Knowle seemed quite a short drive on a cool, breezy, but beautifully sunlit morning.  Fortunately my wife was with me and was going on in the car to visit her mother in Nottingham, so I didn't need to try to find a space in the chaos they were calling a car park.

The hall was full of depressingly large, and heavy looking pots when I walked in.  Chris Lilley even made a point of pointing out to me how heavy they were, even after his move to plastic.  I should add that some of his pots were particularly heavy because they seemed to have spent the night in a bucket.  I'm not sure whether this was for the plants benefit, or mine, but one of them made a big puddle on the photography table later on.

I didn't manage to photograph any plants whilst judging was taking place, though a few views of the hall would have been a good idea, but I spent most of the time trying to persuade people to brave the London Marathon and exhibit at the London Show next Sunday.  By the time I got the camera set up, the judges were picking out plants for awards and bringing them to a table adjacent to mine for voting.  Well, on a sprung, gym hall floor, a group of judges is much like a herd of elephants, and there was no chance of photographing stationary plants until they had finished.

Fortunately, the proximity of the judging table meant that I could intercept most of the Farrer contenders before they returned to the show benches.  

Iris afghanica

My fist pick - I was very keep to photograph it before a flower decided to collapse - was this superb pot of Iris exhibited by Eric Jarrett.  This won the Midland Challenge Cup, essentially for the best plant in a 19cm pot, and a Certificate of Merit as an outstanding example of its species.

Benthamiella patagonica F+W 10111

Next up came the Farrer plant itself, again from Eric Jarrett's alpine house.

Saxifraga Tycho Brahe

Runner-up for the Farrer, and awarded a Certificate of Merit, was this large, and extremely heavy pan of Saxifraga from Lionel Clarkson.

Saxifraga diapensioides

Geoff Mawson's pan of S. diapensioides, from Robert Rolfe's stock, also won a Certificate of Merit.

Tulipa clusiana var chrysantha

After returning these heavyweight pots to the end bench, I thought I would turn my attention to something smaller, and nearer, as the hall was now full of people.  So the next few plants are from the Novice section.  This tulip was exhibited by Denise Bridges, but lost out to a large pan of Narcissus (Hawera ?) from Lesley Travis.  However, the tulip offered more by way of photographic opportunity, so it was that I photographed.

Aquilegia discolor

Next to where I was taking photos, Lesley Travis had exhibited this little aquilegia, grown from AGS seed sown two years ago.  This plant must have been one of the most photographed in the show, attracting a lot of attention from exhibitors.  Sadly my photo does not do it justice; I was trying to capture both flowers, and as a result did not get a good photo of either.  

Tsuga canadensis Essex

Also from Lesley Travis was this little conifer.  This was the first time Lesley had exhibited, and she won the Perry Cup for the aggregate in the Novice section; she has set the bar high for the future.

Cyclamen rhodium ssp peloponnesiacum

Moving on to the Intermediate section, this lovely cyclamen was grown by Steve Walters from Cyclamen Society seed (CSE 92060 Pavori Gorge, Greece).

Lachenalia mathewsii

Although it is his cyclamen we are familiar with at AGS shows, Steve Walters is far from a one-trick pony, and he staged two excellent pans of lachenalia on Saturday, starting with this very pretty yellow one.

Lachenalia haarlemensis

Also from Steve Walters, this lachenalia is one of the interesting species with zebra stripes on the back of the leaves.

Iris pumila Knick Knack

Brenda Nickels exhibited a pretty little bearded iris.

Narcissus bulbocodium

A large pan of Narcissus bulbocodium from Norman Davies.

Primula modesta var. samanimontana f. leucantha

Bob Worsley won the Albury Trophy for the Intermediate Section aggregate.  Among his plants was this attractive little primula.

Arisaema taiwanense

This plant, exhibited by Nigel Southall, is an old friend; do you recognise it ?  This is the same plant I added eyes from a vulture to for one of my computer-manipulated images this year.  I'm surprised people felt safe walking past it !

Iris bucharica

The Crataegus Trophy for the best plant in the Intermediate Section went to this large plant of Iris bucharica, exhibited by Roy Skidmore.

Small 6-pan

At every show there comes a point where I have to abandon my 'studio', and go and photograph exhibits in situ.  The winner of the AGS medal for the small six pan class was Don Peace.

Exhibit of Needlework

Out in the entrance hall was an exhibit of needlework by Jean Morris, which was given a Large Gold Award.

Dionysia Adrastea PMR/JM97120/49/0209

We are approaching the end of the season for dionysias, but there were still a few in good condition.  This one from Paul and Gill Ranson, the largest, was in contention for the Farrer medal.

Dionysia Lauren

This smaller hybrid from Paul and Gill Ranson appealed to me because of the distance the flowers are held from the foliage - presumably D.microphylla blood in there.

Dionysia caespitosa

That man Eric Jarrett was given a Certificate of Merit for this plant of D. caespitosa.

Dionysia caespitosa x gaubae

Eric Jarrett also exhibited a fine hybrid between D. caespitosa and D. gaubae.

Primula Adrian Evans

It is also getting late in the season for European primulas, but there were still a few looking good, including two raised by my stepfather David Philbey.  First, P. Adrian Evans, named for my brother, and exhibited here by Peter Summers.  Adrian Evans is recognized as a good garden plant in the northern half of England; in the southern half of England it is somewhat tricky to maintain, even in a pot.

Primula allionii Matthew Evans

The second of David Philbey's primulas was the slow growing P. allionii cultivar Matthew Evans, exhibited by Tommy Anderson.  The plant shown is probably 7-8 years old.  My nephew Matthew is now a sporty, somewhat rebellious teenager, who has recently discovered girls, hair, and all manner of vices; the plant continues to be a tight, slow growing clone which dazzles in flower.

Primula (allionii x carniolica) x albenensis

Brian Burrow exhibited this complex hybrid.

Primula henrici

This pan of P. henrici exhibited by Eric Jarrett attracted a huge amount of interest from everyone except the judges.  We are used to seeing the flowers open white, and fade to pink; here they have gone a long way beyond that, to a most striking effect.

Primula aureata

The Midland Primula Bowl for the best primula was contested between two plants of P. aureata, both exhibited by Don Peace.  The vote went to the plant with multiple rosettes on the right, causing much debate throughout the day.

Cyclamen pseudibericum

Ian Robertson staged a fine large pan of Cyclamen pseudibericum.  I don't know why it is that when I photograph cyclamen I sometimes get these white highlights on the petals; they don't look like that in real life.

Cyclamen repandum

Ian Robertson also exhibited this small neat Cyclamen repandum.

Cyclamen x schwarzii

Finally, a large pan of C. x. schwarzii, also from Ian Robertson.

Androsace vandellii ex Nuria

The early season Primulaceae are now being replaced by Androsace.  This large pan was exhibited by Alan and Janet Cook.

Androsace villosa taurica

In the small pan classes, Geoff Rollinson had a lovely pan of A. villosa taurica.

Benthamiella graminifolia

Eric Jarrett isn't finished yet.  This pan of B. graminifolia won a Certificate of Merit.

Anisotome imbricata

Don Peace had a really attractive pan of Anisotome imbricata, sown in May 2006.  One of the few times I have photographed it and it has actually looked alive, and not just an intricate mat of brown hairy leaves.

Cassiope Badenoch

Moving on from cushions to shrubs, this little cassiope was exhibited by Mark Lee in the Novice section.

Cassiope mertensiana californica

In the Open section, Ian Kidman staged a small three pan exhibit of cassiopes, including this lovely plant.

Cassiope lycopodioides

Also in Ian Kidman's three-pan exhibit was this C. lycopodioides which won the Edinburgh Quaich for the best pan of Ericaceae.  I'm sorry the photo makes it look as though someone has parked a bicycle in it.

x Kalmiothamnus Sindelberg

Also from Ian Kidman was this lovely Kalmiothamnus

Boronia anemonifolia

John Savage staged this lovely Australian shrub I have never seen before.

3 pans of Daphne

The new Blackthorn Trophy for 3 pans of Daphne went to Martin and Anna Sheader for this threesome: from left to right, D. modesta, D. petraea Lydora and D. petraea Vanguard.

Daphne modesta

Martin and Anna Sheader also won the small pan class for daphnes, with this slightly larger plant of D. modesta.

Daphne petraea Lydora

From the far end of the hall where the large pots lurk, this Daphne from Lionel Clarkson looks every inch a Farrer contender, from this side.  It certainly won my award for the heaviest pot of the day, and was the only one which fought me every foot of the way, desperate to go to ground.

Astragalus coccineus
Peter Farkasch's Astragalus, winner of the Farrer last week at Chesterfield, might also have been in contention on Saturday, had it not come up against the eventual winner in its class.

Hepatica nobilis var pyrenaica

Though the hepaticas are now over, Diane Clement used the fresh new leaves to good advantage in one of the foliage classes.

Sanguinaria canadensis Multiplex

Diane Clement also staged several attractive pans of the double form of Bloodroot.

Anemonella thalictrioides Oscar Schoaf

Don Peace seems to grow this woodlander to perfection; he had several pans of it.

Trillium ovatum

Ian Instone grew this lovely pan of Trillium from seed, sown in 1998.  In fact, many of the best plants in a show like this are grown from seed by the exhibitors, giving them the opportunity to select particularly good forms.  Worth remembering when you are looking at seed exchange lists.

Ranunculus alpestris

Ranunculus alpestris always makes its appearance on the benches about this time of year, here exhibited by ian Kidman.

Ranunculus montanus

Ranunculus montanus was exhibited by Chris Lilley.  This is the plant which disgraced itself all over my photography table.

Silene californica

Brian Burrow exhibited this bright scarlet silene.

Hymenoxis torreyana

George Young exhibited a 3-pan of American compositae, including this plant, an Erigeron, and the Townsendia following.

Townsendia spathulata Cotton Balls

Another North American member of the compositae from George Young.

Lewisia brachycalyx

Alan and Janet Cook grew thuis lovely plant of L. brachycalyx

Lewisia cotyledon hybrid

A striking L. cotyledon hybrid from Vic Aspland.

Lewisia tweedyi

The Roy Elliott Memorial Salver went to - who else - Eric Jarrett for this pan of L. tweedyi.

Pleione Tongariro Jackdaw

Martin Rogerson exhibited a nice pan of Pleione Tongariro Jackdaw.

Narcissus assoanus

Turning once more to bulbous plants, this pretty primrose yellow N. assoanus was grown from seed by Ian Instone.

Babiana villosa

George Elder was very pleased to have grown and flowered this Babiana.

Wurmbea recurva

We have grown accustomed to this rather wierd South African bulb, again exhibited by George Elder.

Iris iberica ssp iberica

This lovely iris was exhibited by Eric Jarrett.  I love how the light shines through the standards.

Fritillaria alfredae glaucoviridis

Don Peace brought several superb large pans of fritillaria.

Fritillaria meleagris alba

Our native Fritillaria meleagris is still a favourite of mine, particularly when it is the white form, here exhibited by Don Peace.

Fritillaria crassifolia hybrid

This F. crassifolia hybrid was also exhibited by Don Peace.  It might well have been in contention for the Farrer, but for the unfortunate fact that Don exhibited it in a class for plants native to Asia.  As a man-made hybrid it was deemed not according to schedule; even the most experienced exhibitors can make mistakes sometimes.

Tristagma uniflora Alberto Castillo

Finally, a neat and elegant plant of Tristagma Alberto Castillo, exhibited by Martin and Anna Sheader.

My thanks to John Harrison and all his team for a wonderful show, and a great day out.  I don't know how you always seem to manage to arrange sunshine for the show, but you did it again.