East Cheshire AGS Show Report 2025

My normal role in the production of show reports is to twist arms and threaten mildly to ensure there are ‘willing’ volunteers to do the writing. Not surprisingly this is no easy task and many are the excuses given for being unavailable. This year’s best was ‘I’m too busy with Dandelions’. Sounds daft but someone has to care about the very varied species and forms of this wonderful plant in the UK! All this leads on to having to admit I’d have to do it myself.

I always like the end of season shows, they are a little more relaxed but not always quieter as this well attended show demonstrated.

I’ll deal with the elephant in the room first. For the last few years Michael Sullivan has produced a number of very large plants of Saxifraga grown from seed. They are not only big but stunning. The judges had to identify the best Saxifrage in the show as the Saxifraga Group Salver, one of our travelling trophies, was awarded at this show this year. There was competition from some beautifully grown smaller pots but Michael’s Saxifraga ‘Eaton Champion’ won the day.

Michael also won the Cheshire Challenge Trophy for the most first prize points in the Open Section helped in no small part to another wonderful display of Sempervivums, another Genus he is renowned for.

Ilona Duffy took the Novice Section Aggregate prize. Among her exhibits was Crassula rupestris. This is a decidedly odd looking plant native to Namibia and South Africa. Winter survival depends on keeping the plant dry during winter. Like many plants we grow it is vital the plant is not in damp compost during cold weather. Not surprisingly it is often called ‘buttons on a string’ and does produce quite pretty red flowers.

Elsewhere in the Novice Section was a beautifully presented young plant of Matteuccia struthiopteris shown by Vanessa Brook as Fern Sp. This was voted the best plant in the section and awarded the Hartside Trophy. The plant did, however, lead to a long discussion on what plants are suitable for inclusion in our shows. If the judges’ identification was correct this plant will, when mature, be somewhat large to be considered as suitable for our shows.

Since the introduction of Cacti classes the variety of species and cultivars shown has gradually increased. Most of our judges are still nervous about these plants as our knowledge of hardiness is still limited. This might explain why the one flowering plant in Class 67, Gymnocalycium monvillei shown by David Charlton, was passed by in favour of several non-flowering members of the genus Rebutia. Another example of keep it dry in winter and no heat is required.

Now for a few plants which took my eye. Interestingly, they all come under the heading small and beautiful. Firstly, Disporopsis pernyi, shown by Diane Clement, a relative of Solomon’s Seal and Lily of the Valley displayed here in full bloom. It is native to China and Taiwan.

Diane also exhibited a delightful pan of Arisaema kiushianum, one of the more diminutive members of the genus and a native of Japan. While never a big plant I don’t think I’ve ever seen one in full flower as short as this.

There were many Dactylorhiza plants on the benches but my favourite, no more than six inches tall, was shown in the Intermediate Section by Vivian Self. Vivian hadn’t given the plant a species name. She has my sympathy as I find it very difficult to name red marsh orchids due to their variability and promiscuity. The better informed think it is the Northern Marsh Orchid, Dactylorhiza pupurella. Possibly!

The last of my personal pick is Paris luquanensis exhibited by Henry Fletcher. This native of South Central China is much more diminutive than most of the other members of the genus. The lovely marbled leaves and typical Paris flowers nestling on a bed of moss captivated many of the visitors.

Before I move on to the final stars of the show I must explain why there is little information on the cultivation of the above plants. This was due to most of the exhibitors having departed to take part in the annual Pudsey Pig competition, not returning until shortly before the show closed. This competition has been held for many years at a late spring show, originally in Pudsey on the outskirts of Leeds, hence the name.The competition is, on the surface at least, an eating competition but there are no rules except the winner is chosen by the previous year’s winner. The feel is very much of an end of term school party with corruption, bribery and many other polite forms of subterfuge. To really understand it you have to take part!

Now back to the serious business of plants. Linnaea borealis var americana. This variant is an accepted name but I’ve been unable to find a definition of the differences between this and our British native form of Linnaea borealis. I’d always described the distribution as being circumpolar but, having checked, a better description would be ‘circum’ Northern Hemisphere as its range stretches from the north of Greenland to the Mediterranean and right round the globe. Even this is inadequate as there is an outlying population in the Ruwenzori Mountains in Uganda! How did it get there! Enough Botany, more importantly it was a beautiful plant which nobody present could remember seeing on a show bench.  A triumph of cultivation and, unlike our show photographer, I shall not mention the greenfly population. It received a well-deserved Certificate of Merit.

Finally, the winner of the Farrer Medal for the best plant in the show which, on this occasion, was awarded to a plant of Junellia micrantha grown and shown by John and Clare Dower. This subshrub is native to several parts of Argentina and growing it to the size displayed is no easy task. The contrasting colours of the inside and outside of the flowers are delightful.

It was a special day for John and Clare as this was, much to my surprise, their first Farrer Medal. The icing on the cake was Clare winning this year’s Pudsey Pig and carrying off her prize of a miniature garden complete with large pig munching at the plants.

Reporter Martin Rogerson
Photographer Jon Evans, Don Peace