Border Carnations

Phil Cross's vase of 12 Yellow Alice at Doncaster 2011.

Border carnation exhibitors are a rare breed. I would think not more than 60 people grow borders for exhibition in the UK. Their season is short - July and August - and they are a labour intensive plant in that you mostly grow them one up, that is one flower per plant. A few people grow some as two year old plants with more flowering stems but for the majority it is a labour of love whereby layers or cuttings are rooted in August and then potted up for flowering the following year. I only know of one grower who grows his plants in beds in the garden. The rest of us grow them in pots, either one to a 2 Litre pot or two or more to a larger pot. We either grow them entirely under cover or bring them in under cover at flowering time.

Border growers think that PFs - the perpetual flowering carnations - are not as refined as Borders. PF growers think that the flowering season for borders is too short. The Border pictured above is Robert Smith, a lovely white ground fancy.

This next photo of class 16 at Doncaster shows three Kathleen Sharpe a very striking fancy, while below is a photo of Jean Knight. I have been fortunate enough to acquire some Jean Knight from the breeder himself, Ray Knight and I look forward to growing them.

I will post some more photos of borders in the future.

The main shows are now over for 2011 except for the late chrysanthemum shows which go on into November. However, there is a lot of work to do to prepare for next year. I have just finished potting up my exhibition daffodils in 10 litre pots ready for their plunge period of ten weeks or so in the sandpit. Then there are the gladioli to lift and clean before storing; the border layers and cuttings now growing away which will soon need potting on into bigger pots; some late pinks cuttings to be potted up. Now is the time as well when the planning and ordering takes place for next year. Rotation of beds has to be decided on, and which vegetables to grow where. Beds need turning and manuring, a task which can last several months depending on the weather.