Wheeling out the hackneyed expression, for those old enough to remember Saint and Greavesie, ‘it’s been a funny old season’ best describes the main problem for showers this year. Wet and dull, with the occasional sunny day, makes showing plants a tad of a challenge. Under glass, outside, damned if you do damned if you don’t. The few days before may bring some on at the expense of some going over.  All that being said we still had a great show on our hands.

The Novice Section, always well supported at this show, saw 26 exhibits from six different exhibitors (if only this could be the national average). The best exhibit in the Novice Section, which receives the Hartside Trophy, was awarded to a miniature garden, shown by Ilona Duffey, which featured a magnificent pair of Saxifraga ‘Southside Seedling’, supported by several mature plants of Saxifraga ‘Bevington’. Ilona uses a standard mix with around 40% grit to ensure a free draining medium.

Judi Deakin just missed out on the best plant in the Novice Section with her Salix nakamurana, but she did amass enough points with her wide-ranging exhibits to be awarded the Cheshire Challenge Trophy, for the section aggregate.

The Kath Dryden Award, for the best bulbous plant in the Novice or Intermediate Sections, which also took the Charles Graham Trophy for the best plant in the Intermediate Section, was won by David Harris, for a well flowered potful of Rhodohypoxis baurii var platypetala, a plant from the Cape Provinces and KwaZulu-Natal of Southern Africa (note: Rhodohypoxis has now been sunk into Hypoxis by many authorities). David grows this plant in an ericaceous mix with 50% grit added, kept under glass during its dormant period but put straight outside, unprotected, as soon as the worst of the weather is over. This plant, along with a host of other, well-grown entries saw him also receive the Tindall Shield for the Intermediate Section aggregate.

The Alpine and Rock Garden Plant Committee of the RHS (formerly Joint Rock) met at this show and were shown a number of plants, one of which was an interesting example of Allium gomphrenoides (S&KT 98-18-01). This is a tight endemic of the southern Peloponnese and Kithira Island of Greece. A distinct species with relatively large flowers in small, very dense umbels, produced from tiny bulbs. Coming from rocky places at low altitudes, this species is remarkably hardy; it was awarded a Botanical Certificate.

Another plant presented to the committee, which also won the Cheshire Salver for the best plant in a pot not exceeding 19cm, was Saxifraga erioblasta, shown by Mark Childerhouse. An unusual member of the Mossy Saxifraga species in that it all but hibernates in the summer months to escape the harsh conditions of its native Sierra Nevada mountains of southern Spain, by covering its now ball-like rosettes in tiny silvery-white hairs, giving its local common name of Virgins Pearls. Mark grows this plant plunged in the alpine house, in a mix of 1 part beech leaf mould, 1 part JI No3 to 2 parts sandy grit.

Mark was on a roll today, as he was also awarded a Certificate of Merit (one of four in total for the day, giving an indication of the quality of the plants on the bench) for his elderly plant of Daphne jasminea which he grows in a 50/50 mix of JI No3 and grit, given winter protection under glass and re-potted every three or four years. Not only did he have quality on display, it was also in sufficient numbers for him to gain the Cheshire Challenge Trophy for the Open Section aggregate; the first time he had won an aggregate award at any show.

No stranger to a Certificate of Merit at this show was Tommy Anderson’s Hieraceum villosum, a plant from the Alps and Eastern Europe. Tommy grows it in a mix of garden soil and grit and says that it’s not only good in a pot but totally hardy outside in the garden where it can be a menace with its prolific seed production – you have been warned!

The third Certificate of Merit went to Henry Fletcher for an extremely attractive form of Spiraea morrisonicola, shown as a neat, rounded hummock of small leaves, studded with corymbs of two tone fresh pink flowers. A high mountain species from Taiwan, grown from seed around seven years ago, it lives in an open frame, receiving no special treatment and gently seeds around.

For those counting, the fourth and last (but not least) Certificate of Merit went to a large pan of Sempervivum arachnoideum ‘Arctic white’, shown by Mike Sullivan. A striking form, with its tight rosettes of dense white cobwebs which Mike grows in spent potting compost with added grit. All of Mike’s Sempervivums get a yearly ‘mud bath’, he covers the plants with a mix of soil and sand, rubbing it into their mats, which he then hoses into the rosettes, with the excess running off, this keeps the plant well fed with a tight cushion.

Mike also had several well grown silver saxifrages on display, the large 3 pan class featuring a couple of his own selections; you need a big vehicle to get these to a show!

The premier award at any show is the Farrer Medal. This does not only have to be judged as the best plant in the show (in flower) but also has to be of a sufficient standard, decided by the judging panel, to be worthy of receiving the award. The plant in question was Saxifraga vayredana, a member of the mossy group that grows only in the Sierra de Montseny, north-east of Barcelona. The plant was shown by David Charlton and started life as a rooted cutting about four years ago.  Said to be easy to cultivate in the alpine house, it seems fairly problem free in troughs and well drained rocky locations outdoors, being totally hardy.  David tells me that he grows it in a very gritty compost – more than 50% grit, vermiculite and sharp sand and the rest John Innes.

A small display of troughs and mixed alpine plants was put together just insides the entrance to the show, where members of the public were encouraged to discuss the show and other alpine plant related topics with members of the show team, a praiseworthy endeavour.  With thanks to Bob Worsley and his friendly, helpful team of volunteers for another well-presented show.

Reporter: Ray Drew
Photographer: Don Peace and Jon Evans