Gosh - I have been so busy since the Solihull Show that it now seems a long time ago, and it is hard to remember details to bring the day to life.  Thanks to Don Peace, Cliff Booker and Ian Instone for posting pictures so much more promptly than these.

It was a great stroke of good fortune that I chose to check the travel news at 6am before I set off.  It is easy to assume that the roads will all be running fine first thing in the morning, and occasionally this trips you up.  On Saturday morning I found out that the M40 was closed northbound, and whilst a diversion was in place, it looked likely that there would be no speedy resolution, and the diversion would result in considerable delay, so I decided to travel via M3, M25, M1, M6 and M42 south.  A considerable detour, adding 25 miles and something like 30 minutes to the journey, but better than those who used the M40, and were delayed by up to 2 hours.

This diversion was not the only surprise of the journey.  By Northampton it was snowing, my octogenarian passenger and step-father David Philbey was snoring, and I was wondering why on earth I had agreed to come.  It was 9am by the time we reached the school in Knowle. Hordes of parents had just arrived to drop off their children for sporting activities, and the limited parking area was chaos.  I tipped out David, who can only walk about 50 yards these days, and beat a hasty retreat, turning away from the school, down the road and into a residential avenue where I parked about a quarter of a mile away from the show.  My bag of photographic gear gets heavy when you have to carry it that far.  So, not the best start to the day - things could only get better, and they did; despite the absence of the Wallises with all their bulbs, the benches were full.

By the time I had had a quick foray into the plant sales area, and checked David was installed in an armchair in the entrance hall and holding forth to friends, I was late to start the photography, and didn't take any views of the show benches, so my thanks to those who did.  Also, Jean Morris had staged her customary accomplished exhibit of needlework in the entrance hall, and received a Gold Award for it, but it was very difficult to find a way of stepping back from it to photograph it, so my apologies to her for not including any shots of what was as always a wonderful display.

As it turned out, I couldn't have started photography any earlier, because the judges were using the same table to make their final decisions about awards.  However, this did mean that when I took over, most of the award plants were sitting there ready to be photographed, and all I had to do was take them back to their classes afterwards.

Primula henricii ex ACE 1672

The first plant I photographed was this fabulous specimen of P. henricii (formerly P. bracteata) exhibited by Geoff Rollinson, a worthy winner of the Midland Primula Bowl for the best primula, and of the Farrer Medal.

Androsace villosa taurica

That wasn't the only plant of Geoff Rollinson's left on the photography table after the judges' final deliberations.  This lovely Androsace was also his, and was awarded a Certificate of Merit.  Geoff had another fine small pan of the same plant.

Saxifraga felineri

Geoff Rollinson also received a Certificate of Merit for the lovely, rare, and I suspect difficult S. felineri from the Picos de Europa.  

Anisotome imbricata var imbricata

The last plant I photographed grown by Geoff Rollinson was this pan of Anisotome, which I selected because I wanted to photograph the flowers.

Draba longisiliqua

Eric Jarrett will tell you that the warm damp winter has caused him terrible problems, and like most of the dionysia growers in southern England he has a long list of losses, but he still managed to turn up with this fine dome of Draba, overlooked for award by the judges because they felt the petals were dropping too much, and it was perhaps a day or two past its best.

Iris ewbankiana

Eric Jarrett also brought this exquisite little Oncocyclus iris.  The name is apparently synonymous with I. acutiloba subsp. lineolata, but the plant exhibited was much smaller and more delicate than those normally exhibited under that name.  I suspect few visitors to the show even noticed it, for it aroused a flurry of interest when I took it to my photography bench.

Dionysia caespitosa x gaubae

One final plant from Eric Jarrett; clearly a few dionysias have survived the winter cull, and this one was awarded a Certificate of Merit.

Dionysia Inka Gold

Paul and Gill Ranson also had dionysias to exhibit for pretty much the first time this season.  This plant of D. Inka Gold is not as large or as impressive as the one Paul exhibited last year, but clearly the backup plants are starting to fill the gaps in his collection.

Dionysia Purple Splendour

This plant with seedling number JM-MK9907-102, an f2 hybrid from D. bryoides was also exhibited by Paul and Gill Ranson.

Dionysia sarvestanica subsp spathulata T4Z1044

One final plant from Paul and Gill Ranson - one of the species more recently arrived in cultivation.

Androsace carnea x pyrenaica

Normally by the Midland Show the Primulaceae classes are starting to be dominated by Androsace, but apart from Geoff Rollinson's A. villosa taurica, and an odd pan of A. vandelii, there weren't many to be seen.  This neat exhibit of A. carnea x. pyrenaica was exhibited in the Novice Section by Lesley Travis, who won the Perry Cup for the aggregate for that section.

Cyclamen rhodium subsp peloponnesiacum f albiflorum

Also from the Novice section was this attractive form of Cyclamen rhodium exhibited by Denise Bridges.

Cyclamen rhodium subsp peloponnesiacum f albiflorum

Ian Robertson exhibited the same plant in the Open Section, deceiving the unwary with a passing resemblance to C. creticum.

Cyclamen persicum f puniceum

Ian Robertson also exhibited this lovely deep pink form of Cyclamen persicum, which I can remember at the London show in previous years.

Primula Allen Jo

There were still European primula hybrids in evidence, some of which make regular appearances at this show, such as P. Allen Jo exhibited by Tommy Anderson.

Primula Coolock Violet

George Elder is known mainly as a bulb grower, and I think grows just one primula, but what a fine plant it is.

Primula Coolock Snowball

George's Coolock Violet was raised originally by Jim Almond, as was this neat white hybrid exhibited by Ian Kidman.

Primula Mylene

On the other hand P. Mylene is a plant raised by David Philbey.  We tend to think of him as focused primarily on yellow hybrids, but many of his most successful cultivars have been other colours, including this which is a fabulous deep, rich purple.  This plant was exhibited by Pauline Carless who won the Albury Trophy for the Intermediate Section.

Primula albenensis hybrid BB 10-21-1

Most eye-catching of all were two seedlings whose parentage included Primula albenensis, raised and exhibited by Brian Burrow.

Primula albenensis hybrid BB 10-21-6

A second Primula seedling from the same cross involving P. albenensis raised and exhibited by Brian Burrow.

Silene californica

A very striking silene, much admired by visitors to the show, exhibited by Brian Burrow as part of a 3-pan (plants raised from seed ?), which also included...

Viola douglasii

Again exhibited by Brian Burrow

Tulipa australis

Finally, Brian Burrow exhibited this lovely yellow tulip, whose buds deigned to open after lunch, long after judging had finished.

Tulipa whittallii

T. whittallii is one of my favourite photographic subjects, because of the patterns on the back of the petals; this pot was exhibited by Ivor Betteridge.

Narcissus jonquilla var minor

A neat pan of daffodils, also from Ivor Betteridge.

Fritillaria hermonis amana

Ivor Betteridge also exhibited this attractive yellow form of F. hermonis amana.  I understand that it has been the subject of some debate at recent shows, and is probably the cultivar which has been given the name Goksun Gold.

Dicentra cucullaria

Next, two plants of Dicentra cucullaria.  The first, exhibited by Ivor Betteridge, has pure white flowers, and the final picture of it is one of my favourites of the day.  The second plant has creamy white flowers, with a slight hint of pink, and was exhibited by Martin Rogerson.

Saxifraga columnaris

Moving on to saxifrages, starting with a very nice specimen of S. columnaris exhibited by George Young.  I assume that Goerge's plants arrived with someone else, perhaps Ian Kidman, as I didn't see George at the show thisyear.

Saxifraga x concinna Ben Loyal

Robert Rolfe won the Midland Challenge Cup for the best plant in a 19cm pot with this stunning assault on the eyes.  Vivid whatever your camera settings !

Saxifraga x dinninaris Ray Woodliffe

Also from Robert Rolfe, another lovely plant, and a little more demure than the previous one.

Small 6-pan Class

As usual, there were multiple entries in the small six-pan class at Solihull, from, respectively, Peter Farkasch, Tommy Anderson and Don Peace.  Don's entry was the winner of the AGS Medal.

6 pans raised from seed

Don Peace also won the Midland Jubilee Goblet for six pans raised from seed, and success in these two classes gave him a huge boost on the way to the Leschallas Cup for the Open section aggregate.

Anemonella thalictrioides Oscar Schoaf

Don Peace always exhibits several pots of this Anemonella at the right point in the season, and this one formed part of his winning small 6-pan entry.

Fritillaria crassifolia var kurdica

Another pan from Don Peace's winning small 6-pan entry.

Narcissus obesus Diamond Ring

Mavis and Sam Lloyd exhibited this attractive pan of N. obesus.

Trillium rivale

My favourite of the T. rivale on display was this one with pink veins from Lionel Clarkson.

Trillium hibbersonii

Vic Aspland exhibited this fine specimen of T. hibbersonii.  A bit of a struggle to get a picture, particularly with it slightly low in its pot, but I wanted to try.

Intermediate six pan

Colin and Kathleen Billington entered the Intermediate six-pan class, but not all their plants were deemed to be up to the required standard.

Salix hylematica

The Crataegus Trophy for the best plant in the Intermediate section went to Pauline Carless for this Salix.

Trifolium purpurascens quadrifolium

An interesting clover for foliage effect, also from the Intermediate section, exhibited by Brenda Nickels.

Salix breviserrata

In the open section Vic Aspland exhibited this Salix in the class for a rock plant grown for natural effect.

Chamaecytisus demissus

Continuing with a shrubby theme, this large pot of Chamaecytisus was exhibited by Barry Winter.  Although I carried three miniature gardens, I think this was the heaviest pot of the day.

x Kalmiothamnus Sindelberg

Ian Kidman won the Edinburgh Quaich for the best ericaceous plant with this x Kalmiothamnus.

Rhododendron cephalanthum Crebreflorum Group

As always John Savage exhibited some fine rhododendrons.

Rhododendron cilpinense

Also from John Savage - a martyr to April frosts.

Rhododendron pumilum

A third rhododendron, and my favourite, from John Savage.

Primula petelotii

Don Peace exhibited a very well flowered plant of P. petelotii; I gather this is not the first show it has appeared at this year, so presumably it spends weekdays in the fridge.

Primula petiolaris Sheriffs Form

A fine asiatic primula from Lionel Clarkson

Oxytropis lagopus

Peter Farkasch showed this little Oxytropis.

Pulsatilla grandis

Despite all the rarities, the plant I most wanted to take home with me was this lovely plant of P. grandis exhibited by Vic Aspland.

Shortia uniflora

Running the Pulsatilla very close was this wonderful Shortia from Cliff Booker - a photographer's dream - it really needs light behind it.

Miniature Gardens

This is one of the few shows which has classes for miniature gardens in all three sections, so here are the winners of the Novice section (Lesley Travis), the Intermediate Section (Pauline Carless), and the Open Section (Mavis and Sam Lloyd).

Many thanks to John Harrison the show secretary and his busy team for staging such an excellent show, and particular thanks for some excellent baps and cake for lunch, and badly needed cups of tea.  I had to rush off - I was due at my camera club's 60th Anniversary dinner in Farnham at 7pm, and badly needed a shower and a change of clothes before that.  A wonderful and very convivial evening, but that's another story.

Thank you for your comments - it is good to know the effort is appreciated.  Thanks also to Cliff and Ian for posting pictures of the show so quickly when I have been busy most of the week, in particular the wider views which I ran out of time to take.  We must remember as well all the hard work that the show secretary and his team put in before and after the show as well as on the day.  And finally, thank you Cliff for bringing the charming Shortia.