The AGS London Show took place this week as part of the RHS Great London Plant Fair. I was hoping that one of the many people walking round with a camera would post some images, but no one has, so you will have to make do with the few snaps I was able to fit in whilst running the show. I wasn't show photographer this time, as I had other responsibilities, and by Wednesday when I took the pictures of plants I was so exhausted I could barely stand up, so don't expect too much.

I have just posted shots of the art classes; now for the plants. Be aware these were taken on Wednesday afternoon when many of the plants had been in the relatively warm dry atmosphere of the show hall for 48 hours.

I haven't recovered enough since the show to try to produce anything imaginative by way of ordering, or much by way of commentary, but here is a brief glimpse in alphabetical order for those who couldn't make it.

Small 6 pan - Royal Bank of Scotland Trophy
After the difficult spring we have had, there were no entries for the large 6-pan class, but Cecilia Coller was able to produce a magnificent small 6-pan entry.

3 pans from seed
Ray Drew produced a disparate collection of unusual plants to win the class for 3 pans from seed. Hepatica insularis, Muscari coeleste and Iris pamphylica.

Anacamptis papilionacea ssp herooica
Barry Tattersall won a Certificate of Merit for this lovely pan of orchids - it drew a lot of attention from the public.

Anemone appenina
Exhibited by Andrew Ward. This is a plant we don't normally see at London; the combination of a late season and an early show meant that there was a dramatic change in the palette of plants on the bench.

Anemonella thalictrioides
Exhibited by Cecilia Coller. Cecilia always seems to have fine plants of this for this show.

Callianthemum kernerianum
Or perhaps anemonoides if the judges' note was correct. Grown from seed by Ray Drew.

Corydalis Beth Evans
It was a pleasant surprise to see the Farrer medal go to a common, but beautiful, garden plant, grown by Cecilia Coller. By the second day of the show, this was sadly dropping some of its blooms.

Beth Evans is of course a cleaner and more delicate pink than that, but the lights at this end of the hall were doing horrible things to photographs.

Corydalis hybrid Perfumed
Grown from seed and exhibited by Ray Drew.

Corydalis makaschvilii
Showing variation when grown from seed by Cecilia Coller.

Corydalis tauricola
Exhibited by Cecilia Coller.

Cut Flowers
Six varieties of cut flowers from Dick and Valerie Bathe. Most of the exhibitors in this class had to find their flowers in the snow.

Cyclamen persicum
Exhibited by Barbara Chapman in the Novice section. The big pans of cyclamen we saw at London last year weren't there this time, perhaps because the Cyclamen Society Spring Show follows our show this year instead of preceding it.

Cymbidium goeringii var. goeringii
An orchid from Ray Drew

Dionysia aretioides Bevere

Exhibited in the Intermediate section by Jean Noakes. We seldom see many dionysias at London, partly because the show is normally later than this, and partly because of the toll the show hall atmosphere takes on the plants.

This year there were several; I hope none were badly affected by the conditions - it wasn't quite as warm as it gets some years!

Dionysia hybrid MK99310-27
I am indebted to Nigel Fuller for daring to send this lovely plant in to the show, and to David Hoare for transporting it; thank you both.

Fritillaria sewerzowii

There were two plants of this large fritillary at the show, the first exhibited by Cecilia Coller, and the second, in a much more advanced state of growth, exhibited by Joy Bishop.

Gagea fibrosa
Grown from seed by Ray Drew.

Hepatica Millstream Merlin
Exhibited by Audrey Dart in the Intermediate section.

Iris pamphylica
Exhibited by Ray Drew in his entry for 3 pans grown from seed; it is always my favourite of the reticulate irises - so delicate.

Iris reticulata
This was out of Cecilia's 6-pan entry. I don't remember (and can't read) the selection name. It is an awful photo, but the plant attracted a lot of attention, and you can at least see what a good plant it was here.

Iris willmottiana 'Alba'
Exhibited by Colin Rogers in the Intermediate section. I'm sorry Colin, I took lots of close-ups, but the little compact I was using was determined not to focus on these lovely flowers.

Iris willmottiana
Exhibited by Andrew Ward, in the same class as the white form.

Narcissus cyclamineus
Another plant from Cecilia's 6-pan which was much admired by the public. I had to explain several times that it was a daffodil and not a cyclamen, but that is what we were there for, and many visitors were excited to hear that it would grow well in a semi-shaded area of the garden.

Narcissus Mitzy
I had high hopes for my pan of Mitzy, but it was not to be. I didn't pay it enough attention - it spent 20+ hours in the hall before judging, and when I untied the string holding it on Tuesday morning it flopped everywhere. It recovered a little later, after copious watering (see photo), but the damage was done.

Orchis anthropophora
aka the Man Orchid, exhibited by Barry Tattersall. Barry produced a lovely 3-pan exhibit, with this, Neotinea lactea (see the Harlow report) and the following Orchis.

Orchis ichnusae
also exhibited by Barry Tattersall

Primula Broadwell Milkmaid
Exhibited by Elsie Willett. A lovely plant in a difficult year for primulas.

Primula DPP 940-10
A new cream-coloured hybrid from David Philbey

Primula frondosa
Exhibited by Brian Sulman

Primula hybrid
Another yellow hybrid with plenty of auricula blood from David Philbey

Primula hybrid Oberau
again from David Philbey

Primula kialensis
Exhibited by David Philbey in the new and rare classes. I think he was surprised this tiny plant won him his only first at the show this year.

Primula Nightingale
Exhibited by David Philbey

Primula Pink Aire
Exhibited by Jean Noakes in the Novice section

Primula seedlings showing variation
These seedlings were all from the same cross between Broadwell Milkmaid (creamy-white) and Starlight (yellow). Exhibited by David Philbey.

Three new Primula seedlings
Exhibited by David Philbey. The pink and yellow plant at the front was much remarked upon - I guess you either like it or hate it. I think it has been named David Bray.

Prunus Kiku shidare zakura
Clive Dart brings a lot of plants to shows, and steadily accrues first prize stickers, usually in classes for shrubs and foliage effect, so it was great to see him with something so floriferous on the bench. On the other hand, I am not quite sure what he thought he was doing bringing it, when he is due to have a shoulder replacement soon. I am always humbled by the lengths exhibitors go to to support the show. I wish him the best of luck with the operation.

Puschkinia libanotica 'alba'
The luck that I seem to have at this show didn't desert me this year. My entry in the class for one plant bulbous was up against two lovely specimens, neither of which deigned to open their flowers while the judges were there. This is my plant, looking a little the worse for wear after two days in the hall.

Tristagma sellowianum
The first of the recalcitrant opposition, exhibited by Cecilia Coller. This plant sat there waiting for the sun all show, and opened briefly on Wednesday afternoon.

Iris aucheri Indigo clone
Also up against my Puschkinia was this lovely iris exhibited by Colin Rogers, which was in tight bud at judging time, and opened carefully on Tuesday evening.

Sanguinaria canadensis
Joy Bishop won the Audrey Bartholomew Memorial Spoon for the best plant from North America for this lovely pan of Sanguinaria canadensis. I don't think I have ever seen the single form exhibited at a show before - it is so delicate and ephemeral it must be extremely difficult to produce and transport in this state of perfection.

Tropaeolum austropurpureum

Joy's Sanguinaria was in a class for 3 plants from the Americas, with two Tropaeolums.

Tropaeolum hookerianum
Exhibited by Joy Bishop

Three pans of Saxifrages
We don't normally see many porophyllum saxifrages at the London show; the show date usually falls after the main flush of flowering. This year they were one of the mainstays of the show. This exhibit of 3 small pans of saxifrages came from Brian Sulman.

6 pans of Saxifrages
Brian Sulman also entered six pans of saxifrages in the open section class for six pans from the same genus.

12 pans of saxifrages
But the piece-de-resistance came from David Hoare, with this exhibit of 12 (very) large pans. Who says the late season and early show is a bad combination ?

Saxifraga Allendale Ballet
part of David Hoare's 12 pan exhibit

Saxifraga Allendale Envoy
Exhibited by Maureen Ledgerton

Saxifraga Allendale Fancy
part of David Hoare's 12 pan exhibit

Saxifraga Cumulus
The first of David Hoare's Certificate of Merit plants.

Saxifraga Gregor
from David Hoare's 12 pan exhibit

Saxifraga oppositifolia Theoden
Exhibited by Brian Sulman

Saxifraga Tenerife
David Hoare's second Certificate of Merit. This plant was given an Award of Merit and a Cultural Commendation by the Joint Rock Garden Committee.

Saxifrages in tufa
Some little saxifrages from the two miniature gardens exhibited by Clive Dart and Michael Sullivan.

Soldanella carpatica

One of the highlights of the show for me was the variety of soldanellas exhibited by Cecilia Coller; we seldom see them at London, and far too seldom elsewhere, at least in this condition.

The pictures of these were mainly pretty poor, close-ups requiring more concentration than I was able to muster with constant interruptions, but the plants were beautiful.

Soldanella minima
Also exhibited by Cecilia Coller

Soldanella Spring Symphony
Exhibited by Cecilia Coller

Tulipa schrenkii
Exhibited by Mike Morton. This was one of a number of pots of bulbs Mike had planted last autumn with his wife Ann, who sadly passed away in November.

And Finally...

I would like to thank all the exhibitors, helpers, stewards and judges for the considerable time and effort you spent making sure that this year's London show would be a success. Despite the difficulties of this year's growing season, and the early date of the show, the benches were full of flower, the walls were covered in artwork, and the hall thronged with visitors on both days. Looking at the paltry exhibits I had to offer this year, I was amazed at the variety and quality of plants which were brought in to the show. Thanks to you all for your support; the show was in many ways a great success.