shows.

[Stan da Prato]

I first  thought that Mr Christie's  attempts to snap me would be the caption competition but he was overshadowed by the strange  eating  habits of the ladies of the North-east. On which frivolous  note I am signing  off. As always I do  hope more knowledgeable and sensible  growers  will tell us  more about  the plants.

[Ian Y]

Thanks everyone for all the pictures from the show, the people are as important as the plants and that is well reflected in the posts - for those of us not able to get there this is almos as good.

[Maggi Young]

Stupendous reporting - wonderful.
 Lawrence Peet has more photos on his site too : http://lawrencepeetalpines.com/2015/10/11/ags-srgc-newcastle-show-10th-october-2015/

[veteran vet]

A very comprehensive overview from the Scottish Contingent, as friendly, chatty and knowledgeable as ever. As they say, new venue and the first ever? in a Garden Centre which was quite strange at first with Garden Centre plants all over the place for sale, garden equipment etc etc so there were folk wandering about all day and my general impression was that they were interested and some were surprised by the variety of the plants on display. As an exhibitor the lighting was excellent and natural so an improvement from the hall in Ponteland, the garden centre staff were very helpful both during set up on Friday and on the show day itself. One or two exhibitors felt that it lacked the intimacy and togetherness from the Ponteland hall but in the main were delighted with the light.
As usual I have no general shots, just plants in close up with names so here goes, as they say in no particular order.
Crocus mathewsii 'Dream Dancer' from Ian Kidman (70) a much admired crocus, it was in a three pan class and one of the others was
Crocus serotinus v. salzmannii 'El Torcal' which by the end of the day was fully open, not so during judging sadly
Crocus kotschyanus Jim McGregor (70)
Colchicum speciosum atrorubens in 67 from Robin Pickering, a nice strong plant
Petrocosmea begonifolia from Viv Self, the only entrant in the Novice section and so she won the Newcastle Bowl for the most points in that section

[veteran vet]

Cyclamen confusum from Bob Worsley (100), a nice plant, Bob had the most points in the Intermediate section
Gaultheria 'Pearls' from John Bunn (86), I will be interested to see what its like when bigger as rather nice
Gaultheria crassa 'JohnSaxton. the Forrest Medal winner from Keith and Rachel Lever...I know there are several pictures of it but good enough for another
Aruncus aesthusifolius from Mike Dale (28), I did like this as a foliage plant
Oxalis lobata from Robin Pickering (74)

[veteran vet]

The Joint Show Secs had a strong day, Alan Newton was one win away from most points in the Open Section, some of his plants were
Tanacetum leontopodium
Eucomis vandermerwii.....not to my taste but who cares
Class 80, three pans silver had the show secs in direct competition with Alan Furness on the left, Alan Newton on the right (AF the winner)
Habranthus martinezii (72)
Petrocosmea sp. (49)

[veteran vet]

Continuing on with Alan Newton plants he won the three pan cushion class 17 which was made up of Dionysia monika, D. curviflora and Androsace robusta breviscapa

[veteran vet]

Bob and Rannveig Wallis had been supporters and exhibitors at this show for many years and some of the exhibits were
Cyclamen graecum ssp graecum forma album (7)
Biarum marmarisense (1)
Hyacinthoides ciliolate (1)
The only entrant in the small six had to have been as good an exhibit in the small six as has been seen this year, it contained
Pterostylus coccinea which was the best plant in a <19cm pot and so won a new award this year The Patricia Furness Vase