Tottington Show

The week after Chipping the weather always takes a turn for the worse and the autumn rains usually set in with a vengeance. I thus struggle to get anything in glads that is worth showing as I don't grow them in a polytunnel as some do. But my local show is at Tottington and I like to support them when I can. Above we see the eternal optimist, Derek Roscow, pondering in which class to put this Drama with most of its florets removed. It should be noted that at The Pie Eaters Daffodil Show which despite the name has a very high quality entry, there is a class which Derek has won many, many times, for the worst daffodil. Say no more.

Class 1 was for one spike, as in many of these local shows. I was lucky enough to win a silver medal for best exhibit with Romanka 545LM seen in the centre here, a new one from the Czech Republic. Second was Derek with a Sophie you can just see on the far right and third was my Golden Fringed 514LM, the yellow one on the left, which hails from Russia. The only reason these two spikes made it is because they are very ruffled and thus water resistant.

In the three spike class you can see the weather damage on the glads at the back. I only had these three underflowered ones at the front but the judge preferred them to the weather beaten stuff. Two Extasy (the Dutch spell it that way to differentiate it from Ecstasy which is an older American glad) and one Blue Isle. You can get Blue Isle anywhere and normally I would not have grown it but I was breeding blues amongst other things this year so I grew a few and it surprised me with its health.

After that I was struggling so went in the floret box classes. Above is Mallorca another new Czech glad. It got beaten by Marie Roscow's Drama after Derek and I pointed out that one of the florets was not the same as the others.

In the other floret boxes there was only me. This little gem above is Amelie. The photo doesn't show a lovely pink flush to the florets.

In the prims floret box I had three Maxton and three Gillian Brown of my own breeding but not a very good exhibit.

There were less pansy boxes than at Chipping but the blue is a nice colour.

I also had an uncontested win with three Flevo Primo in the 200s but any other three 200s would probably have beaten them. It's a bit short and big for an exhibition type.

Derek was awarded the Bronze medal for his two Video in Class 2 and he also had an NVS medal for his veg.

Mr Brooks who always bring a carload of stuff deservedly won the most points in the show.

I shall look forward to the Spring Show here on Saturday 25th April, having just planted daffodils in pots in preparation for this event.

Chipping Show

Frank Hoyle and his team do a great job running the Chipping Show. The prizes are excellent, the welcome is second to none and as a result, most of the big names in the North West can be seen at this show. In the dahlias the likes of Messrs Sutherland and Higginbottom produce absolutely top quality exhibits. Above and below are just two of the baskets from the dahlia section.

Vegetables are amazingly good at this show. The leeks below were of a size that one would associate with Harrogate or the NVS National.

Chrysanthemums also feature in this show. A nice set of three below.

One thing I keep meaning to do is to have a serious go at the basket classes for glads at these shows. I did one last year at Harrogate but I think I need to grow more specifically for these basket classes. I've started sourcing the various foliage plants that you can use and have actually managed to get some to grow. Cold winds and the high altitude mean that they will have to have some serious protection next year.

Derek Roscow's basket was the only entry and won a handsome prize.

The judge, Eric Anderton, had a job on with class 1 for a single spike as there were 17 entries. He seemed to have got it right however and Andrew Clark was 1st and 2nd with a Felicita and a Careless, while Mr P Vine was 3rd with a really outstanding example of Lowland Queen.

In the 2 spike class above, Mr Vine's two Lowland Queen were deserved winners.

I was lucky to win the 4 spike class against two entries from Terry Morris with these Extasy (it's the way the breeder spells it) . My flowers were a bit rough in terms of placement but a little younger than Terry's on this occasion. He has his share of wins usually.

Andrew Clark struck again in the 2 x 1/200s with a nice pair of Olivia.

Another thing I keep threatening to do is to grow spray chrysanthemums again. This show is quite early for sprays in the first week in September but I might have a go next year.

There is very keen competition in the pansies class as can be seen from the number of boards here.

Chipping attracts a large entry in the potato classes, where Frank Hoyle often makes a clean sweep in most if not all the classes. Beautifully presented, blemish-free spuds.

Add to the above, giant onions and most other veg that you can think of, lovely pot plants and herbaceous entries, sweet peas, annuals, and so on. A gardener's delight located in beautiful surroundings in the village of Chipping.