Dianthus Shows: Part Two

  On the Tuesday after Doncaster I was off again to Tatton Park, my first visit to the venue (to the show, that is. My wife and I often walk in the Park.) It was a bit like Fort Knox trying to get in. You had to register with a photo ID in advance and then on arrival you had to go into a Portakabin where office staff made you an ID card. This then had to be scanned by one of the many security men before you could drive in. The guy on the gate gave me the wrong directions so it took me a while to get to where the BNCS National Show was to be. The tabling allocated for exhibits was quite small but as it turned out because of the earliness of the season, it was adequate.

I didn't know that last year the RHS in its infinite lack of wisdom had supplied glasses not unlike champagne flutes in size in which to stage the blooms - a totally daft move by typically out of touch committee members who have probably never been near a carnation show before. This year, thankfully, and due to the entreaties of our committee members, there were bikini vases for us. Some of the pinks still had to go in the glasses.

Anyway, there I was. And Graham Davies, Marie Ann and Ivor and his wingman, Roy Tudor. Then Liam et fils turned up. By then I'd just about staged mine so I don't know if many others came. I think not. i was quite pleased with what I'd managed to stage. I still don't have the results but hope to get them from James Akers some time. Oddly, I didn't take any photos and remembered this when I was on my way home, so I phoned Graham and asked if someone could take some for me. Keith Mastaglio duly obliged and three photos from him are below. First a shot of twelve of my  Bradshaw Heartblood, the new crimson clove. The angle makes them look bit gappy! Viewed from higher up they looked ok.  The red is not dark enough here  but reds are a problem for most cameras.

Secondly, here's a photo of my three Lucy Hogg staged informally which Keith thought was the best vase there.

Before I came away from Tatton I said to myself that unless Liam had something outstanding, I stood chance of getting Best Bloom with an Ann S Moore. Sure enough, the judge agreed and the one below got that award.

Personally, I hope the society gets another venue for next year's National. A nice garden centre would be lovely.