AGS Shows: Autumn Show South 26th Sept 2009

The morning dawned clear, still, and somewhat chilly for the trip to the autumn show at Rainham. A pleasant drive later we were at the school in perfect September weather. The buildings have been renovated since the spring; apart from some initial confusion (usual entrance doors locked) this was a major improvement, with comfortable eating and seating areas for visitors, and excellent food and service provided by helpful catering staff.

As always the regular helpers from the local groups worked tirelessly all day to make sure the show was a success.

Still no way of doing corrections, so the last section will have to stay as 'the venus' and not 'venue'.  (Jon - I sorted it for you - Diane Clement)

Doug Joyce and I worked together to do the show photography, taking turns to carry plants, and holding the reflector for each other. It is amazing how stupid you feel standing in the middle of the hall holding a 4ft diameter silver disk above your head to reflect light onto a plant 10ft away. While you are standing there, people come and ask questions about photography, completely ignoring your ridiculous pose.

Doug and I took very similar images of many of the plants; since his have now been posted to the Show Results Photo Gallery, I will try to avoid repeating these, and will concentrate on close ups, and a few other things I photographed while Doug was busy elsewhere.

As usual at this time of the year, the show, and major trophies, were dominated by cyclamen. It was one of those days when exhibitors with superb plants are not even placed, such was the competition on the bench. Whilst it is easy to admire these huge pans filled with bloom, and the skill required of the exhibitor to produce them in such superb quality, it is very difficult to produce photographs which capture the essential delicacy of cyclamen flowers, when so many are massed together. Most of my photos of the biggest plants are very similar to those in the Show Results, so I have omitted those, and offer some close ups, and images of some smaller plants.

1st in Class 78 and awarded a Certificate of Merit

This is always my favourite cyclamen ? wonderfully delicate, often a beautiful mix of colours, and sometimes scented.

A hybrid between C. graecum and hederifolium

A beautiful, elegant specimen, with long stems, very large flowers, and leaves yet to develop.

As well as the cyclamen, many other autumn bulbs made an appearance. Several of these appear in the Show Results Gallery, but here are some close ups.

An unusual spicy scent, but not unpleasant, unlike the following.

Transported all the way from Carmarthenshire, and presumably, all the way back again (with the windows wide open ?). I took this close up to try to capture the beautiful deep crimson of the spathe, but the AGS Journal will need a scratch and sniff section to capture the plant properly.

Bob and Rannveig Wallis won this class with a group of three colchicums ? here are two of them in closeup.

This is a beautiful tiny plant I now have on my 'wants' list.

1st in Class 8, and winner of the 80th Anniversary Award for the best plant in a 19cm pot. This closeup was an attempt to capture the detail of the branched orange stigma.