SRGC Show Report. Stirling Show in Dunblane 2007 Pop in for a taste of spring! Recommend This Site To A Friend

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1 SRGC Show Report Home Recommend This Site To A Friend Stirling Show in Dunblane 2007 Pop in for a taste of spring! Bette Ivey and Anne Christie enjoying a chat. Good friends and plenty of good plants [and people?] Co talk about are the essence of an SRGC show Bette Ivey and Anne Christie The day brought out some unexpected flowers and a first time visitor. This year we had a show packed with colour and interest provided by the large number of Primulas and Corydalis, Fritillarias, Cyclamen and Ranunculaceae on the benches. The arrangement in the hall suited the number of entries. There was a buzz about the hall all day. The fine weather and lack of a Scotland rugby international brought the local people into see what was happening.

2 Views of the show Several photogenic combinations of plants happened by chance as entries in adjacent classes complimented one another. Ipheon Rolf Fiedler beside Arum creticum and Erythronium citrinum x oregonum Pulsatillas and Hellebore in front of Rhododendrons and Pieris Arisaema limbatum aequinoctiale [I am not sure about the last bit of the name!] We were very pleased that The Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh was able to mount a display of wonderful bulbs. Pride of place went to a fabulous red Rhodiola in the centre. The Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh display

3 Top honours of the Forrest Medal and The Institute of Quarrying Quaich went to a wonderful pan of Trillium rivale 'Purple Heart' exhibited as part of his 3 pan entry by Cyril Lafong. Its partners in its 3 pan class were Tecophilia cyanocrocus [winner of a Certificate of Merit] and Primula Broadwell Milkmaid, which is becoming one of the most popular white Primulas on the show benches at present. Cyril's 3 pan entry described above. SRGC president Ian Christie present Cyril Lafong with his Silver Forrest Medal in a Crackerjack moment! Jean Wyllie won the 'grown in the open ground' class with a much bigger sessile Trilliu this time, T maculatum Ian & Carole Bainbridge's Callianthemum anemonoides was judges the Best European plant in the show so it won The Ben Ledi Plants Trophy Callianthemum anemonoides Competition in the Jubilee Class A for 6 small pans was keen and Sam Sutherland triumphed with his immaculate domes of Dionysias and Saxifrages and one Primula. This was the first opportunity for us to see some of Ray Fairburn's fabulous Primulas. He had a wonderfully

4 floriferous collection!st Prize Sam's 6 pan small 2nd Prize Ray's 6 pan small 3rd Prize Tom Green's 6 pan small Sam also won the Saxifrage class with the fine dark Saxifraga oppositifolia 'Icelandic form', while Tom won the 2 pan saxifrage with fine examples of S. 'Redpoll' and S. 'Your Smile' Saxifraga oppositifolia 'Icelandic form' Saxifraga 'Redpoll' and S. 'Your Smile' Fritillarias are eye catching when they are grouped together. It is wonderful that different growers bring different species. Here 8 or 9 different Frits can be seen together.

5 Fritillarias. aurea, armena, kotschyana 'Craigtoun Max', pudica, bucharica, pinardii, eduardii and in the background stenanthera. A fine large flowered form of F. pinardii The magnificent Fritillaria kotschyana 'Craigtoun Max', with a 'normal' kotschyana on the left. Fritillaria pudica

6 Fritillaria armena with its superb grape bloom Fritillaria crassifolia poluninii This year we had some interesting tulips. I like this Tulipa turkestanica Tulipa turkestnica The Stirling show has two 6 pan classes for bulbs; both of which were won by show secretary Sandy Leven. One is for 6 pans from different genera, the other for 6 pans from Amaryllidaceae, Liliaceae or Iridacea. This allows exhibitors to bring several pans of bulbs which they might not otherwise find classes for. Partly because of this he also won the for Carnegie Dunfermline Trust Trophy Most Points in Section1 [rewarded for effort!] Fred Hunt scooped the first in the 3 pan bulbs with 3 pans of different Tecophilia.

7 You can see how different the 3 Tecophilia on the left are. From front to back T. violaceae, leichtlinii and cyanocrocus. Mm! Iris vicaria is not at all common but as you can see it is highly desirable. According to its label this plant originated in Gothenburg. You can guess whose it is. Iris vicaria Alan Weepers from Leven was first with 2 Narcissus. He had big pans of N. Minnow and N. Tete a Tete Narcissus Minnow in front of N. Tete a Tete At the other end of the scale of size and rarity Margaret & Henry Taylor showed the exquisite Narcissus moleroi and N. assonants. I have not seen the moleroi before but it reminds me of N. alpestris and N. moschatus but is 'much more refined' Narcissus moleroi and N. assonanus Amongst the other fine daffodils were Narcissus 'Lemon Queen' and N henriquesii

8 Narcissus 'Lemon Queen' and N henriquesii Hazel Smith and Nan Mackay looked after the club plant stall all day Carol and David Shaw had the best 2 cushion plants in flower but they could equally have won the prize for the two brightest coloured plants in one class, with Saxifraga 'Your Smile' and Draba mollissima This year saw a resurgence in numbers of spring Cyclamen with good entries of Cyclamen pseud-ibericum, coum and persicum Cyclamen entries Competition was keen in Section 2 with possibly the best entry in section 2 for along time. Each exhibitor won at least 1 first prize. Stan de Prato won Jubilee B for 6 small pans and his Rhododendron

9 'Rose Elf' Cyclamen coum Stan had most points in section so he won the SRGC Bronze Medal and the Fife County Trophy for most points in Section II. This year's show had. Geoff Hills Jubilee B entry Jill Lee won the prize for Best Plant from a first time exhibitor with Erythronium dens canis

10 No matter how busy you are, there is always time for a cup of tea a meeting of the SRGC Himalaya and China Association Helen Robertson has entered the class for n arrangement of flowers and foliage since the show was held in the Guide Hut. Every year she produces a beautiful vase full of perfect flowers and foliage. The walk round the show hall brings us to Primulas, which this year were in fabulous condition, thanks to Ray and Tom. Ray's P. 'Allen Imperial' is a large dark flowered Primula marginata.

11 Primula marginata 'Allen Imperial' Tom Green's 2 pan entry of Primula 'Anne' and 'Aire Mist' Mike Hopkins was busy recording all the first prize winners so that the Merit medal can be awarded at the AGM, but he had time to stop and smile.

12 Mike the recorder. Mike's Primula Clarence Elliot Since I was unable to play a full part in the proceedings I want to thank Glassford for being Show secretary for the day. Here he is relaxing with Ray Fairburn. Everyone had a good day and there were smiles all round at the end of the show

13 Agnes and Jim Sutherland, just before their 140 mile drive back North to Inverness Lastly look for this picture on the bulb Log! ^ back to the top ^