AGS North Midland Show 2025

For years, I never travelled as far north as Chesterfield for an AGS Show.  But for the last couple of years, it has been more convenient, and that has afforded me the opportunity to visit the show.

My wife Helen wanted to spend some time with her mother in Nottingham, so we drove up on Friday to visit.  On Saturday morning I went up to the show, and picked her up again on my way back south.

Arrival at the show

I arrived at the show on a chilly morning, but with the promise of sunshine later on.  Inside, the show benches were full of entry cards, with plants gradually arriving to fill the hall with colour.

Display promoting AGS and showing

At one end of the hall, John Savage had put together an instructive display promoting the AGS and its activities, in particular its shows, for which he received a Gold Medal.

Alkanna aucheriana

Immediately opposite John’s display was the class for three large pans of rock plants.  My eye was caught by John Dixon’s entry, consisting of

• a large Dionysia
• a pretty Saxifraga, which I didn’t really notice at the time, and have regretted not photographing ever since I saw John wheeling it back to his car in his trolley
• a fine plant of Alkanna aucheriana, with a scattering of flowers, but also more buds to promise good things to come.

Dionysia esfandiarii SLIZE259 (GBG 3)

The Dionysia in John Dixon’s large pan entry was this pot of D. esfandiarii, which I saw two weeks earlier at the South West show.  At Rosemoor, this one was better flowered, but the other was larger and won the Farrer medal.

Here, this plant was, I think, runner-up in the voting for the Farrer, so I was quite surprised that it did not receive a Certificate of Merit, even though it received one on the intervening weekend at Hexham.  An exceptional exhibit nonetheless.

Lathyrus vernus

In the class for one large rock plant, John Savage had a huge plant of Lathyrus vernus, which I deemed unwise to carry.

Steve Furness Trophy

At this show, there is a trophy for the best miniature garden.  As last year, this was won by Carol Kellett.

Six Small pans of Rock Plants

The E.B. Anderson Prize for the small six-pan class went to Don Peace, with a group containing two Fritillaria, Anemonella thalictrioides, a Pleione, Primula petelotii and Androsace vandellii (now A. argentea ?).

Anemone obtusiloba ‘Pradesh’

Whilst the judges were debating the major awards, I turned my attention to the Novice section.  I always love this blue anemone, and this was a fine specimen, exhibited by Catherine Pennington.

Pleione ‘Britannia Doreen’

Catherine also won a class in the Intermediate section with this pretty pan of Pleione.

Primula frondosa

Back in the Novice section, Sue Spells had a good pan of Primula frondosa.  She won the Nottingham Junior Challenge Trophy for the section aggregate.

Primula ‘Jackie Richards’

Sue Spells also exhibited an excellent plant of Primula ‘Jackie Richards’, one of my stepfather David Philbey’s favourite hybrids.

Fritillaria acmopetala

In the Intermediate section, James Watson exhibited a nice short form of Fritillaria acmopetala – it is often a lot taller than this when I photograph it.

Narcissus ‘Frisk’

Andrew Ward exhibited some pretty daffodil hybrids, including this one, raised by Anne Wright.  Not a cultivar I have encountered before.

Narcissus ‘Whippet’

Another dwarf daffodil hybrid, again raised by Anne Wright and exhibited by Andrew Ward.

Dicentra cucullaria

David Harris won the Nottingham Shield for the Intermediate section aggregate by an overwhelming margin.  This was one of the prettiest of his entries.

Daphne gemmata ‘Sciringa’

I entered just one plant in the show, expecting it to be eclipsed by some of the big shrubs I photographed here last year.  However, somehow or other, those didn’t materialize, and I ended up winning the class for one dwarf shrub excluding Ericaceae.

Rhododendron ‘Ginny Gee’

Competition in the ericaceous classes was stiffer. John Savage entered a fine small pan of R. ‘Ginny Gee’, covered in flowers.

Andromeda polifolia ‘Blue Ice’

This Andromeda was another small-pan entry from John Savage.

Andromeda polifolia ‘Compacta’

However, the Chesterfield Vase for the best pan of Ericaceae went to this much larger Andromeda, also from John Savage.

Clematis columbiana var tenuiloba ‘Ylva’

Chris Lilley received a Certificate of Merit for this dwarf Clematis, which formed part of an eye-catching entry for three rock plants from different continents.

Draba ‘John Saxton’

Although I have known of it since it was first named in memory of the great John Saxton, who was Nottingham Show secretary with his wife Gill for many years, I have never actually photographed this Draba hybrid (D. rosularis x dedeana).  So this plant exhibited by Ian Instone was a great opportunity.

Saxifraga ‘Bridget’

Chris Lilley staged a great small pan of Saxifraga ‘Bridget’ – that’s the right size Chris, they don’t need to get any bigger or heavier than that!

Veronica bombycina bolkardaghensis

Another Certificate of Merit went to Peter Hood for this Turkish Veronica.

Lachenalia aloides

At the Wisley show, a pan of Lachenalia aloides var. quadricolor was only awarded a second because the judges thought it wasn’t sufficiently hardy; here Bob Worsley was awarded a first for this pan.  The selection of judges for a show is a notable element of chance for exhibitors.

Narcissus wilkommii

This pan exhibited by Steve Clements seems an altogether different plant from the tiny species I photographed at the Rosemoor show.  Still a lovely thing, with a lovely scent.

Narcissus rupicola

My favourite daffodil on the day was this little one from John Dixon.

Fritillaria aurea x pinardii

Don Peace came down from Yarm with a car full of Fritillaria hybrids.  This was one of my favourites, though it seems to be one of the few he hasn’t yet named.

Fritillaria ‘Lentune Laggard’

I think Don said this was his own favourite among this batch of hybrids.

Fritillaria ‘Lentune Lantern’

Another hybrid from Don Peace, perhaps slightly greener than the previous two.

Fritillaria ‘Lentune Chickpea’

I particularly liked the bronze tone of this one, again raised and exhibited by Don.

Fritillaria ‘Lentune Slate’

Here is a departure in a different direction, again a hybrid exhibited by Don, but this time with much darker flowers, with a beautiful silvery bloom on the petals.  It will be no surprise that with the small six-pan class, all these lovely hybrid fritillaries, and much else besides, Don won the Gould Trophy for the Open Section aggregate.

Fritillaria bucharica

However, the Chatsworth Trophy for the best pan of bulbs, together with the Finley Swift Trophy for the best plant in a 19cm pot went to Bob Worsley for this wonderful clump of Fritillaria bucharica.

Iris pumila ‘Yellow and Gold’

I always admire this yellow and gold cultivar of Iris pumila, which is available from Aberconwy nursery, even though it won’t grow for me at all, let alone as well as this plant from Peter Farkasch.

Helichrysum amorginum hybrid

This Helichrysum was exhibited by Chris Bowyer.  I remember him staging a wonderful entry of six different hybrids in large pots at the Midland show a few years ago; sadly the judges were unimpressed on that occasion.

Asplenium ceterach

Chris Bowyer also exhibited an excellent plant of our native rustyback fern.

Samolus spathulatus

In the class for plants rare in cultivation, Chris Bowyer exhibited two rosettes of this Samolus species from Patagonia.

Dactylorhiza fuchsii ‘Super Bum’

Carol Kellett exhibited this very dark spotted cultivar of the Common Spotted Orchid – the cultivar name caused much hilarity.

Orchis anthropophora

Neil Hubbard exhibited a small spike of our native Man Orchid.

Cypripedium formosanum

Steve Clements exhibited a small pan of Cypripedium formosanum, with three flowers.

Pleione grandiflora

This magnificent pan of Pleione grandiflora, in superb condition, was exhibited by John Craven.

Flower arrangement

John Craven also exhibited a flower arrangement – for me the most delicate and graceful arrangement I have seen all year.  Others will say it is too sparse, but for me the space allows the flowers room to show their beauty.

Pleione ‘Ueli Wackernagel Enigma’

This seed tray contains Don Peace’s spare bulbs of this Pleione cultivar.  It was a surprise to him when, just before the Hexham show, he realised that this made a much better exhibit than the pan of bulbs he had potted up for the shows.  This was considered for the Farrer medal, and received a Certificate of Merit.

Primula bullata var bracteata

This Chinese Primula was part of Peter Hood’s exhibit which won the Fieldhouse Trophy for three small pans of rock plants grown from seed.

Primula henrici

Peter Hood also exhibited several specimens of the variable Primula henrici, also from China.

Primula ‘Clarence Elliott’

There were some beautiful plants in the large pan class for one European Primula, which was won by Mark Childerhouse’s Primula ‘Clarence Elliott’.

Primula ‘Broadwell Milkmaid’

In the small pan classes, Mark also had a very floriferous Primula ‘Broadwell Milkmaid’, probably the same plant as he showed two weeks previously at Rosemoor.

Primula renifolia

My favourite Primula in the show was this one from the Caucasus, exhibited by Geoff Rollinson.

Cyclamen persicum

This pan from Bob Worsley was the best of very few Cyclamen.  I can only imagine that other plants made the trip to the Cyclamen Society show at Harlow Carr instead of here.

Soldanella cyanaster

There was only one Soldanella, exhibited by Ian Instone, but it was the first one I have seen this year.

Dionysia bryoides

Mark Childerhouse exhibited a fine specimen of Dionysia bryoides – again it may be the same plant he had at Rosemoor, after two weeks in cool shade.

Dionysia zetterlundii JLMS 02-91/ENF2

John Dixon exhibited three small yellow Dionysia in the class for three plants requiring the same cultural conditions – a small plant of D. aretioides, D. zagrica, and this specimen of the rare and difficult D. zetterlundii.

Dionysia iranica ENF18/2

Another yellow Dionysia exhibited by John Dixon, again a clone raised originally by Nigel Fuller.

Dionysia ‘Florenze’

This is an old hybrid, raised by Josef Mayr from Michael Kammerlander seed; I was glad to see it still in cultivation in this country, in the safe hands of John Dixon.

Dionysia ‘Alcyone’

This hybrid between D. microphylla and D. involucrata is always a favourite of mine; John Dixon exhibits it every year.

Androsace microphylla

Finally, I would like to turn to Androsace.  We saw a pan of A. vandellii (A. argentea) above in Don’s six pan exhibit; here are some others.  This little plant from Peter Hood is rare, and not one I have seen before, though it is clearly similar to A. sempervivoides.

Androsace barbulata

David Charlton won the class for a large rock plant with this big specimen of Androsace barbulata.

Androsace lehmanniana

It is not for nothing that Androsace has the common name ‘Rock Jasmine’.  Almost all are scented, as Geoff Rollinson was keen to point out to me.  And the scents vary widely between species; this lovely plant exhibited by Geoff smelt strongly of almonds.

Androsace russellii

Geoff Rollinson won the class for a plant rare in cultivation with this narrow endemic from the western end of the Himalayas in Northern Pakistan and Tajikistan.  Geoff’s notes say that it is a four year-old self-sown seedling from material originally introduced as A. bryomorpha, but keyed out to A. russellii.  The original seed was collected at 2500m in the Yazgulem region of the Pamir mountains in Tajikistan.

Androsace sempervivoides

Geoff Rollinson received a Certificate of Merit for this lovely plant.

Androsace muscoidea ‘Schacht form’

Again from Geoff Rollinson

Androsace muscoidea CR188

Another magnificent Androsace, again from Geoff.

Androsace villosa var. taurica

Geoff brought two plants of this down from Holmfirth.  The first won a Certificate of Merit.

Androsace villosa var. taurica

Geoff Rollinson’s second plant of Androsace villosa var. Taurica won the John and Gill Saxton Memorial Trophy for the best plant native to Europe, and the Farrer medal for the best plant in the show.

Thanks first of all to Geoff for this masterclass in growing and exhibiting Androsace.  He may have reached the grand old age of 88, but he is still the master.  Or maybe grandmaster ?!  And a lovely man, for all he works hard to cultivate his grumpy Yorkshireman persona.

Thanks also to Chris Lilley and his team for organising such an enjoyable show, and to the catering ladies for the excellent bacon butties and cups of tea.  Chris is turning 80 this year, and retiring from running the show.  I am sure everyone who was there hopes that his potential successor can be persuaded to take on the job.

More thanks to the nurseries, the judges, the stewards, and the exhibitors who filled the hall with colour.

I had a great day, and met several old friends who I might otherwise not have seen this year.  Let’s hope for a repeat performance next year.