AGS Midland Show 2024

First Impressions

We actually went up to Birmingham on the Friday, to combine the show with other errands.  It was sad to hear that a good friend and former long-time show secretary of this show, John Harrison, had passed away in the week running up to the show.  On Friday evening we were there to help with the tables and setup in the new venue

So it was no surprise when we arrived at the show to find that it was quite a long carry from the car park to the show hall, for those exhibitors who don’t bring a trolley with them.

The show hall itself was well-lit and full of plants.  The three nurseries present had a good supply of interesting plants.

But the catering provision was sadly lacking.  A trailer kiosk, arranged at the last minute, was selling cups of tea and cake, but sadly her coffee machine had broken down.  To find savoury food and coffee, exhibitors and visitors had to venture out, away from the school to the local parades of shops.  A local butcher’s shop did an excellent sideline in bacon and sausage baps.

Before long, the stewards had ushered the exhibitors out of the show hall to search out some breakfast, and judging was in full swing.

Lewisia cotyledon

Whilst touring the benches, I observed this large plant of Lewisia cotyledon, exhibited by Ian Sutton, hoping in vain that it wouldn’t receive an award, and that this photo would suffice.  In the event, this won the Roy Elliott Memorial Salver for the best Lewisia, so there will be more photos later.

Large three-pan Classes

I interspersed general views of the show with a determined attempt to capture all the three pan entries.  Many of these classes had two entries So here are the large three pan entries:

• three large pans of rock plants exhibited by Don Peace
• three large pans of rock plants exhibited by Eric Jarrett (the winner)
• three large pans of bulbous plants exhibited by Bob & Rannveig Wallis
• three large pans of bulbous plants exhibited by George Elder (the winner)
• three large pans of dwarf shrubs exhibited by Carol Kellett (the winner)
• three large pans of dwarf shrubs exhibited by Chris Lilley
• three large pans of rock plants for foliage effect exhibited by Diane Clement (the winner)
• three large pans of rock plants for foliage effect exhibited by Steve Clements
• three large pans of rock plants from North America exhibited by Anne Vale
• three large pans of rock plants from North America exhibited by Martin Rogerson (the winner)
• three large pans of Sempervivum exhibited by Chris Lilley (the winner)
• three large pans of Sempervivum exhibited by Martin Rogerson

Miniature Gardens

I also photographed the miniature garden entries.  These are, respectively:

• Georgina Instone (no accessories)
• Anne Vale (with accessories)
• Carol Kellett (winning the ‘with accessories’ class)

Small Three-pan Classes

Moving now to the 19cm three pan entries, we have:

• three small pans of rock plants exhibited by Anita & Mike Acton
• three small pans of rock plants exhibited by Ian Instone
• three small pans of rock plants exhibited by John Dixon (the winner)
• three small pans of Primulaceae exhibited by Eric Jarrett
• three small pans of bulbous plants exhibited by George Elder
• three small pans of bulbous plants exhibited by Bob & Rannveig Wallis (the winner)
• three small pans from different continents exhibited by Diane Clement
• three small pans from different continents exhibited by Paul + Gill Ranson (the winner)
• three small pans from the Americas exhibited by Eric Jarrett (the winner)
• three small pans from the Americas exhibited by Ian Sutton
• three small pans from the Americas exhibited by Paul & Gill Ranson
• three small pans from the Americas (sorry, I don’t have a note of the exhibitor)
• Sorry again, I seem to have missed class 78 (three pans from Asia) won by Paul & Gill Ranson. It is difficult to be sure you have covered everything when you are dodging about, taking these photos out of order, avoiding judges and stewards.
• three small pans native to Europe exhibited by Bob & Rannveig Wallis
• three small pans of dwarf hardy ferns exhibited by Don Peace
• three small pans of rock plants grown from seed and exhibited by Diane Clement
• three small pans of rock plants with educational information exhibited by Dave Mountfort
• three small pans of rock plants with educational information exhibited by Don Peace (the winner)

Intermediate section Three-pan Classes

Moving now to the Intermediate section three pan entries, we have:

• Intermediate section three pans of rock plants exhibited by Colin Sykes
• Intermediate section three pans for foliage effect exhibited by Alex O’Sullivan
• Intermediate section three pans for foliage effect exhibited by Lesley Travis
• Intermediate section three pans for foliage effect exhibited by David Harris (the winner)
• Intermediate section three small pans of rock plants exhibited by Colin Sykes
• Intermediate section three small pans of rock plants exhibited by David Harris
• Intermediate section three small pans of rock plants (sorry, I don’t have a note of the exhibitor)
• Intermediate section three small pans of rock plants exhibited by Sue Bedwell (the winner)

Novice section two pans of rock plants

In the Novice section, there was just one multi-pan class, for two pans of rock plants.  These entries are from:

• Christine Jarvis (the winner)
• Sue Miles

Six small pans of rock plants

There were no entries in the large six-pan class, but Steve Clements entered a fine grouping of six different orchids in the small-pan class, and went home with his first AGS Medal.

The plants in this six pan entry were:

• Pleione ‘Askia Goldfinch’

• Pleione ‘Fuego’

• Cypripedium ‘Gisela’

• Cypripedium parviflorum var parviflorum

• Calanthe ‘Takane’ brown and yellow

• Calanthe ‘Takane’ green and yellow

Six small pans of rock plants grown from Seed

The Midland Jubilee Goblet for six pans of plants grown from seed went to Bob & Rannveig Wallis for this grouping.  I didn’t photograph all of these individually, but the following photos show Iris paradoxa forma atrata and Allium perdulce (the camera doesn’t convey its beautiful scent)

Iris acutiloba x paradoxa

The other Iris at the show were on my shortlist to photograph early, before the heat of the hall got to them.  David Carver exhibited this beautiful hybrid.

Iris pumila

Peter Farkasch exhibited a neat pan of the lovely gold and yellow form of Iris pumila, obtainable from Aberconwy Nursery, originally under the Jim Archibald collection number JJA 199.590, which makes a useful identifier, even though that number does not appear on the list of Archibald collections.

Tulipa korolkowii

Bob and Rannveig Wallis exhibited two pans of this lovely little red tulip – another early target.

Roscoea tibetica

Christine Jarvis won the Perry Cup for the Novice section aggregate with plants including Roscoea tibetica.

Uvularia grandiflora var pallida

Perhaps the pick of Christine’s plants was this lovely pale form of Uvularia grandiflora.

Uvularia grandiflora

In the Open section, Ian Instone exhibited the more familiar butter-yellow form.

Jovibarba allionii

Back in the Intermediate section, Mike and Anita Acton exhibited a fine pan of Jovibarba.

Nablomium calycoroides

In the foliage class in the Intermediate section, I found a plant I have never seen or heard of before, exhibited by Alex O’Sullivan.  This appears to be a member of the Compositae from Tasmania / New Zealand, with white, scabious-like flowers in the summer.

Anemone obtusiloba ‘Pradesh’

Still in the Intermediate section, Sue Bedwell exhibited an Anemone obtusiloba cultivar with fabulous blue flowers on long ungainly stalks.

Primula auricula ‘Dusky Yellow’

Another Intermediate exhibitor, David Harris produced this P. auricula cv.

Gentiana verna

David Harris also exhibited this pan of Gentiana verna, and won the Albury Trophy for the Intermediate section aggregate by a narrow margin.

Xerodraba patagonica

However, this difficult cushion plant from Patagonia was the best plant in the Intermediate section, winning the Crataegus Trophy and a Certificate of Merit, for its exhibitor, Alex O’Sullivan.

Cypripedium henryi

We saw some orchids earlier, in Steve Clements’ six pan entry, but there were plenty of others in the Open section.  This Cypripedium henryi came from Diane Clement.

Cypripedium ‘Sabine White’

Steve Clements had several other Cypripedium.

Cypripedium ‘John Haggar’

Another Cypripedium from Steve Clements.

Pleione ‘Berapi Purple Sandpiper’

At the Chesterfield show two weeks previously, we saw a spectacular display of Pleione.  Many of Don Peace’s huge collection were still in good condition, including this one which I photographed at Chesterfield.  Unfortunately, these were mainly magenta – the yellow and white cultivars flower earlier in the season.

Pleione ‘El Pico’

I think this is Cecilia Coller’s form of ‘El Pico’, now being exhibited by Don Peace.

Pleione ‘Shasta’

Possibly my favourite of Don’s Pleione which made it to the Midland Show.

Pleione ‘Ueli Wackernagel Regal’

Another from Don Peace

Pleione Vesuvius grex ‘Phoenix’

This plant of Don’s was out at Chesterfield two weeks earlier.

Pleione ‘Vesuvius Leopard’

This was a very attractive clone from the Vesuvius grex, again from Don, who won the Leschallas Cup for the Open Section aggregate.

Paris quadrifolia

David Charlton received a Certificate of Merit for this pan of our native Paris quadrifolia.

Allium libani

Bob and Rannveig Wallis exhibited this very lovely onion.

Leucocoryne coquimbensis

When I grew Leucocoryne from Flores & Watson seed some 25 years ago, I always used to find the bulbs at the very bottom of the pots, so all the species ended up in deep plastic pots.  So it was a surprise to see them performing well for David Carver in tiny clay pots.

Leucocoryne vittata

My favourite Leucocoryne species, again from David Carver.

Trillium flexipes

I thought this form of Trillium flexipes from Martin Rogerson was rather attractive.

Trillium grandiflorum forma roseum

George Elder staged a pretty, pink form of Trillium grandiflorum.

Calochortus amabilis

The judges awarded a Certificate of Merit to Bob and Rannveig Wallis for this pan of Calochortus.

Calochortus albus x monophyllus

There were three entries in the class for a rock plant rare in cultivation.  The first was this Calochortus hybrid from Bob and Rannveig Wallis, which has produced a lot more flowers since I photographed it at the South West Show a month previously.

Trillium grandiflorum ‘Gothenburg Pink’ x roseum

The second plant exhibited as ‘rare in cultivation’ was a cross between two pink cultivars of Trillium grandiflorum, exhibited by Chris Lilley.

Wurmbea pusilla

The final, winning ‘rare’ entry was an unusual species of Wurmbea from South Africa, exhibited by George Elder.

Oxytropis halleri

I loved the foliage on this little Oxytropis from Eric Jarrett.

Podophyllum chengii ‘Hunan’

Diane Clement showed a Podophyllum which was new to me in the foliage classes.

Saruma henryi

Diane also showed this curious member of the Aristolochiaceae from China (Saruma is an anagram of Asarum).  She was surprised that I knew the plant, but I have seen large clumps of it on Battleston Hill at RHS Wisley (last two pictures).

Aethionema ‘Warley Rose’

Georgina Instone exhibited a lovely plant of this familiar and easy rock garden plant.

Geranium glaberrimum

John Dixon exhibited this uncommon Geranium from Turkey, a plant I will always associate with Robert Rolfe, after his fabulous Certificate of Merit specimen at the East Anglia Show in 2019.

Pelargonium auritum subsp auritum

This endangered caudiciform (swollen rootstock) Pelargonium with almost black flowers was exhibited by David Carver.

Rhododendron groenlandicum ‘Helma’

Chris Lilley exhibited a small plant of this Rhododendron (formerly Ledum), covered in flowers.

Vaccinium vitis-idaea

However, the Edinburgh Quaich for the best pan of Ericaceae went to Chris Lilley, not for the Rhododendron, but for this pan of Vaccinium vitis-idaea, the cowberry.

Lewisia cotyledon

Of course I had to return to that huge Lewisia and carry it over to my photography table.  Happily, it was not as heavy as I had feared. This won the Roy Elliott Memorial Salver for the best Lewisia for Ian Sutton.

Helianthemum pannosum

Eric Jarrett received two Certificates of Merit for plants in his winning exhibit in the class for three large rock plants.  The first was for Helianthemum pannosum.  I have photographed it before, as a foliage plant, but not in flower.

Alkanna aucheriana

Eric’s second Certificate of Merit went to Alkanna aucheriana.  I was surprised by the low growth habit and small flowers, but it is a long time since I have photographed this plant (Midland Show in 2019), and I may be misremembering the size of the flowers.

Saxifraga pubescens ‘Snowcap’

The Saxifraga Group Salver for the best pan of Saxifraga went to Ian Instone for Saxifraga pubescens ‘Snowcap’.

Benthamiella patagonica F&W 9345

Paul and Gill Ranson had conjured a surprising amount of flowers on their cushion of Benthamiella patagonica.

Dionysia involucrata ‘Gothenburg White’

There were a number of specimens of Dionysia involucrata on the benches, including this specimen of ‘Gothenburg White’ from Paul and Gill Ranson.

Dionysia ‘Lauren’

Paul and Gill also exhibited this lovely Michael Kammerlander hybrid Dionysia, named for their daughter Lauren.  It is an f2 seedling out of D. ‘Alcyone’, so it has both D. microphylla and D. involucrata in its ancestry.

Cyclamen persicum

Another Certificate of Merit went to Bob and Rannveig Wallis for this elegant Cyclamen persicum.

Primula rusbyi

John Dixon won both the Midland Challenge Cup for the best plant in a 19cm pot, and the Midland Primula Bowl for the best Primula, with this plant of Primula rusbyi.

Androsace villosa

Finally, John Dixon also claimed the Farrer medal with his Androsace villosa, which had appeared at at least two previous shows, and which I photographed at Chesterfield.  I had an inkling this might happen when I photographed its wonderful cushion at Harlow Carr last autumn.  This was definitely the heaviest pot of them all.

Before the award ceremony, there was an announcement about the loss of John Harrison, and a prolonged round of applause to celebrate his achievements, which was perhaps a little more upbeat than a minute’s silence.

As always, I would like to thank all those who helped make this show happen in this new venue.  Show secretary Christopher Snelson of course, but also everyone else who helped with arrangements, and turned up on Friday evening to help set up the show including Martin Rogerson, Diane Clement and the AGS Director Tony Bryan.  Plus many local volunteers who helped on Friday and all day Saturday, and of course the exhibitors, for bringing their precious plants to an unknown venue.