Last year I posted about attending my local Alpine Garden Society’s annual show and it was attending this show that made me decide to have a go at entering plants into shows.
It’s interesting how different the plants exhibited this year are from last year. The show is always on Easter Monday so we were a week later but it was plain to see how the milder temperatures had resulted in the season being much more advanced. The number of narcissus and tulips was significantly reduced, last year there were even crocus on display. Many experienced exhibitors were saying they had struggled to find plants to show due to the advanced season.
Benthamiella patagonica
Looking back at my photographs it is interesting that the plants that appeal to me aren’t the traditional alpine cushions such as the Bentamiella patagonica above but more foliage plants and/or woodland plants.
Podophyllum ‘Spotty Dotty’
Uncinia rubra
Yes the Podophyllum is classed as an alpine, as are many other favourites such as Aquilegia, Peonies, Trilliums and Arisaema, it’s not all cushion plants. I was rather taken by the grass above which is now on my wish list – I love the blood-red of the foliage.
Saxifraga longifolia
But then again who can resist this Saxifraga longifolia which I think is just stunning.
Daphne gemmata
This Daphne was quite stunning but I suspect it will be sometime before I can aspire to such a plant especially as they are quite hard to come by.
I am starting off in the Novice Section which as you can see attracts far fewer entries than the other classes. However, we all have to start somewhere and the beauty is that you are fairly guaranteed to win something which is what you need to spur you on to progressing. I had a bit of a dither earlier in the week about whether to enter or not. The flowers on my narcissus were determiningly remaining shut and the primulas I had anticipated entering had no signs of flowers at all. However, with some persuasion from my son, I decided to bite the bullet and enter whatever I had on the basis you never know. I was glad I did as I came away with three 1sts, two 2nds, one 3rd and one unplaced. I know that my firsts were really because my plants were the only entries but its still a thrill and overall due to the number of entries I made I won Overall Winner in the Novice section.
The other nice thing is that regular exhibitors are so pleased to see new people entering and there were a number of comments that the novice section the show had a better novice display than many of the national shows because a couple of us had entered a good number of plants.
This is the fourth show I have entered – each one slightly different from the other – and I think I am hooked on showing now.