AGS Harlow Carr Autumn Show 2024

I staged my few entries, and then went downstairs to explore the nursery stands before judging commenced.  By the time I returned, the benches were full and the judges were being marshalled.

Everywhere I looked there were pots of Crocus flowers – a stark contrast from the Loughborough Show just two weeks earlier when there were almost none to be seen.  I resolved to photograph as many as I could by walking round the benches during judging, before the flowers flopped in the warm atmosphere, and the rooms filled with people.

Crocus

So lets start with a few Crocus on the show benches from the small pan classes:

• Crocus tournefortii from David Millward
• Crocus niveus from Ian Robertson
• Crocus goulimyi from Bob & Rannveig Wallis
• Crocus serotinus subsp salzmannii from Bob & Rannveig Wallis

Crocus serotinus subsp salzmannii f albus ‘El Torcal’

A quick walk took me down the corridor to the other classroom with the large pan classes.  Here, everyone seemed to be exhibiting this legendary clone of Crocus serotinus subsp salzmannii, which Robert Rolfe used to exhibit so spectacularly.  Sadly, none of this year’s exhibits quite matched Robert’s, but even so, they were very beautiful.  These were exhibited by Bob & Rannveig Wallis, Fred & Pat Bundy (2 different pans), and Ian Robertson.

Crocus asumaniae

Ian Robertson also exhibited the lovely white Crocus asumaniae, with its bright red stigma.

Crocus goulimyi

It was clear even at this early stage that the pick of the large pan Crocus was Alan Furness’ packed pot of Crocus goulimyi.

Crocus goulimyi var leucanthus

By now, some of the small-pan classes had been judged, and I could take some of the entries away to photograph them.  This Crocus goulimyi var leucanthus was exhibited by Alan Newton.

Crocus speciosus

John Richards exhibited Crocus speciosus, always one of my favourites, with these fabulous feathered patterns inside the petals.

Crocus serotinus subsp salzmannii

Another pan of Crocus serotinus subsp salzmannii from Bob and Rannveig Wallis.

Crocus ‘Dream Dancer’

I liked David Millward’s pan of Crocus ‘Dream Dancer’, but Anne Wright’s pan was even better.

Anne included this, with Crocus hadriaticus and Crocus mathewii, in her winning entry for three small pans of bulbs.

Crocus mathewii

For me, the best of these, and one of the highlights of the show, was this stunning pan of Crocus mathewii.

Crocus mathewii white form

John Lee exhibited a white form of Crocus mathewii in the class for bulbs grown from seed.

Crocus banaticus

The flamboyant flowers of Crocus banaticus are a familiar presence at the autumn shows, here exhibited by Don Peace.

Crocus goulimyi

The pan of Crocus goulimyi which I picked out earlier won a Certificate of Merit for Alan Furness.

By now judging was finished, and the two classrooms were crowded with visitors.  This made it impossible to carry plants from the large pan classes down the narrow corridor to photograph.  I soon realised it was also impossible to take any more shots where I was doing my ‘studio’ photography, without impeding and possibly tripping members of the public.  Instead, I tried to capture a few shots of the busy show hall.

Small pan class for Six Rock Plants

Bob and Rannveig Wallis won the AGS Medal for six small pans of rock plants with this collection.

Colchicum cupanii subsp glossophyllum

This little Colchicum was one member of the winning six pan.

After that, I took a break for about an hour, until the crowds had quietened down a little.  This gave me the opportunity to catch up with several old friends, without the constant urge to take more photos.

But this enforced break meant that time was pressured later in the day, and I didn’t manage to photograph as many plants as usual.

Primula ‘Oak Leaf Yellow Picotee’

In the Novice section, the Harrogate Salver for the section aggregate went to Ellen Davies by the narrowest of margins.  One of her most interesting plants was this Primula, flowering out of its normal season.

Myosotis glabrescens

Kathryn Hern won the West Riding Plate for the best plant in the Novice section with this hairy cushion of Myosotis glabrescens from New Zealand.

Allium callimischon subsp haemostictum

The Carter Shield for the Intermediate section aggregate went to Michael Wilson.  I photographed his Allium at the Loughborough Show two weeks previously, but it was even more spectacular at Harlow Carr.

Biarum bovei

In the class for new or rare plants we saw this little Biarum from Bob and Rannveig Wallis.  If I was charitable, I would say it had a rich, spicy scent.  At least it wasn’t as stinky as Biarum pyrami, which they normally exhibit at these autumn shows.

Narcissus viridiflorus

Second place went to my own pan of this curious green daffodil, which smelt lovely.

Raoulia eximia

The winning new or rare plant was this fabled ‘vegetable sheep’ from Alan Furness.

Raoulia bryoides

In the class for plants grown from seed, Alan had another Raoulia, R. bryoides, also from New Zealand.

Cyclamen rohlfsianum

Alan had to be content with second – for some inexplicable reason the judges preferred my Cyclamen rohlfsianum, and gave it a Certificate of Merit.

Hyacinthoides lingulata

This little pan of Hyacinthoides lingulata from David Millward was nice and fresh.  We are used to seeing huge pans of it from Bob and Rannveig Wallis; perhaps theirs aren’t out yet (I remember them particularly from the Autumn South show, which used to follow this one).

Narcissus deficiens

Anne Wright had a really well-flowered pan of Narcissus deficiens in the bulbous classes, which was strangely overlooked by the judges.

Sternbergia sicula

Mala Janes won the small pan bulbous class with this fine clump of Sternbergia.

Colchicum baytopiorum

Second went to my own pan of Colchicum baytopiorum.  That was fantastic a week previously, when Hexham was just too far for me to travel.  Not only were the flowers aging, they had spent two days in the car, and I removed 10 flowers before staging.

Lachenalia

Bob and Rannveig Wallis staged a nice three pan exhibit containing two Lachenalia (formerly Polyxena).  These need as much light as possible when they first come through the ground in September, so that the leaves open out as flat as possible.  The first (white) is Lachenalia ensifolia subsp ensifolia, the second (violet) is Lachenalia pygmaea.

Three pans of Galanthus reginae-olgae hybrids

Unusually, Anne Wright was awarded a Certificate of Merit for a three pan exhibit (three pans raised from seed).  This consisted of three different Galanthus reginae-olgae hybrids she had raised herself:

• Galanthus ‘Dryad Baroness’
• Galanthus ‘Dryad Duchess’
• Galanthus ‘Dryad Princess’

Galanthus reginae-olgae AW 4819

Anne Wright entered another Galanthus reginae-olgae seedling under the seedling number AW 4819.  This won the Rosemary Cox Trophy for the best bulbous plant in a 19cm pot, and the Mr & Mrs W H Nortcliffe Memorial Trophy for the best plant in the small pan classes.

It was also given an Award of Merit by the Joint Rock Garden Committee.  Anne will have to name the cultivar for that, but at the moment I don’t have the name given, just the seedling number.

Cyclamen maritimum

The small pan classes for Cyclamen were heavily contested.  One of my favourite plants was this C. maritimum from David Charlton.

Cyclamen mirabile

Another favourite was this tiny C. mirabile from Bob and Rannveig Wallis.  Sometimes it is frustrating that the camera makes all the plants look the same size.

Oxalis flagelliformis syn flava

Bob and Rannveig Wallis exhibited this plant, which has always been shown under the name Oxalis flagelliformis.  Sadly, that name has now been included under the name Oxalis flava, which collects together a number of rather diverse forms.

Coprosma petriei

One last plant from the small pan classes.  I wanted to have another try at photographing the fascinating stripy berries on Coprosma petriei exhibited by Ian Instone.

Sempervivum arachnoideum ‘Parsons form’

Once it was quiet, I could go and retrieve the heavy plants from the other end of the corridor.  Chris Lilley’s Sempervivum was given a Certificate of Merit.

Gentiana ‘Silken Seas’

Gone are the days when we saw fierce competition in the autumn gentian classes.  This year I think there were just two, both exhibited by John Richards.  This plant won the L W Browne Trophy for the best Gentian.

Flower Arrangement

There was just one flower arrangement, but a beautiful one from Fred and Pat Bundy.  It was a long walk with shaking hands with that!

Cyclamen graecum subsp candicum

Ian Robertson exhibited this lovely specimen.

Cyclamen maritimum Monte Smith form

Another lovely large Cyclamen, this time from Bob and Rannveig Wallis.

Cyclamen africanum

I think my favourite Cyclamen was this one from Bob and Rannveig, which I photographed previously at Loughborough.

Colchicum baytopiorum

Bob and Rannveig Wallis had a large pan of a lovely neat form of Colchicum baytopiorum.

Lachenalia ensifolia subsp ensifolia

Peter Farkasch received a Certificate of Merit for his large pan of this South African bulb.

Biarum marmarisense

The Farrer medal went to Bob and Rannveig Wallis for this fine pan of Biarum marmarisense.  If I am honest, I don’t like this heavily spotted form as much as the very pale one they used to exhibit, but I haven’t seen that for some years now.  People say that the trick to get them to flower is to plant the bulbs more deeply; it hasn’t made any difference for me.

It will be obvious from this record that the Open section aggregate, the  North of England Horticultural Society’s Cup also went to Bob and Rannveig Wallis.  And, after several years where the seasonal aggregate went down to the wire, but Don Peace somehow managed to retain it, this year they have finally won the Open section aggregate for the year.

As always I would like to thank all my friends from the West Yorkshire group who helped put on this lovely friendly show, in particular Ian and Georgina Instone who have to marshall the chaos, to all the judges, stewards and exhibitors who played their part, and finally the Director of Shows, Martin Rogerson, who has once again guided the society through a very successful season.