AGS Loughborough Autumn Show 2025 – Updated

It was a long gruelling drive up to Nottingham on Friday afternoon, but it meant that I was able to get to the show shortly after 8am on Saturday morning.  I only had two plants to stage, but I wanted to walk round the trade stands, and to speak to a number of people before judging started.  After that, I would be busy all day taking photos.

Artistic Section

By the time I got back to the show hall, the judges were ready to start. At one end of the hall, a small line of display boards held a depressingly small number of artistic entries.

Trillium species in their Natural Habitat

Only one exhibitor had entered the Open classes, Rannveig Wallis, and she duly won the Thorpe Acre Trophy for the section aggregate.  Her first entry was of three paintings of Trillium species in their natural habitat:

• Trillium catesbaei
• Trillium decipiens, perhaps the best of the three, and
• Trillium nivale.

Fritillaria tubiformis

Rannveig also entered a wonderful painting of Fritillaria tubiformis in habitat, which captured beautifully the bloom on the back of the petals.

Ophrys tenthredinifera

The main exhibitor in the Intermediate section was Sandra Clements, with a design for earrings based on Narcissus cuatrecasasii, which I discussed in my account of the Pershore show, and a lovely pen and ink drawing of Ophrys tenthredinifera. The latter was awarded the Art & Craft Trophy for the best artistic exhibit in the show.

Don Peace

Walking around the show benches, I suddenly became aware that there were no plants from my friend and fellow photographer Don Peace, who has been more or less an ever-present at the shows in the last few years, and who was leading the seasonal aggregate for the Open section.

Sadly, I found that Don’s circumstances have changed in ways which he was half-anticipating at shows earlier in the year, and that he is unlikely to attend many more shows in the foreseeable future. I shall miss his company, and his valuable help with the photography at shows.

Although this was a relatively small show, it quickly became evident that there were some exceptional plants on display, particularly in the Open section.  The judges were busy, with some testing decisions awaiting them, especially among the many pans of Cyclamen.

Three large pans of Rock Plants

There were two entries in this class, but the three fine pans of succulents entered by Chris Bowyer were overshadowed by the much larger pans entered by Bob and Rannveig Wallis.  These held:

• A sparkling display of yellow stars from Empodium elongatum
• A fine specimen of Cyclamen graecum subsp candicum
• A mass of deep yellow flowers on Oxalis perdicaria (syn lobata), just waiting for some warmth, and perhaps sunshine, to open.

Three large pans of Cyclamen

Ian Robertson produced three huge specimens for this class:

• Cyclamen africanum
• Cyclamen graecum subsp candicum
• Cyclamen maritimum.

Three large pans of Rock Plants native to one Continent

Bob and Rannveig won this class with three more fine forms of Cyclamen maritimum.

Athyrium otophorum var okanum

The end of the first bench held the large pan conifer class, and three pans of hardy ferns, exhibited by Michael Wilson. I particularly liked the Athyrium otophorum var okanum at the back.

Three large pans of Rock Plants with Silver or Grey Foliage

Turning the table end, I came to this fine grouping of silver and grey foliage plants, exhibited by Paul and Gill Ranson, featuring:

• Helichrysum pagophilum
• Ozothamnus County Park Silver, and
• Veronica bolkardaghensis

Three small pans of Rock Plants with Silver or Grey Foliage

The equivalent small pan class was much more fiercely contested, with five entries.  Third was Peter Farkasch, [not Chris Bowyer] Alan Newton was second (sorry Alan), and first once again Paul and Gill Ranson.

Six small pans of Rock Plants

The AGS medal for six pans of rock plants went to Bob and Rannveig Wallis for this well-flowered collection.

By this point I had walked the length of the hall several dozen times, and was already starting to limp.  I managed to pull a hamstring earlier in the summer in the Dolomites, and as soon as I walk any distance I start to feel it.

Cyclamen rohlfsianum

The judges were still debating, so I had to be very careful which pots I moved from the benches.  Fortunately, my own two plants had already been judged, and both placed third in their class, so they were unlikely to be of any further interest to the judges.  This little Cyclamen was grown from seed given to me by Joy Bishop in 2007.

Nerine humilis ex Piekeniers Kloof

My other entry was in the class for a bulbous plant from the Southern Hempisphere.  This clone of Nerine humilis is a little shorter than most other clones, but a good pink.  I had a pan of it a little bigger than this about 10 years ago, but it deteriorated, so I was pleased to have restored it to flowering condition.

Cyclamen hederifolium ‘Alba’

The Crosshall Goblet for the best plant in the Novice section went to Louise Nicholls for this Cyclamen, together with the Wirral Trophy for the section aggregate.

Intermediate three pans of rock plants

All the main competitors for the Intermediate section aggregate were present.  Andrew Ward won this class with an interesting collection, pairing two double colchicums with the black Ophiopogon.

Cyclamen mirabile

Christine Jarvis exhibited a charming, delicate little specimen of Cyclamen mirabile.

Galanthus reginae-olgae ‘Blanc de Chine’

Christine’s pan of Galanthus reginae-olgae ‘Blanc de Chine’ received the Minera Trophy for the best pan of bulbs in the Novice and Intermediate sections.

Sempervivum arachnoideum var tomentosum

However, the Marjorie Dudfield Cup for the Intermediate section aggregate at this show went to David Harris, leaving him just two points behind Andrew Ward in the annual aggregate.  His plants included a fine Sempervivum.

Aruncus aesthusifolius ‘Noble Spirit’

David Harris’s Aruncus was spectacular, and won the Leicester Group Trophy for the best pan in cone, seed, fruit, or autumn coloured foliage in the show.

Asplenium ceterach

Moving on now to the Open section, I admired this pan of the Rusty-back fern from Chris Bowyer.

Promethium muratdaghense

This was a name I had never seen before.  It turns out that a number of former Rosularia species have been moved to a new genus.  But then I have never photographed this species as a Rosularia either.  Whatever you decide to call it (and Plants of the World includes it in Chaloupkaea), this was a fine specimen, exhibited by Michael Sullivan.

Serissa japonica ‘Pink Mystic’

This little shrub from South East Asia exhibited by John Savage was another plant new to me.  It is very pretty, but most web sources recommend it is kept over winter in heated conditions.

Gaultheria mucronata ‘Snow White’

John Savage also exhibited this fabulous Gaultheria, covered in white berries, for which he received a Certificate of Merit.

Gaultheria mucronata ‘Cherry Wine’

There were berries in lots of other colours.  Alan Newton exhibited the pink Gaultheria ‘Pearls’, as well as the lovely red berries of Gaultheria mucronata ‘Cherry Wine’.

Myrteola nummularia

Alan Newton also exhibited two plants of this little myrtle, the larger of which (pictures 1 and 2) received another Certificate of Merit.

Oreocharis rosthornii

I was very taken with this gesneriad (formerly Briggsia) from China, again exhibited by Alan Newton.

Petrocosmea x longianthera

Dave Mountfort exhibited a fine pan of Petrocosmea, again from China.

Biarum pyrami

Turning now to bulbous plants, it was with some trepidation that I carried, and photographed, an old friend, the stinky Biarum pyrami, exhibited by Bob and Rannveig Wallis.

Colchicum cupanii

There were several pans of Colchicum cupanii on the bench, including a mid-pink clone from Bob Worsley, and a darker form labelled Colchicum cupanii glossophyllum from Bob and Rannveig Wallis.

Crocus mathewii

Ian Robertson staged a large, but not fully flowered pan of the beautiful Crocus mathewii.

Narcissus elegans / obsoletus

As always at the autumn shows, there was some debate about the names which should be given to the white autumn-flowering daffodils.  Bob and Rannveig exhibited a lovely plant with strap-shaped leaves under the name Narcissus elegans.

A fine exhibit of a very similar plant, again with strap-shaped leaves, won a Certificate of Merit for David Carver under the name Narcissus obsoletus.

And to confuse us even further, Bob Worsley exhibited a plant with cylindrical leaves, also under the name Narcissus obsoletus.

Some recent publications certainly include treat Narcissus elegans as synonymous with Narcissus obsoletus, but they don’t seem to address clearly this question of leaf cross-section.

Narcissus x perezlarae

David Carver received another Certificate of Merit for this lovely pale yellow Spanish natural hybrid between Narcissus cavanillesii and Narcissus serotinus.  The RHS Alpine and Rock Garden Expert Group (formerly the Joint Rock Garden Committee) awarded this an Award of Merit and a Certificate of Cultural Commendation.

Sternbergia greuteriana

Although many botanists include Sternbergia greuteriana and Sternbergia sicula within Sternbergia lutea, this tiny form from Crete and adjacent islands always seems very distinct to me.

Lachenalia corymbosa racemose form

George Elder staged a lovely grouping in the small pan class for three bulbous plants, including Nerine humilis ex Piekenierskloof, Narcissus x perezlarae, and this Lachenalia for which he received a Certificate of Merit.

Before Polyxena was merged into Lachenalia, this racemose form was Polyxena brevifolia, and was treated as a distinct species from Lachenalia corymbosa.  But apparently the DNA of the two species is not sufficiently different to treat them as different species, and there is a continuum of characteristics in the wild, although the forms in cultivation appear very distinct.

Hessea pusilla

Perhaps my personal favourite plant at the show was another pan exhibited by George Elder, containing three bulbs of the tiny, desperately rare and tricky Hessea pusilla.  The RHS Alpine and Rock Garden Expert Group awarded this a Preliminary Commendation and a Certificate of Cultural Commendation.

Hessea stellaris

George’s Hessea stellaris was larger and more spectacular, but easier and more often grown.  But another lovely exhibit.

Strumaria watermeyeri subsp botterkloofensis

George also exhibited a beautiful pan of my favourite Strumaria, the dwarf Strumaria watermeyeri subsp botterkloofensis.

Lachenalia ensifolia var ensifolia

In the large pan class for bulbous plants, Peter Farkasch exhibited a good big pan of this former Polyxena.

Nerine humilis

The winner of that class was this lovely form of Nerine humilis from Rachel Lever, which received a Certificate of Merit, and a Certificate of Cultural Commendation from the RHS Alpine and Rock Garden Expert Group.

In fact, this was my personal pick for the Farrer medal, and with the judges it was a tied vote, which went to the casting vote of the judging coordinator.

Empodium elongatum

The winner of the tied vote for the Farrer medal was this huge pan of the South African Empodium elongatum, exhibited by Bob and Rannveig Wallis.

Empodium namaquensis

In a smaller pot, Alan Newton exhibited another Empodium, which is supposed to be the same species as the Farrer winning exhibit.  Several pundits felt that it was not the same.  It is clearly a different form, with some distinctive characteristics (more upright, smaller flowers), but a different species?  I’m not convinced – the stamens, the serrated leaf edges, and the sheaths at the bottom of the stem all seem identical to me.

Cyclamen africanum

Finally, let’s have a look at some of the multitude of Cyclamen at the show.  Ian Robertson brought a spectacular large pan of Cyclamen africanum.

Cyclamen colchicum

This late summer flowering species from Ian Robertson is seldom seen on the show benches.

Cyclamen cilicium

I found the deep purple markings of this Cyclamen cilicium from Bob Worsley very attractive.

Cyclamen graecum

I also loved this vivid magenta form of Cyclamen graecum from Ian Robertson.

Cyclamen maritimum

Bob and Rannveig Wallis had a spectacular large pan of Cyclamen maritimum Rhodes form.

Cyclamen graecum subsp candicum

But as always, my favourites were the Cyclamen graecum subsp candicum.  This was a beautiful plant in a tiny pot, with fluted petals and a hint of pink, exhibited by David Carver.

Cyclamen graecum subsp candicum

Ian Robertson received a Certificate of Merit for this fabulous plant with wonderful leaves and mid-pink flowers.

Cyclamen graecum subsp candicum

Bob and Rannveig Wallis had several similar specimens, all about the same size, and with similar colouration but different petal shapes. I particularly liked the long twisted petals of the first of these.

Cyclamen graecum subsp candicum

The Nottingham Group Trophy for the best Cyclamen at the show went to this perfect specimen, again from Bob and Rannveig Wallis.

It just remains for me to thank everyone – the local group helpers for the wonderful rolls and pies, and copious tea, the nurseries for bringing such tempting sales plants, judges, stewards and of course the exhibitors for bringing such a great display.  And last but not least, the self-effacing show secretary Martin Rogerson.

By the end of the show I had walked myself into the ground, and had to rest before I could pack my gear up.  In fact, I had to stop halfway home at Warwick services, and spent an hour drinking coffee and resting, before I could complete the journey home.  That seldom happens.