AGS Loughborough Spring Show 2025

When we arrived at the show hall in Barrow-on-Soar, it was immediately obvious that this was the biggest show so far this year.  The benches were packed with pots, and the show reports suggest there were over 500 plants entered.

Unfortunately, I arrived with a head full of cold, and spent all day doing the photography wearing a face mask and avoiding close conversation with friends, trying not to sneeze or cough on them and spread my misery.  Unusually, I stopped before prize-giving, worn out.  So there are fewer pictures than usual, mostly taken on auto-pilot in a daze.  Two weeks later, I remember very little about the show, so my comments will be minimal, but I think you will like to see the fabulous array of plants.

Six small pans of Rock Plants

The AGS Medal for six small pans of rock plants went to Don Peace.

Hepatica japonica ex ‘Tessin’

For me, the most striking plant in Don’s entry was this deep magenta clone of Hepatica japonica, grown from seed from the cultivar ‘Tessin’.

Six small pans of Monocotyledons

The Ivor Barton Memorial Trophy for this six-pan class went to Bob and Rannveig Wallis, with their usual collection of miniature daffodils and other spring bulbs.

Cyclamen coum

I started with the Novice and Intermediate sections.  Sue Miles exhibited a neat little white form of Cyclamen coum, which was exceptionally well flowered.

Saxifraga ‘Vercerni Hvezdou’

However, the Beacon Trophy for the Novice section aggregate went to Graham Anderson who entered lots of plants, particularly saxifrages, in both this and the Intermediate section.

Galanthus ‘Midas’

In the Intermediate section, Michael Wilson entered a very pretty snowdrop with yellow-tipped petals.

Callianthemum anemonoides

Michael Wilson also entered a good plant of Callianthemum anemonoides.

Fritillaria bucharica

David Carriage arrived at the show at the last minute, but managed to stage a fine plant of Fritillaria bucharica.

Hepatica japonica ‘Sennin Buraku’

Still in the Intermediate section, Anita and Mike Acton entered some interesting Hepatica cultivars, including this double white one originating in Japan.

Intermediate section three pans of Saxifraga

In the larger pan part of the Intermediate section there were two fine competing entries in the class for three pans of Saxifraga.  In the end, Alex O’Sullivan (first picture) was just pipped by Graham Anderson, whose plants included the lovely Saxifraga ‘Hannah Potterton’.

Saxifraga alpigena

Nevertheless Alex O’Sullivan accrued enough points with a variety plants including a fine Saxifraga alpigena to win the Outwoods Trophy for the Intermediate Section aggregate.

Intermediate section six pans of rock plants

There was one entry in the Intermediate six pan class, from Christine Jarvis, which won the AGS Award.  Christine entered six neat and well presented Hepatica cultivars and species – the combined effect was most attractive.

Crocus hueffelianus ‘Shockwave’

When I first arrived at the show, Tony Hollingworth came up to me and said “I’ve brought a pan of Crocus to the show, but it’s gone over”.  Well, it might be showing a bit of wear and tear, but it still looked spectacular, and won its class.

Romulea aff tetragona

Steve Clements entered a three pan exhibit of Romulea, including two South African species, at least partly to give me the chance to see and photograph them.  This was material received from the Southern African Bulb Group exchange (which I run) as Romulea sabulosa, which it clearly wasn’t.  Our initial thoughts suggested R. komsbergensis, but after more careful examination of my images, in particular the distinctive X cross-section of the leaves, I believe this is probably R. tetragona.

Romulea monadelpha

The other Romulea which Steve Clements wanted me to photograph was this, the fabulous South African Romulea monadelpha.  I made sure I took it as soon as these sumptuous, velvety red flowers opened.

Erythronium citrinum

Bob and Rannveig Wallis exhibited the first Erythronium I had seen this year.

Fritillaria bucharica

It was perhaps a surprise to see Bob Worsley beat Bob and Rannveig Wallis in the class for three pans of Fritillaria, but it was well deserved.  His entry included fine pans of F. bucharica and F. stenanthera.

Fritillaria stenanthera

Fritillaria gibbosa yellow form

Bob and Rannveig’s competing entry included one of my favourite plants of the day – this lovely yellow form of F. gibbosa.

Fritillaria davidii

In the large pan classes, Ian Robertson received a Certificate of Merit for a pan of Fritillaria davidii with half a dozen flowers on.

Fritillaria aurea

However, the outstanding Fritillaria at the show came from John Dixon.  His pan of Fritillaria aurea won the Richard Regan Trophy for the best plant in a 19cm pot, as well as the Royal Bank of Scotland Award for the best pan of bulbous plants.

Narcissus alpestris

John Dixon also received a Certificate of Merit for this pan of Narcissus alpestris.

Narcissus ‘Eira’

As did Bob and Rannveig Wallis, for their beautiful, tiny pan of Narcissus ‘Eira’.

Narcissus bulbocodium subsp tenuifolius ex SB185

The Webster Trophy for the best plant native to Europe, which seemed to include a china mouse sitting on a conker, also went to Bob and Rannveig Wallis, for their pale form of Narcissus bulbocodium subsp tenuifolius.

Tecophilaea cyanocrocus

Bob and Rannveig won the class for three large pans of bulbous plants with three different colour forms of Tecophilaea cyanocrocus.  Together with all their other entries, this helped them win the Charnwood Forest Trophy for the Open Section aggregate.

Tulipa cretica

Ian Robertson managed to exhibit the white form of Tulipa cretica flowering well, as well as the lovely pink-backed selection ‘Dikti’ which he used to exhibit as ‘Mt. Dikti form’.

Corydalis kusnetzovii

Turning away from monocots now, Don Peace exhibited a very neat little pan of Corydalis kusnetzovii.

Corydalis malkensis

There were several pans of Corydalis malkensis on the bench; the first one shown is from Alex O’Sullivan in the Intermediate section, and the larger one is from Ian Instone.  Absurdly, considering how prolific it can be, this is a plant which seems now to have died out in my semi-shaded woodland bed.

Gymnospermium albertii

Peter Hood’s pan of Gymnospermium albertii had opened more flowers since the last weekend at Chelmsford.

Pleione ‘Glacier Peak’ x humilis

So many plants remind me of previous years and shows.  I have photographed this lovely Pleione exhibited by John Dixon for a few years now, but last year at the South West show I photographed two different plants under the same cross description.  So this name is perhaps best treated as a ‘grex’, unless individual clones are named.  The plant photographed here is surely a candidate for such recognition.

Gaultheria mucronata

The American Trophy for the best plant native to the Americas went to Chris Lilley for this Gaultheria dripping with berries.

Dionysia ‘Corona’

Mark Childerhouse’s little cushion of Dionysia ‘Corona’, which won an award the previous weekend was still in good condition.

Dionysia ‘Dove’

This time, Mark accompanied it with the lovely white hybrid ‘Dove’, one of Nigel Fuller’s seedlings from Michael Kammerlander seed.

Dionysia ‘Gill Ranson’

Much to Gill Ranson’s embarrassment, Paul Ranson decided to exhibit a hybrid between D. iranshahrii and D. bryoides which Michael Kammerlander raised and decided to name after Gill.

Dionysia ‘Lycaena’

This show seems to mark the peak of Paul and Gill’s Dionysia hybrids.  This is an older seedling believed to be D. archibaldii x D. curviflora raised by Michael Kammerlander.

Dionysia ‘Lysithea’

A second generation hybrid this time, raised by Paul and Gill from seed Michael collected from the f1 hybrid ‘Emmely’.

Dionysia hybrid MK9109/4

This pale yellow hybrid is very much a sister seedling to ‘Monika’, raised by Michael Kammerlander from the same cross (D. curviflora x tapetodes) but a few years later.  But whereas ‘Monika’ has proved easy to cultivate and propagate, grown by many people and appearing in huge domes, this seems to be much trickier – I have never seen it bigger than this, and Paul is the only grower I know who now exhibits it.

Dionysia tapetodes ‘Brimstone’

Paul and Gill’s D. tapetodes cultivar, raised by John Dixon received an award again this week, this time a Certificate of Merit.

Dionysia hybrid CIA 232-3 (TBG 6)

John Dixon’s wild-collected hybrid between D. esfandiarii and D. jamzadiae was there again for the fifth weekend in a row, the colour now faded to a pale lilac.  You can’t help but wonder how the flowers have lasted so long, and whether it spends its weekdays in a fridge.

[Oops – I am reminded that this wasn’t at Wisley, so this was only its fourth weekend.  I was confused by writing this after the Rosemoor show, where it was still in good condition after a weekend off.  John tells me no fridges were used, but the plant whizzed backwards and forwards between greenhouses avoiding sun, wind and frost; it also travelled in the car with the air-conditioning blasting out cold air and the driver relying on a down jacket designed for Everest base-camp to keep warm (not to mention woolly longjohns ?).   I wouldn’t get away with that – Helen keeps a coat over her legs in the car even with the heating set at 19C. ]

Dionysia mozaffarianii

John Dixon also had flowers on two different clones of Dionysia mozaffarianii – the first is MK1 and the second SLIZE232/GBG8.  Unfortunately, both are pins, which makes cross-pollination difficult.

Dionysia tapetodes ‘Kate’

This is another Dionysia tapetodes cultivar, a sister seedling to ‘Brimstone’ from the same batch of seed.  This one John Dixon named for his daughter (confirmed – thanks John), and exhibits every year – a superb plant.

Primula allionii ‘Eleanor Parker’

It was good to see a few Primula allionii cultivars in flower, to remind me of my stepfather David Philbey.  This was one he always rated highly, raised originally by Brian Burrow, but here exhibited by Alex O’Sullivan in the Intermediate section.

Primula allionii ‘Rosemary’

Another of David’s favourites was ‘Rosemary’ raised by Margaret Earle forty years ago, but still in cultivation, and shown here by John Dixon.

Primula ‘Chivalry’

Primula ‘Chivalry’ is another tight, slow-growing cultivar, a favourite for showing, here by Edward Barraclough. There has always been debate about whether it was pure P. allionii, or whether it had hybrid blood.

Primula ‘Lepus’

Even tighter and slower, Primula ‘Lepus’, here exhibited by Don Peace.  Again there has always been discussion about its parentage; it is normally considered to be a hybrid.  [ John Dixon has reminded me that this is a deliberate hybrid he made between Primula ‘Joan Hughes’ (pollen) and P. allionii ‘Crowsley’ raised from seed sown in (?) 1985.  Some of its sister seedlings had better flowers and colour than ‘Lepus’ but less vigour; sadly only ‘Lepus’ survives.  ]

Primula hirsuta

Although they specialise in bulbs, Bob and Rannveig Wallis have always grown a few primulas, and this is a plant I have photographed before in previous years.

Saxifraga ‘Rumba’

We have seen very few saxifrages so far this year, but the season has moved on, and they were at Loughborough in abundance.  This was exhibited by Georgina Instone.

Saxifraga ‘Allendale Charm’

David Charlton exhibited a pretty little cloud of ‘Allendale Charm’.

Saxifraga burseriana ‘Major’

Mark Childerhouse brought two different clones of Saxifraga burseriana, first ‘Major’.

Saxifraga burseriana ‘Gloria’

Mark’s second plant, ‘Gloria’ seems to have longer, redder stems.  These are old established cultivars, and it is a puzzle to me that I have never photographed either before.

Saxifraga ‘Tysoe Easter Joy’

This hybrid cultivar from Mark Childerhouse was a fantastic colour.

Saxifraga lilacina x lowndesii

This hybrid, again from Mark, was very tight, and I suspect difficult to grow.

Saxifraga species JJ368

Mark also exhibited this curious Saxifraga species from a collection in the Western Caucasus, which has not yet been identified.

Saxifraga oppositifolia ‘Iceland form’

The ‘Iceland form’ of Saxifraga oppositifolia, exhibited by Don Peace, is a particularly tight and slow-growing form.

Hepatica japonica ‘Kashino-Mabaroshi’

Finally, I would like to take a look at some of the Hepatica exhibited in the Open Section – first a pale anemone-centred Japanese cultivar from Bob Worsley.

Hepatica japonica ex ‘Meiko’

Then a pale blue anemone-centred form, again from Bob Worsley.

Hepatica japonica

To be honest, I liked this simple but pristine blue seedling from Bob Worsley as well as any of the fancy cultivars.

Hepatica nobilis pyrenaica x insularis

With it, a fine pink hybrid, again from Bob Worsley.

Hepatica nobilis

In bigger, heavier pots, Chris Lilley had a beautiful deep magenta form of Hepatica nobilis.

Hepatica japonica ‘Gyousei’

Similar, but even bigger and heavier, Chris Lilley’s plant of Hepatica japonica ‘Gyousei’.  All these plants had had a good soaking before the show.

Hepatica japonica ‘Anstonian’

The Farrer medal went to Chris Lilley, for his largest and heaviest Hepatica japonica, a deep indigo seedling named ‘Anstonian’ after it received an award from the Joint Rock Garden Committee last year.  My thanks to Don Peace for the picture of Chris with his winning plant.

That’s about it.  By 2pm I was exhausted and sitting quietly by my ‘studio’.  Occasionally, a plant would catch my eye and I might go and bring it back to photograph.

Huge thanks to everyone who helped make this a great show – first to Neil Hubbard, Martin Rogerson and all the team of Loughborough helpers, most of whom are old friends of mine now.  Also to the nurseries, the judges, the stewards and above all to the exhibitors.