East Anglia Show 2019

A long weekend in Norwich

Until recently, the East Anglia Show at Wymondham was one which I regarded as a bit too far and seldom attended. Certainly, a minimum three hour journey meant an early start if I was to be there in time to stage plants and visit the plant stalls before a day’s photography and the return trip was a long and weary one.

This has all changed recently; my son Robin now lives in Norwich so we can use the show as an excuse to spend the weekend with him. The journey takes longer on Friday afternoon (4.5 hours) but we had a warm welcome and an excellent meal out in town.

On the Saturday evening after the show, we went to the Green Dragon in Wymondham, where Robin was playing a set in a blues festival in the garden. The previous year this would have been great – the evening was warm and sunny. This year there was a complete contrast; although we were sitting at a table in a covered area and thus were protected from the passing heavy showers. By the time his set was finished the temperature had fallen to 5°C and we were all frozen.

The Old Vicarage Garden at East Ruston

On the Sunday following the show, we visited The Old Vicarage Garden at East Ruston.We have never managed to arrive there before when it was open and our anticipation was not disappointed. The garden was wonderful and the visit was gilded by a most elegant tea room, which served excellent food and drinks. The sausage rolls and gingerbread in particular were magnificent. I have a huge number of pictures of the garden but I am in two minds as to whether to post them here; it would make a rather un-alpine contribution.

Strumpshaw Fen

Before we returned home, we made a most enjoyable visit to the RSPB reserve at Strumpshaw Fen, where we saw all sorts of birds, including Marsh Harriers, a hobby and a cuckoo, and heard a bittern, and saw a stoat in the woodland area. I did not have the photographic gear with me to do the birds justice. My 70-300mm zoom lens was rather inadequate compared to the thermos flask lenses the serious birders all wield but we thoroughly enjoyed the day nonetheless.

As a result of all this activity I did not actually get home until late Monday nigh and I had about 1,400 photos from the weekend to sort out, so it has taken a while to get the show images processed and ready to post.

Cypripedium calceolus in cross-stitch

In my last post, about the Kent Spring Show, I was complaining that I had failed to photograph a piece of needlework which I very much liked, exhibited by Liz Livermore. Fortunately, Liz read my article and kindly brought the missing piece to the Wymondham show for me to photograph. So here it is.

Orchid cross-stitch embroidery of Cymbidium calceum on cream fabric, showcased in a white frame. Beautiful floral artwork representing an orchid species with detailed needlework.

Four pans of Rock Plants

At this show there is a class for four pans of rock plants – two in flower and two for foliage effect. This always seems to be popular with the exhibitors and this year there were five entries, from Anne Vale (first), Diane Clement, Don Peace, Michael Sullivan and Neil Hubbard respectively.

Vibrant potted alpine plants displayed at an Alpine Garden Society event, showcasing a variety of colourful flowering species in ceramic pots for alpine gardening enthusiasts.

Vibrant alpine and rock garden plants in terracotta pots showcasing diverse flowering and foliage plants at the Alpine Garden Society exhibition.

Large three pans of rock plants

By contrast, there was only one entry in the class for three large pans of rock plants – three superb plants from Diane Clement (front and back).

Vibrant alpine garden plants displayed in terracotta pots at the Alpine Garden Society exhibition, showcasing diverse varieties of flowering alpine plants in an indoor setting.

Potted indoor plants including a white-flowered begonia and large-leafed tropical plant, displayed on a wooden surface with a piano in the background at the Alpine Garden Society event.

Cut Flowers

Anne Vale produced a very elegant grouping of cut flowers.

Pink and purple alpine flowers displayed in small glass vases, showcasing alpine garden plant varieties.

Vibrant miniature flower arrangements featuring orchids, hellebores, and cyclamen displayed in elegant glass vases, showcasing diverse varieties of alpine plants for garden enthusiasts.

Miniature Garden

Mavis and Sam Lloyd produced a beautiful miniature garden. They always manage to tread the tightrope between plants looking established and having plenty of flower for the show.

Bright alpine garden container with diverse flowering plants and rocks, showcasing botanical beauty and low-maintenance garden ideas for rocky or mountainous regions.

Arisaema thunbergii ‘Urashima’

This is the first plant from Diane Clement’s large three-pan exhibit of rock plants, which helped her on the way to the Norfolk Trophy for the Open Section aggregate.

Pothos plant with lush green leaves and black pitcher-shaped flowers, showcasing exotic indoor flora.

Bladderwort plants (Utricularia) thriving in a pot, showcasing carnivorous aquatic plants suitable for alpine gardens and aquatic plant collections.

Dark purple pitcher plant with reddish interior, part of Alpine Garden Society plant collection, highlighting carnivorous plant varieties for alpine and bog garden enthusiasts.

Arisaema sikokianum

Diane Clement also exhibited a very small, apparently dwarf form of Arisaema sikokianum.

Exotic flowering plant with dark, spiked petals and white blossoms, potted in soil, showcasing alpine garden flora and rare plant species for enthusiasts.

Vivid image of blooming Arum lilies with dark and white petals against a neutral background, showcasing alpine plant beauty and diversity for garden enthusiasts.

Arisaema taiwanense f. cinereum BSWJ3602

By contrast, Maurice Bacon’s plant of Arisaema taiwanense in the Intermediate Section was huge.

Unique pitcher plant with striking foliage and carnivorous adaptations, ideal for alpine and exotic plant collections.

Voodoo lily plant with large green leaves and tall flower spike in black pot, indoor botanical specimen on grey background.

Incarvillea younghusbandii

Chris Lilley exhibited an attractive plant of this small Incarvillea from Nepal and Tibet, a favourite of the exhibitors.

Pink flowering geranium plant in terracotta pot, showcasing alpine garden plants with vibrant blooms, suitable for rock gardens and containers, perfect for alpine gardening enthusiasts.

Pink alpine garden flowers with vibrant purple petals and detailed veining, ideal for rock gardens and alpine plant collections, part of the Alpine Garden Society plant showcase.

Allium macropetalum

The onion season has officially started. This pretty little thing came from Neil Hubbard.

Pink and white flowering alpine plants in a terracotta pot, showcasing unique mountain flora for alpine gardening enthusiasts.

Bright star-shaped pink and white flowers blooming in a terracotta pot with green foliage, showcasing alpine garden plant varieties and their unique beauty.

Allium peninsulare

This one was also from Neil Hubbard. I found it tricky to find the right angle and the photographs don’t do it justice.

Violet alpine flowers in a terracotta pot, showcasing hardy mountain plants suitable for alpine gardening and rock gardens.

Purple flowering plant with delicate blooms, ideal for alpine gardens and rockeries, featured by the Alpine Garden Society.

Allium nevskianum

It was good to see Cecilia Coller at the show. This is her pan of Allium nevskianum.

Violet Allium flowers in a terracotta pot with decorative stones, showcasing alpine gardening plants for garden enthusiasts and collectors.

Aglione Giant Allium flower: large pink-purple flowering onion, popular for gardens and floral arrangements, ideal for alpine gardens and succulent displays, features vibrant, bulbous blossoms perfect for alpine garden societies.

Vivid Allium giganteum flowering plant in a terracotta pot, showcasing large purple flower heads and lush green leaves, perfect for alpine gardens and garden enthusiasts.

Allium shelkovnikovii ‘Sarejn’

The Sudbury Prize for the best pan of bulbs went to Robert Rolfe for this wonderful pan.

Vivid purple allium flowers in a terracotta pot, surrounded by green foliage, perfect for alpine gardens and rockeries, showcasing vibrant spring blooms.

Purple flowering plants in full bloom with star-shaped petals and yellow stamens, lush and vibrant, perfect for alpine gardens and rockeries.

Fritillaria affinis

The Suffolk Trophy for the best plant in the Intermediate section went to Ben and Paddy Parmee for this fine pan of the yellow form of Fritillaria affinis.

Yellow alpine flowers in a terracotta pot, showcasing alpine gardening and rare plant varieties for enthusiasts.

Bright yellow Fritillaria meleagris flowers, also known as snake's head fritillary, blooming in a garden setting with slender green stems and elongated leaves.

Fritillaria camschatcensis

Ben and Paddy Parmee also produced an excellent pan of Fritillaria camschatcensis. This helped them towards the Ken Aslet Trophy for the Intermediate Section but also to their fifth (and last) Silver Bar. Now they will have to exhibit solely in the Open Section. They are already well on their way to their Gold Medal.

Black Frilled Monkshood (Aconitum) flowering plant in terracotta pot, showcasing dark purple blooms and lush green foliage, ideal for alpine gardens and sunny outdoor spaces.

Rare black fritillary orchid with vibrant yellow stamens, cultivated for alpine gardening and rockery displays.

Narcissus ‘Sun Disc’

Angela Praeger won the East Anglia Trophy for the Novice Section Aggregate. Her plants included this jonquil N. ‘Sun Disc’.

Bright yellow primrose flowers with green foliage in a black pot, ideal for alpine gardening and indoor displays.

Bright yellow daffodils blooming, representing a spring garden display, perfect for the Alpine Garden Society's horticultural collection.

Iris cristata x. lacustris

Back in the Open Section, Anne Vale exhibited a large pan of Iris cristata x. lacustris covered in flowers. This was perhaps a tad unfortunate not to be considered for a Certificate of Merit.

Purple irises surrounded by lush green foliage, showcasing alpine garden flora and vibrant plant varieties. Ideal for garden enthusiasts interested in alpine plants and flower gardening.

Vivid purple irises blossoming among lush green foliage, part of the Alpine Garden Society’s collection of hardy garden plants suitable for alpine and rock gardens.

Vibrant purple irises blooming in an alpine garden, showcasing the beauty of hardy perennials cultivated for rock and mountain gardens, perfect for plant enthusiasts and garden enthusiasts.

Iris paradoxa subsp. paradoxa x. acutiloba subsp. lineolata

Michael Sullivan exhibited a lovely Iris hybrid raised originally by Norman Stevens of Cambridge Bulbs.

The following Wednesday at the Nottingham group meeting, I saw an even better seedling (Iris acutiloba x. paradoxa) from the same source, when without my camera. I think it may have been exhibited by Eddie Spencer but I am not sure.

Bright purple iris flowers in a terracotta pot, showcasing alpine garden in bloom with lush green foliage, perfect for rock garden and alpine plant enthusiasts.

Violet Iris flowers in a pot, vibrant and healthy, perfect for alpine and garden plant enthusiasts.

Ornithogalum nutans

Steven Squires exhibited this neat pan of Ornithogalum nutans.

Beautiful white flowering plant in a terracotta pot, ideal for alpine gardens and container displays. Perfect for enthusiasts of rock garden plants and hardy perennials.

Three South African Bulbs

For the class for three plants from the Southern Hemisphere, I managed to find three South African bulbs. These were:

Albuca namaquensis with greenish-yellow flowers
Albuca sp. ex. Namibia with huge white flowers with a green stripe and a yellow tip. It just wasn’t warm enough on the day to open the very swollen buds in time for the show. I think this is the same plant as that distributed in the USA and in cactus and succulent circles, as Albuca sp. ‘Augrabies Hills‘.
Cyrtanthus falcatus – a kind gift last year from another grower of South African bulbs. I have a pot of seedlings growing on from seed sown in 2012 but they are still a long way from flowering size.

Unique alpine plant with yellow, bell-shaped flowers and slender green leaves in a terracotta pot, perfect for rock gardens and alpine collections.

Bright green flowering plant in a terracotta pot with buds and long thin leaves, suitable for alpine garden cultivation and display.

Nothoscordum montevidense

Finally, I exhibited this pan of a yellow Nothoscordum from South America, which seemed to attract some interest, though it just wouldn’t open the way it did in the warmth and sun earlier in the week, when it was spectacular.

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Trillium grandiflorum

The second of Diane Clement’s large three-pan was an attractive pan of Trillium grandiflorum, which I only photographed in situ whilst walking round the show waiting for the judging to finish.

Vibrant white garden flowers in indoor setting with lush green leaves and sunlight, related to alpine gardening and plant cultivation Alpine Garden Society indoor plant display with blooming white flowers and lush foliage.

White flowering plant in garden indoors, showcasing lush green leaves and elegant blooms, perfect for alpine garden enthusiasts and plant lovers.

Trillium luteum

Martin Rogerson produced a large and well-flowered pan of Trillium luteum.

Vivid yellow and green alpine plant with variegated leaves in a black pot, ideal for alpine garden displays and rockeries, showcasing the diversity of alpine flora.

Vancouveria shrub with green leaves and delicate yellow flowers, native to alpine and woodland areas, showcasing native plant diversity and conservation efforts by the Alpine Garden Society.

Dicentra peregrina alba

Last year, at several shows I photographed a pink form of Dicentra peregrina exhibited by Ben and Paddy Parmee. This year, the same exhibitors produced a white form.

White flowering snowdrops in a terracotta pot with lush green foliage, showcasing alpine garden plants perfect for rock gardens and year-round interest. Great for alpine plant enthusiasts and collectors.

White Himalayan Blue Poppy (Meconopsis grandis) flowering with lush green foliage, ideal for alpine garden displays or rock garden cultivation, showcasing the beauty of Himalayan flora.

White Alpine flower, native to mountainous regions, delicate bloom showcasing alpine gardening beauty, perfect for enthusiasts of hardy plants and alpine garden design.

Shortia soldanelloides v. magna

Ben and Paddy Parmee also exhibited this lovely Shortia.

Pink flowering alpine plant in a terracotta pot, showcasing resilient garden flora suited for mountain and rocky environments.

Bright pink Alpine primula flowering in a terracotta pot, showcasing vibrant alpine garden plants and horticultural excellence.

Dodecatheon pauciflorum

Cecilia Coller exhibited this fine plant of Dodecatheon (now Primula ?) pauciflorum. I think the AGS accept both names.

Violet alpine flowers with green foliage in a garden display.

Purple flowering plants with yellow accents, ideal for alpine gardens and rockeries, showcasing vibrant colours and hardy foliage. Perfect for enthusiasts of alpine gardening and floral arrangement.

Trientalis borealis

Neil Hubbard produced this seldom exhibited Wintergreen from North America. I think he raised it from seed. Lovely to see and photograph, despite the paucity of flowers.

Vivid green plant in a terracotta pot with small white flowers, showcasing alpine gardening and plant cultivation for Alpine Garden Society enthusiasts.

Vivid white star-shaped flowers of an alpine plant surrounded by lush green leaves, showcasing alpine garden flora and mountain plant beauty.

Polygonatum humile

This attractive little Solomon’s Seal was also raised from seed by Neil Hubbard.

Green alpine plants with white bell-shaped flowers in a terracotta pot, showcasing alpine garden varieties and garden plant growth for alpine gardening enthusiasts.

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Pteridophyllum racemosum

Ten years or more ago, we used to see large pots of this Japanese woodlander on the show bench. It is much more unusual now so it was a pleasure to see and photograph this small plant from Anne Vale.

White Alpine primrose flowering plant in a terracotta pot, showcasing delicate white blossoms and lush green leaves, ideal for alpine gardening enthusiasts.

White alpine snowdrop flower on green stem, showcasing alpine garden plants, perfect for rock gardens and mountain flora enthusiasts.

Tiarella ‘Pink Skyrocket’

David and Liz Livermore produced a very attractive little Tiarella.

Richardsia cerebriformis flowering plant in a terracotta pot with pink inflorescences and green lobed leaves, suitable for alpine gardening and displayed by the Alpine Garden Society.

Epiphyllum cactus flowers, pink and white blooms, alpine garden plant, succulent flowering plant, unique desert flower, horticulture, botanical garden, flower gardening, succulent care, alpine flora.

Cypripedium calceolus

Every year, about this time, the pans of Cypripedium start to appear. At Kent two weeks earlier there was just one. Here, I photographed four – three from Diane Clement.

Orchids from the Alpine Garden Society collection, showcasing rare and beautiful wild orchids suitable for rock gardens and alpine environments.

Vancouverite orchid, a rare alpine flower, showcasing vibrant yellow and deep burgundy petals with lush green foliage against a neutral background.

Cypripedium parviflorum var. pubescens

Diane Clement also exhibited this hybrid Cypripedium.

Yellow orchid plant with green leaves in a pot, suitable for alpine gardening displays.

Yellow Lady's Slipper orchid flower, native to alpine and woodland areas, showcasing the beauty of alpine plants and orchids cultivated by the Alpine Garden Society.

Cypripedium parviflorum x. farreri

This was the best of Diane Clement’s Cypripedium, the final plant from her large three-pan exhibit, and was awarded a Certificate of Merit.

Orchid display at Alpine Garden Society, showcasing rare and exotic orchids in a bright indoor setting. Perfect for plant enthusiasts and orchid lovers.

Fragrant orchids in a pot, showcasing a variety of wildflowers suitable for Alpine gardens, ideal for Garden Society members and enthusiasts.

Cypripedium parviflorum

As on the previous weekend at the East Lancs Show, the Farrer Medal went to this fantastic plant of Cypripedium parviflorum exhibited by Don Peace. To my eye, it looked perhaps slightly tired but it was still a marvellous potful.

Vivid Paphiopedilum orchids with yellow and brown petals, lush green foliage, cultivated for horticulture enthusiasts and orchid collectors.

Exotic orchids from the Alpine Garden Society showcasing rare alpine plants for mountain garden enthusiasts.

Alpine Garden Society floral display featuring vibrant yellow and purple-orchid-like flowers in a lush green setting for alpine plant enthusiasts.

Pleione

This show has classes specifically for the genus Pleione and they were well contested.

Vibrant pink and purple orchids displayed at an Alpine Garden Society event, showcasing diverse alpine plant varieties and expert cultivation techniques for enthusiasts.

Pleione ‘El Pico’

Cecilia Coller has exhibited this cultivar for many years and it is still one of my favourites.

Alpine garden society vibrant purple orchids in a black pot with moss, showcasing alpine plants and floral displays for garden enthusiasts.

Vibrant pink orchids with intricate, frilled lips, thriving in lush moss, showcasing exotic beauty and precision cultivation into a stunning display.

Pleione ‘Vesuvius grex Phoenix’

This is a cultivar which Don Peace likes to exhibit. Here is a large pan and a smaller one which looked a bit more elegant.

Vibrant pink and purple orchids in a terracotta pot, showcasing exotic alpine flowers for rock gardens and garden enthusiasts.

Vibrant pink orchid flowers blooming in a terracotta pot, showcasing the beauty of alpine plants at the Alpine Garden Society. Perfect for alpine gardening enthusiasts and succulent gardeners.

Purple orchid flowers in a terracotta pot, showcasing Alpine Garden Society's diverse plant collection for alpine gardening enthusiasts.

Pleione ‘Vesuvius grex Tawny Owl’

This is another cultivar which Cecilia Coller has exhibited regularly over the years.

Pink orchids in a pot with moss, showcasing alpine garden flowers for cultivation and display.

Pink orchid flowers with yellow and red markings on a mossy base, showcasing exotic alpine garden plants.

Vibrant pink and yellow orchid flowers from Alpine Garden Society collection, showcasing rare and exotic orchids for garden enthusiasts and collectors.

Androsace vandellii

Don Peace’s pans of Androsace vandellii were just starting to go over. I first photographed one at the Midland Show three weeks previously. If you look carefully, you can find occasional dead flowers.

White flowering Alpine plant in a terracotta pot, ideal for alpine gardens and rockeries.

White flowering plants from Alpine Garden Society for rock gardens and alpine plant enthusiasts.

Androsace cylindrica x. hirtella

By contrast, this pan of Androsace cylindrica x. hirtella from Clare Oates looked wonderfully fresh.

White flowering alpine plant in a clay pot with small pebble mulch, suitable for alpine gardening and rock gardens.

Primula rusbyi var. ellisiae

As last year, Steven Squires showed a small plant of this in the Intermediate section. This year, there were about twice as many flowers in the head.

Alpine garden society primula flower growing in a terracotta pot with pebbles.

Vivid purple primrose flowers with yellow centres, part of the Alpine Garden Society's collection of hardy alpine plants.

Primula sieboldii

Ian Instone has clearly raised a large batch of Primula sieboldii from seed and exhibited them in several classes, including a pan showing variation from seed and a large white seedling which was awarded a Certificate of Merit.

Primula malacoides, delicate pink and purple primroses, flowering plant for alpine gardens and woodland settings. Perfect for early spring garden colour and container planting.

Violet Primula flowers in full bloom, showcasing their delicate petals and lush green foliage, ideal for alpine gardening and garden plant enthusiasts.

Vivid primula flowers in pink, purple, and white bloom amidst lush green foliage, representing the beauty of alpine garden plants and primula species suitable for alpine gardening enthusiasts.

Primula flowers in shades of pink, purple, and white, displayed against a dark background, representing alpine garden flora and plant enthusiast collections.

White primula flowers in a garden pot, showcasing alpine plant varieties for garden enthusiasts and collectors. Perfect for alpine gardening and outdoor floral displays.

Bright purple and white Primula sieboldii flowers blooming, ideal for alpine gardening and rock gardens, showcasing vibrant perennial plants in a garden setting for plant enthusiasts and collectors.

Vibrant multicoloured primula flowers in full bloom, showcasing the beauty of alpine garden plants.

White Primula flowers in full bloom, ideal for Alpine gardens and rockeries, showcasing the beauty of perennial garden plants.

Primula ‘Wharfedale Bluebell’

Finally, this lovely blue European Primula hybrid was exhibited by Clare Oates.

Purple primula flowering plant in a terracotta pot for alpine garden cultivation and gardening enthusiasts.

Clematis petriei hybrid

This Clematis hybrid was different from the plant Michael Sullivan exhibited at the Kent Show two weeks ago and not quite as heavy.

Bright green flowering plant in a terracotta pot, showcasing lush foliage and delicate blooms, ideal for alpine gardens and rockeries. Perfect for alpine gardening enthusiasts and plant collectors.

Vivid green alpine flowers with delicate petals and detailed stamens, showcasing the beauty of alpine gardening and plant cultivation for enthusiasts and garden lovers.

Coronilla valentina ‘Compact Form’

This was exhibited by Mavis and Sam Lloyd. Coronilla valentina is a beautiful, scented shrub which flowers most of the year. I am not sure how compact this form stays – the straight species can grow into quite a large bush.

Yellow flowering Alpine plant in a pot, suitable for rock gardens and alpine gardening collections. Perfect for enthusiasts seeking hardy and colourful plants for outdoor or indoor display.

Brunonia australis yellow flowers, emerging from a green plant, showcasing bright, vibrant blooms ideal for alpine gardens and succulent plant displays.

Daphne cneorum ‘Benaco’

My final shrub is a really good form of Daphne cneorum, exhibited by Anne Vale. This plant gave some suggestion of having been dug up from the garden for the show (subsequently confirmed). I hope it survives this treatment; Daphne species are notorious for resenting root disturbance.

Pink flowering plant in terracotta pot with green foliage and gravel base, ideal for alpine garden cultivation, showcasing vibrant blooms and hardy perennial growth for alpine gardening enthusiasts, Alpine Garden Society member plant.

Geranium glaberrimum

Robert Rolfe was awarded a Certificate of Merit for this Turkish Geranium, which is very scarce in cultivation.

Pink geranium flowers in a garden pot, showcasing vibrant alpine plant varieties for gardening enthusiasts.

Vivid purple geranium flowers blooming in an alpine garden setting, showcasing vibrant colour and lush green foliage for horticultural enthusiasts.

Haberlea ferdinandi-coburgii

Ian Instone didn’t only exhibit Primula sieboldii. This neat pan of Haberlea was also his.

Beautiful alpine primula plant with vibrant purple and white flowers in a terracotta pot, showcasing the diversity of alpine garden plants perfect for rock gardens and mountain landscapes.

Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’

I haven’t photographed this Hosta for a while but I thought this pan from Andrew Ward was in perfect condition.

Green potted Hosta plant with broad leaves, suitable for shade garden displays - Alpine Garden Society.

Pyrrosia drakeana

The Barbara Tingey Trophy for the best fern went to Don Peace for this plant. It is very popular with both judges and show reporters and it seems like I photographed it at more or less every show last year.

Green tropical houseplant with large variegated leaves in a pot for indoor gardening and plant enthusiast displays at Alpine Garden Society exhibition.

Lush green plant leaves with textured surfaces and varying shades of green, showcasing the diversity of alpine plants and foliage suitable for Alpine Garden Society collection.

Jovibarba hueffelii

I liked the way the sun added highlights to Martin Rogerson’s Jovibarba as it sat on the show bench.

Vibrant green succulent plant in a terracotta pot, perfect for alpine gardens and rockeries, showcasing drought-tolerant and low-maintenance plants ideal for alpine gardening enthusiasts.

Rupicapnos africana

Michael Sullivan exhibited this at the Wimborne Show last year and I photographed it for the show reporter then. At least this plant was reasonably portable, unlike last year’s monster.

A close-up of alpine flowering plants with green, lobed leaves and purple-tinged stems, showcasing hardy plants suitable for alpine gardens and rockeries.

Saxifraga pedemontana cervicornis

This saxifrage exhibited by Clare Oates always looks elegant, with its comfortably spaced blooms.

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Trollius europaeus ‘Dwarf Form’

I was very taken with this neat form of Trollius europaeus from Don Peace.

Bright yellow globular flowers of an alpine plant in a terracotta pot, showcasing vibrant blooms suitable for alpine gardens.

Yellow ranunculus flower Blooming spring flower for alpine garden societies and rock garden enthusiasts.

Lewisia ‘Ashwood Ruby’

The show benches were ablaze with Lewisia for the first time this year, many of them hailing from Martin Rogerson’s alpine house. Apparently, this is the poorest plant of this cultivar he has had for several years but it is still a very striking colour.

Vibrant potted alpine flowers displayed at a garden show, showcasing the diversity and beauty of alpine plant cultivation, ideal for gardening enthusiasts and alpine garden enthusiasts.

Vivid pink primula flowers in a terracotta pot, ideal for alpine gardening and flower shows, showcasing vibrant colours and lush greenery.

Lewisia cotyledon

If you don’t like the red one, how about pink or yellow, both from Martin Rogerson. I didn’t photograph the orange one, which was a mistake.

Pink primula flowers in a terracotta pot, perfect for alpine gardens and rockeries, showcasing the beauty of alpine plants and garden enthusiasts' love for floral diversity.

Vibrant yellow primula flowers in a terracotta pot, showcasing alpine garden plants perfect for rock gardens and containers, emphasizing alpine gardening and seasonal flower display.

Lewisia columbiana hybrid

This was another plant from Martin Rogerson. I always feel that it is a little more refined than the rather vulgar L. cotyledon hybrids.

Pink Alpine Primula in a terracotta pot with lush green foliage, perfect for alpine garden displays and rock gardens. Bright and vibrant, ideal for alpine gardening enthusiasts.

Maihueniopsis darwinii

This rather intimidating cactus from Andrew Ward seemed to attract the attention of all the photographers in the hall.

Cactus plant with long white spines in a terracotta pot, on a neutral background. Suitable for alpine gardening and succulent collections.

Cactus plant with sharp spines and small white flowers, suitable for alpine gardening and succulent collections.

Mammillaria laui subsp. dasyacantha

This is a more familiar cactus and one which doesn’t appeal particularly to the judges. I liked the contrast between the silky spines and the purple flowers and thought it was well grown by Anne Vale.

Clumping cactus varieties with pink flowers, suitable for alpine gardens and rockeries, thriving in well-drained soil, perfect for enthusiasts of specialised succulent cultivation.

Claret Cup Cactus with vibrant pink flowers and spiny white and green surfaces, a stunning desert plant showcased by the Alpine Garden Society.

I’m going to end with a few views of the show I took at the beginning of the day, during judging. My thanks;

to Doug Joyce for sharing the carrying and photographing of plants and for trying to make sure I photographed everything I was supposed to
to the exhibitors for bringing such a fine array of plants
to the judges and stewards for all their hard work sorting the wheat from the chaff
to retiring show secretary John Foster and all his team for organising everything so smoothly, except for the weather (cold, with extremely heavy showers and intermittent hail)
in particular to the ladies in the kitchen who brought me some lunch and provided regular cups of much-needed tea.