AGS East Cheshire Show 2025

There were terrible delays on the M6 at Stoke on Friday afternoon, so we ended up coming the slow way through Stone and Leek to Macclesfield, which was probably no quicker (the journey took us 6 and a half hours), but more picturesque, with more flowers to spot.

However, all was not entirely well; I had had a bad back for over a week, which made the prospect of doing the show photography rather challenging.  All turned out well; I could use part of the stage in the hall as a studio, which is a much better height than a table, so I can stand up to look through the viewfinder, rather than constantly bending.  And I had several volunteers to carry plants for me, which was essential, since even a 15cm pot was an effort for me.  Two of these volunteers, Henry Fletcher and Steve Vale, between them carried every plant I photographed, so huge thanks to them for their assistance.

Taking views of the show went fine.  There were lots of plants so the benches looked full and the judges were busy.  And I could use my tripod as a support whilst walking round the hall.

Foliage Classes

The foliage classes were one of the features of the show, with eight entries in the three pan class, and eight in the one pan class.  The winner of the three pan class was Diane Clement, with:

• Impatiens omeiana
• Hosta ‘Cracker Crumbs’ and
• Aruncus aethusifolius

Athyrium otophorum var okanum

The one pan class for foliage effect went to Michael Wilson for this lovely plant.

Silver Saxifrages

The other highlight of the show was a superb array of silver saxifrages, mostly exhibited by Michael Sullivan.  Michael won the class for three large pans of rock plants with these, and the class for three rock plants from the same family.

Display of Miniature Gardens

At one end of the hall were two small promotional displays, neither of which was judged, but both exhibitors should be thanked for bringing an little something extra to the show.  Anne Vale staged a display about miniature gardens, including her garden with drunken gnomes, now notorious from the AGS Chelsea display.

Promotional Display

The other display was the promotional exhibit from the East Lancs AGS group, which I photographed in more detail at the East Lancs Show.

Erodium ‘Robertino’

John and Clare Dower’s entry in the small six-pan class failed to meet the judges’ approval, and only received a second place, but it included a very striking Erodium hybrid.

Six small pans of Rock plants – three in flower and three for foliage effect

There were two entries in this class, one from Tommy Anderson and the other winning entry from Steve Clements.

Allium cyathophorum var farreri

Steve’s entry included a neat pan of this pretty little onion.

Novice Section

Even the Novice Section was busy, with twelve plants from three different exhibitors.

Matteuccia struthiopteris

The Hartside Trophy for the best exhibit in the Novice Section went to Vanessa Brook for this fern.

There was a lot of debate about the identity of this.  Matteuccia struthiopteris is commonly known as the ostrich fern or shuttlecock fern; it is a very distinctive and familiar architectural fern for cool damp places in large gardens.  The fern on display didn’t much resemble this, and several exhibitors queried its identity.  But looking on the internet, I found several photos of smaller specimens in pots which looked very like the specimen exhibited, so I think this name is at least plausible.

Crassula rupestris

Ilona Duffy exhibited this unusual Crassula in the Novice section.

Saxifraga ‘Southside Seedling’

Four firsts meant that Ilona Duffy won the Greenwood Shield for the Novice section aggregate. Many of her exhibits were in the beautiful hand-made and artistically decorated pots which she was selling outside the hall, including these two, Saxifraga cochlearis ‘Minor’ and Saxifraga ‘Southside Seedling’.

Phyteuma orbiculare (?)

This Phyteuma from Ilona was in a pot too large for the Novice section, and it had to go in the Intermediate section.  I think it is Phyteuma orbiculare, Round-headed Rampion, though its label was missing and there are a number of different species in the genus.

Sempervivum calcareum ‘Mrs Giuseppi’

In the Intermediate section, Andrew Ward won the class for three pans of rock plants with a good group of Sempervivum cultivars, including this old favourite.

Globularia bellidifolia

Vivian Self exhibited a lovely specimen of Globularia bellidifolia.

Dactylorhiza purpurella (?)

Vivian also exhibited this Marsh Orchid.  She didn’t provide a species name, but it looks close to Dactylorhiza purpurella, the Northern Marsh Orchid, although it is quite tall, and has a few spots on the leaves, which might suggest hybridisation.

Chiastophyllum oppositifolium

It was interesting to see this familiar rock garden plant, looking surprisingly decorative, on the show bench, exhibited by David Harris.

Rhododendron ‘Lemur’

This is a plant I photographed last year, exhibited again by David Harris.

Rhodohypoxis baurii var platypetala

David Harris dominated the Intermediate section with an array of fine plants, including this Rhodohypoxis, and his efforts won him the Tindall Shield for the section aggregate.

Dianthus haematocalyx subsp pindicola

The Charles Graham Trophy for the best plant in the Intermediate section also went to David Harris, for this Dianthus.

Arisaema kiushianum

The little Arisaema I photographed at the East Anglia show, exhibited by Diane Clement, now had three flowers open, but it was difficult to get a photo with even two of them facing the camera – they were too busy chatting.

Arisaema propinquum

There were several other Arisaema in the hall.  Bob Worsley exhibited Arisaema propinquum, with its fascinating markings.

Arisaema wallichianum

Even more striking was the purple-red spathe (hood) of Norman Davies’ Arisaema wallichianum.

Tritonia crocata

Equally striking, on the other side of the hall, were the bright orange blooms of Bob Worsley’s Tritonia crocata.  Close-up, the windows in the centre of the flower were intriguing.

Weldenia candida

Turning away from bulbs, Anne Vale received a Certificate of Merit for a wonderful pan of Weldenia candida.  This is not too difficult to grow provided you can keep it bone-dry outside its growing season; I lost my own pan one winter when it got under a drip, and haven’t replaced it.

Bletilla striata alba

Anne also showed a large pot of the white form of Bletilla striata.  This was beautiful in close-up, but looked a bit untidy as a potful.

Calanthe hybrid

Runner-up to Anne in the large-pan Orchidaceae class was Brenda Nickels, with an unnamed Calanthe hybrid.

Ponerorchis graminifolia

This fabulous potful won Peter Farkasch the Cheshire Salver for the best plant in a 19cm pot.

Luzula ulophylla

I was curiously taken by this little rush from New Zealand, exhibited by Georgina Instone.

Berberis thunbergii ‘Orange Ice’

On a much more dramatic note, Bob Worsley exhibited a Berberis with bright orange foliage in the small pan foliage classes.

Spiraea morrisonicola

I don’t know whether it is relatively new to cultivation in this country, but I first encountered this Spiraea from Taiwan at this same show last year.  This year Chris Lilley exhibited a specimen grown from seed sown in January 2020.

Erica tetralix ‘Alba Mollis’

Michael Wilson won the Ericaceae class with this pretty heather.

Cut Flowers

The cut flower class was won by Brian and Sheila Smethurst, with this attractive selection:

• Chrysanthemum weyrichii
• Scabious columbaria
• Iberis ‘Masterpiece’
• Allium unifolium
• Dianthus alpinus
• Penstemon hirsutus

Onosma nana

Brian and Shelagh also exhibited this pretty little Onosma.

Miniature garden

Anne Vale won the class for a miniature garden with accessories; this week two ladies were hanging out washing on a clothes line stretched across her exhibit.

In third place was an entry featuring a pub sign “The Owl Inn”, a post with an owl on it, and a pig, exhibited by Peter Hood.  After the show, this was the prize presented to Clare Dower for winning the Pudsey Pig lunchtime eating competition, originally held at the Owl Inn in Pudsey, during the Summer North Show.

Dianthus hybrid

Brenda Nickels exhibited a large Dianthus which looked a lot like D. ‘Eileen Lever’.

Lamium margaretha

Peter Farkasch exhibited a Lamium species I have never photographed before.

Dicentra peregrina

This little Dicentra is so beautiful I photograph it whenever it appears on the showbench, but that is seldom, and it is never much bigger than this little plant exhibited by John Dixon.

Disporopsis pernyi

I photographed this Disporopsis from Diane Clement three weeks previously at the East Anglia Show, but the buds weren’t open there, so I was delighted to repeat the job and capture the flowers fully open.

Linnaea borealis var americana

This is a plant I have never seen or photographed at a show.  Apparently the judges recognised this and awarded Peter Hood a Certificate of Merit.  Unfortunately, when I came to take close-ups of the pairs of flowers from which it takes its common name Twinflower, it became evident that the plant was host to a healthy population of greenfly.

Paris luquanensis

This fabulous woodland species was exhibited by Henry Fletcher, who was helping me by carrying plants to be photographed.

Ramonda serbica

Henry also exhibited this plant as Ramonda serbica, though I wouldn’t want to distinguish it from Ramonda myconi.

Ramonda nathaliae / myconi

Martin Rogerson exhibited another beautiful Ramonda as R. nathaliae, but I wonder whether it might be R. myconi, as R. nathaliae normally has four-petalled flowers.

Saxifraga erioblasta

Mark Childerhouse received a Certificate of Merit for his plant of Saxifraga erioblasta.  This wasn’t fully out at the East Anglia show, but three weeks later it was still lovely, but perhaps a little past its best.

Saxifraga ‘Hare Knoll Beauty’

Another Certificate of Merit went to Michael Wilson for this fine pan of Saxifraga ‘Hare Knoll Beauty’.

Gymnocalycium monvillei

David Charlton exhibited this beautiful, slow-growing  cactus, timing its flowering to perfection for the show.  Although this is reputed to be hardy down to about -5C if bone dry, I suspect the judges had concerns about its hardiness, for all the prizes in the class went to Rebutia species, none of which were particularly well-flowered.

Jovibarba heuffelii ‘Hot Chocolate’

As always, Michael Sullivan had some spectacular pans of succulents, and this Jovibarba was part of a winning three-pan entry.

Sempervivum arachnoideum ‘Arctic White’

Michael also won the one pan class, with his familiar pan of Sempervivum arachnoideum ‘Arctic White’.

Saxifraga ‘Eaton Spray’

Of course Michael Sullivan also brought with him about a dozen large silver saxifrages in full flower, and together they and the Sempervivum brought him the Cheshire Challenge Trophy for the Open section trophy.

I don’t know how he got everything in the car.

Saxifraga ‘Eaton Champion’

Perhaps the best of Michael’s saxifrages was this one, which received a Certificate of Merit.  This was the pot that challenged Henry, who was carring for me at the time.

Junellia micrantha

But the Farrer medal for the best plant in the show went to John and Clare Dower for this large specimen of Junellia micrantha, which I have only photographed before in the small pan classes.

I would like to thank everyone for putting on a superb show, particularly show secretary Bob Worsley and his helpers.  Although I couldn’t manage the stairs up to the catering area, the cheese and ham baps which my wife Helen brought down were excellent.  The judges and stewards did an effective and efficient job, and the exhibitors brought a wonderful range of plants.

In particular I would like to thank everyone who volunteered to help carry plants for me to photograph, and who helped to ferry my own plants to and fro from the car.  And lastly, of course, Helen for looking after me when I was determined to visit and photograph a show although I wasn’t really fit to do so.