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THE DELPHINIUM SOCIETY'S LATE SHOW, 2006

This Show was held at the Hillside Events Centre of the Royal Horticultural Society's Garden at Wisley, Surrey on 1st / 2nd July 2006.

CONTENTS

For this report, the Show Classes are separated into the groups:-

CLASSES 1 - 6; Flower colour not specified .

CLASSES 7 - 13; Flowers of a specific colour

CLASS 14 - 25; Un-named cultivars (seedlings), Florets and classes for Novice exhibitors

Click on the appropriate section IN THIS LIST for pictures of some prize-winning entries.

INTRODUCTION

June was notable for being a very dry month with spells of hot weather. Restrictions on garden watering made life difficult for many growers. The weather throughout the weekend for this second Show was exceptionally hot with temperatures approaching or above 30C. It was therefore extremely difficult for exhibitors to keep their flowers in good condition after cutting, especially while transporting blooms to the Show and after they had been staged.

Several growers from the Yorkshire & Lincolnshire Group of the Society made the long journey south to Wisley and made a major contribution to the Show.

The weather meant we had no flowers from our own garden suitable for exhibition at either Show this year. This account is based on visiting the Show on the second day, when many flowers had dropped petals or looked tired as a result of the very hot weather.

 

THE SHOW

CLASSES 1 - 6 Flower Colour not specified

Class 1: Three spikes. Two entries, both from members of the Yorkshire & Lincolnshire Group. The FIRST PRIZE exhibit was a set of three blooms of the light pink 'Clifford Sky' from Fred Hirst. The SECOND PRIZE was awarded to Gordon West for blooms of a seedling with dark violet flowers.
Class 1.
Class 2: Two spikes, light excluding white. The FIRST PRIZE entry was from Jim Fishenden, who staged blooms of 'Gordon Forsyth' and a Third Prize went to Terry Woolley for blooms of the light pink, 'Summerfield Miranda'. Gordon West staged bloms of 'Pandora' and a seedling that looked rather like 'Conspicuous'.

Class 3: Two spikes, dark. The FIRST PRIZE winner was Jim Fishenden with nice blooms of 'After Midnight'. SECOND PRIZE went to Gordon West for blooms of seedlings in the style of 'Chelsea Star' and THIRD PRIZE went to Zara Evans for very tall and thin blooms of 'Kennington Calypso', an unfamiliar cultivar raised by the late Terry Murphy.

Class 4: Two spikes, one dark, one light excluding white. Gordon West won the FIRST PRIZE, staging a dark purple seedling in the style of the old cultivar 'Sabu' with a bloom of Emily Hawkins'.
Classes 2 - 4.
Class5: One spike, light, excluding white.

The FIRST PRIZE went to Ray Joslyn for his bloom of 'Carol Fishenden'. On Saturday this was selected as the 'Best Bloom in Show' but by Sunday there was nothing to see as it had dropped to pieces. SECOND PRIZE went to an enormous bloom of 'Snowdon' a cultivar now seldom seen that has tinted white flowers with a ginger eye and very dark stems.

Class 6: One spike, dark.

FIRST PRIZE went to Grahame Case for a slender bloom of deep purple 'Bruce' and SECOND PRIZE went to a short bloom of 'After Midnight' from Jim Fishenden seen on the left.
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CLASSES 7 - 13 Flowers of a Specific Colour

Class7: Two spikes, white or cream.

The FIRST PRIZE winner was Bob Banks with neat blooms of white seedlings. Fred Hirst won SECOND PRIZE with blooms of 'Kennington Classic'.

Class 8: One spike, white or cream.

Bob Banks was again the FIRST PRIZE winner with a very nice white flower seen at the centre of the right hand pictue below. Ray Joslyn won SECOND PRIZE with 'Kennington Classic' and a nice bloom of 'Celebration' from Grahame Case, seen on the left of the right hand picture below, won THIRD PRIZE.

Class 7

Class 8
Class 9: Two spikes, any blue cultivar or cultivars.

The Judges did not consider either entry merited a First Prize and the blooms of 'Carol Fishenden' staged by Jim Fishenden were given a SECOND PRIZE. Two long blooms of 'Pandora' from Gordon West were awarded THIRD PRIZE.

Class 10: One spike, blue.

FIRST PRIZE went to Ray Joslyn for a bloom of 'Carol Fishenden'. This pale blue cultivar was also used by Bob Banks, who won SECOND PRIZE, and by Jim Fishenden, who won THIRD PRIZE.
Class 11: Two spikes, any pink cultivar or cultivars. Five entries in this class.

FIRST PRIZE went to Bob Banks for neat blooms of 'Beryl Burton', while SECOND PRIZE went to Grahame Case for small blooms of 'Rosemary Brock'. The THIRD PRIZE went to Fred Hirst for blooms of 'Rosemary Brock' and 'Clifford Lass'.
Class12 on left; Class 11 on right.
Class 12: One spike, pink. Five entries.

All blooms staged were of 'Lucia Sahin' but the range of colour was amazing. FIRST PRIZE went to Ray Joslyn. Geoff Beilby from Yorkshire won SECOND PRIZE with a very dark-coloured flower and Grahame Case won THIRD PRIZE with a much paler bloom.
Class 13: One spike, any cultivar and six florets of the cultivar. Seven entries.

FIRST PRIZE went to Ray Joslyn, who used the pale violet 'Min', and Lewis Cain's entry of 'Conspicuous' won SECOND PRIZE. Grahame Case's bloom of 'Gordon Forsyth' won THIRD PRIZE, although on Sunday it looked the best entry!
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CLASSES 14 - 25 Seedlings, Florets and Novices

Class 14: Two spikes, seedlings, any cultivar or cultivars. Five entries.

FIRST PRIZE went to Bob Banks and Gordon West gained the SECOND PRIZE for spikes of a white-eyed, deep violet flower in the style of 'Walton Beauty'. Terry Woolley won THIRD PRIZE with long blooms of a pale pink seedling.
Class 15: One spike, seedling excluding white or pink.

FIRST PRIZE went to Gordon West for a large bloom of a rich deep violet flower. Ray Joslyn's blue seedling won the SECOND PRIZE and THIRD PRIZE went to Terry Woolley for a bloom of a deep violet seedling.

Class 16: One spike, seedling, white. One entry.

Gordon West was given a THIRD PRIZE for a rather immature bloom.
Class 17: One spike, seedling, pink. Two entries.

John Flowerday won FIRST PRIZE for a neat bloom from a cross between 'Lucia Sahin' and 'Royal Flush' seen on the right of the picture.

Gordon West won SECOND PRIZE with a large bloom of a pale pink.

Class 18: One spike, multi-coloured or double.

FIRST PRIZE went to Fred Hirst for a dark-eyed seedling similar in style to 'Conspicuous'. SECOND PRIZE was awarded to a dark-eyed blue/lavender seedling from Gordon West and Geoff Beilby's entry was given a THIRD PRIZE.
Class 19: Six florets, all the same cultivar.

FIRST PRIZE went to Gordon West for a nice set of florets of his dark violet seedling with a white eye. Terry Woolley used the large florets of his violet seedling to gain SECOND PRIZE and neat florets of his own cultivar 'Alison Claire' won THIRD PRIZE for Grahame Case.

Class 20 Six florets, not less than two cultivars.

FIRST PRIZE went to Gordon West, Ray Joslyn won SECOND PRIZE with florets of 'Gillian Dallas' and 'Lucia Sahin'. THIRD PRIZE went to an attractive set of florets of cream 'Sunkissed' and purple 'Bruce' from Warwick Brench.

Class 19: FIRST PRIZE

Class 20: SECOND PRIZE
 
Class 21: Three spikes, any cultivar or cultivars, in one vase, height not more than 93cm measured from the staging table.

The FIRST PRIZE went to Gordon West and SECOND PRIZE to Fred Hirst's set of blooms seen in the picture .

NOVICES

Steve Dorey, the only entrant in the novice classes at the earlier Show again entered but at this Show he had strong competition from Kate Brooks of the Yorkshire Group.

The FIRST PRIZE for Class 22: Two spikes went to Kate for blooms of a violet seedling, with Steve's blooms of 'Royal Flush' placed second. In Class 23: One spike, light, Steve won FIRST PRIZE with a bloom of 'Fanfare' but Kate's bloom of a violet seedling won the FIRST PRIZE in Class 24: One spike, dark. Kate Brooks also gained the FIRST PRIZE for her entry in Class 25: Six Florets, any cultivar(s).
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As well as the flowers on the Show Benches, floral arrangements added to the flower display in the Hall. Visitors were tempted to buy cuttings and the seedlings raised byGordon West from Society Seed were very popular. Delphinium seeds & cultivation leaflets could be purchased from the desk at the front entrance. Visitors could also sign up as Members of the Delphinium Society. Society Members at the desk, or in the hall, were always happy to talk delphiniums and give advice to the steady stream of visitors passing through the Show.

Despite the hot weather and the dropping flowers, some visitors were delighted to carry blooms away at the end of the Show.

Thanks are due to Keith Boxall, the Show Secretary, who had an unenviable task in very hot weather.

Thanks are also due to the Staff of the Royal Horticultural Society's Garden for their cooperation and assistance.

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