Reviewing my previous reports before setting out to write this one, I noticed that I have a habit of leaving artistic displays until the end. To correct this oversight, top billing is this time given to Jon Evans’s display, Mountain Landscapes in Black and White. Throughout the day, I heard people commenting either that they had been to the peaks exhibited in Jon’s photos, or desired to do so. Jon’s efforts earned him another Large Gold for his collection; an award that requires not only superlative images but also that they provide an educational benefit and Jon’s commitment to doing so through his photos should be commended.

Turning to the plants, ordinarily at this show it is a large cyclamen that receives the Farrer Medal. Due to Ian Robertson’s absence, however, the judges had to look elsewhere for the show’s top award. They opted for Don Peace’s Galanthus ‘David Shackleton’ for best in show, also awarding it the Galanthus Goblet for best snowdrop. I must admit, to me, snowdrops are either white; white with green spots; or white with yellow spots. ‘David Shackleton’ was undoubtedly a worthy winner though, and reminiscent of Don’s G. ‘Sophie North’ that in the past was a frequent recipient of the Galanthus Goblet.

Don also took home one of the three Certificates of Merit awarded on the day for his Myriopteris yatskievychiana, a Mexican fern that until 2013 was considered a member of Cheilanthes. It is exceptionally rare in the wild, having only been found in a single location in Sonora. In notes next to his exhibit, Don advises that while such ferns tend to tolerate droughts, he keeps his plant well-watered from the base in a mix of John Innes No. 3 and perlite.

While some exhibitors tend to specialise in certain types of plants, Don excels at growing a range of alpines. In addition to the above, he met with success with the early orchid, Pleione Riah Shan, a hybrid of P. bulbocodioides and P. maculata; Corydalis ‘Lentune Rouge’, one of Don’s own crosses of C. kusnetzovii and C. solida, and C. kusnetzovii Dark Clone; and the naturally well-presented Primula ‘Arduaine’ x bhutanica (useful advice on growing this is provided by Don in the June 2014 Alpine Gardener). All these contributed to Don achieving his 38th Gold Bar at the South Wales show. These are awarded for every 50 firsts gained after a Gold Medal – I will leave you to work out for yourselves how many firsts that Don has therefore collected!

This was not the only Gold Bar earned on the day. Dorothy Sample, helped across the line by her stunning floral display, racked up Gold Bar number one.

If I say that the second Certificate of Merit was awarded to Dionysia afghanica, regular show-goers would be forgiven for thinking that the exhibitors were Paul and Gill Ranson – arguably the Society’s premier Dionysia growers. This particular plant, though, was exhibited by John Dixon.

Paul and Gill had to make do with the AGS Seed Distribution Award (best plant grown from seed) for their D. michauxii hybrid.

One of the great attractions of alpines is that there is a host of plants that look so bizarre, they do not look like plants at all. Paul and Gill exhibited one plant that provoked such comments from visitors: Saxifraga sempervivum. New exhibitors wanting to add an early Saxifraga to their collection should consider this a suitable candidate. Provided that it is kept under glass and given plenty of drainage, it offers no particular challenge.

Another plant subjected to expressions of disbelief was Lachenalia congesta, the recipient of the show’s third Certificate of Merit. There was some discussion during judging as to its hardiness, but given exhibitor George Elder’s noted expertise in South African bulbs, the judges concluded that if he says it is hardy, it is probably hardy!

Bulbs are the mainstay of the South Wales show. In the Intermediate section, the pick of the plants was Galanthus ‘Dryad Gold Star’, which contributed to Anita and Mike Acton taking home the Gwent Trophy for most points in that section.

Another early genus, Crocus, was also well-represented at the show. I was delighted to see one of my favourites, C. vernus albiflorus, raised from seed sown in September 2014 by George Elder. Unusually, the flowers of this plant alternate between stripes and blocks of bright purple, which appeals to my sense of chaos! C. vernus albiflorus was one of a three-pan entry that lost out to Bob and Rannveig’s, which included the completely different but no less attractive C. cvijicii. Unlike many bulbs, this native of the Balkans does not need baking in the summer to perform the following year.

One plant that does do well with a summer baking is Ipheion dialystemon, also shown by the Wallises. Most gardeners will be aware of I. uniflorum (the spring starflower), which can be a bit of a menace given its habit of taking over any bed in which it is planted, and many which it is not. I. dialystemon is much more constrained (and in my opinion more attractive) and in the garden will confine itself to neat clumps.

This plant was part of Bob and Rannveig’s six pan entry, which also included my favourite plant of the day and the winner of the Mary Byng Award for best plant in a 19cm pot: Narcissus x susannae (exhibited under x susanae but some investigative work by Diane Clement suggested the correct spelling). The Wallis’ success in the six-pan contributed to them winning the Isca Prize for most points in the Open section.

As a reporter, I always include at least one plant from the Novice section. Unfortunately, and unusually for this show, there were no novice entries on this occasion. Speaking briefly with my President’s hat on, this is a challenge that needs to be addressed. While conjuring new exhibitors out of thin air may be beyond us, thought will be given over the coming years as to how people might be encouraged to start exhibiting so that they can share in our passion for all the triumphs (and occasional frustration!) that growing alpines offers.

Reporter: Rob Amos
Photographer: Jon Evans