After a gap of four years it was good to welcome exhibitors and visitors back to the Kent Show at Sutton Valence. Although it was a cold and dreary day, the yellow flowered Narcissus and Dionysias, which seemed to dominate the Show hall, and the brightly decorated craft stalls created a very spring-like atmosphere.

The Farrer Medal was awarded for an outstanding large potful of Acis trichophylla shown by Bob and Rannveig Wallis. Growing wild in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, this example was a particularly fine pink form. The same exhibitors also took the Northdown Trophy for the best plant in a 19 cm pot with Fritillaria crassifolia subsp. crassifolia and were also successful with notable examples of F. elwesii and F. recurva in other classes.

A compact plant of the Chinese Daphne genkwa was awarded a Certificate of Merit for its owner, David Carver, who also showed a number of other top quality plants in the Intermediate Section. It is encouraging to see younger exhibitors like David and Alex O’Sullivan putting good plants on the show benches.

A miniature pure white Narcissus ‘Giselle’ exhibited by John Kemp caught the eye. This originated at Dryad Nursery and is thought to be a hybrid between N. cantabricus and N. triandrus. Another local member, Janine Doulton, won the Longfield Trophy with Narcissus ‘Angel’s Whisper’ and this was voted Best Plant in the Intermediate Section.

Among the Dionysias, Paul and Gill Ranson showed a small plant of Dionysia bryoides which had been grown from seed collected by Dieter Zschummel. It had beautifully shaped flowers of an unusual pink hue and is another striking example of what they achieve by raising plants from seed.

Ian Robertson, a strong supporter of this Show, drove up from Dorchester and collected several first prizes and won a Certificate of Merit with Cyclamen persicum f. puniceum.

All in all, the day was a great success and thanks are due to Adrian and Samantha Cooper and all the volunteers who worked so hard to bring the Show back after such a long absence. We look forward to next year!

Mike Chadwick