Newsletter Summer 2013 - Alpine Garden Society

Cotswold &
Malvern Group
Alpine Garden Society
Newsletter Summer 2013
Chair: Jim McGregor
Vice Chair: Vacant
Welcome to the Summer 2013 Newsletter; yes summer, still hard to
believe at times, less than six months now and it will be Christmas!
Secretary: Pam Turner
Bramblegarth, Forge Lane,
Upleadon, Newent, GL18 1EF.
Once again there are some very interesting articles in this the edition
of the newsletter, so a big thank you to all those who have
contributed to what could be another bumper edition.
 01531 820666
Email: bramblegarth@googlemail.com
Treasurer: Helen Picton
Parkwood, Brockhill Road,
Malvern, WR14 4DL.
Mobile  07971 522891
Much to my surprize I’ve even received a ‘Letter to the Editor’
following the suggestion in the last newsletter. I suspect the question
asked and the answer given will help some of us to grow better
bulbs!
And finally,
Email: hel_1987@hotmail.com
Programme Secretary: Eric Jarrett
Show Manager: John Fitzpatrick
Social Secretary: June Fairburn
Newsletter Editor: Rod Wells
15 Lapwing Close, Northway,
Tewkesbury, GL20 8TN.
Email: rodwells7@gmail.com
I hope as many members as possible will
attend the AGS Summer Show Mid West in
Tewkesbury on Saturday 13th July 2013.
Rod Wells.
Congratulations
Our congratulations to Dave Richards who won his first Farrer Medal (Best Plant in Show) at the AGS Summer
South Show with his plant of Salvia cyanescens, well done Dave!
Dave says, ‘Salvia cyanescens is native to Turkey and Iran, I cannot find anything more specific. It is a drought
resistant, lime lover with silver grey rosettes and violet blue flowers, up to 12inches (25cms) high. My plant has
flowers between 6 and 9ins (15 to 20 cms) tall and had just short of 50 blooms on June 1st.
I recall that the plant was grown from AGS seed, I think sometime between 1997 and 1999. It is slow growing and
long lived and will survive temperatures of minus 15deg. Regular cuttings need to be taken to stop the plant
becoming leggy. I have not tried it outside, but with its silvery felt like leaves feel that it would not care for our wet
weather’.
-1© Published by the Cotswold & Malvern Group AGS
Salvia cyanescens
Photos courtesy of the Alpine Garden Society ©Jon Evans 2013
Ross Barbour reports on our Local Group Show at Maisemore
I don’t think we need reminding of how cold spring was. Writing
this on the evening of the 2013 Maisemore AGS show I'm
hoping we are complaining about how hot it is as you read this.
On my second visit to the Maisemore show and only my third
AGS show I was pleasantly surprised to be asked to report
about it! So as a newbie please bear with me.
As a couple of shows this season were cancelled it was a relief
to finally get to Maisemore without any mishaps and by the look
of the show benches, I'm sure the exhibitors were thinking the
same.
The first thing to catch my eye was the Narcissus asturiensis x
cyclaminius 'Minicycla', a cross from nearly 100 years ago, this
gorgeous wee daff was one of Eric Jarrett's exhibits in class 1
'3 pans alpine plant', which also included Dionysia aretioides
'Bevere' which was awarded best plant in show.
Narcissus asturiensis x cyclaminius 'Minicycla'
Although Eric took first again in class 2, '1 alpine plant in flower'
Alan and Janet Cook's Saxifraga 'Allendale Goblin' was
marvellous to see, something I can grow out in the garden with
relative ease.
In class 8, '1 pan dwarf conifer' first prize went to David
Richards Juniper horizontalis 'Neumann' which is over 15 years
old, and he tells me it takes 10 years to fill a 6 inch pot! I like
dwarf conifers and love to see them in the rock garden, but you
have to be harsh and pull them out before the get out of scale.
Just remember and take some cuttings in plenty of time.
Dionysia aretioides 'Bevere'
-2© Published by the Cotswold & Malvern Group AGS
Saxifraga 'Allendale Goblin'
Juniper horizontalis 'Neumann'
Peter Summers' Saxifraga pubescens 'Snowcap' failed to beat Alan and Janet Cook for a first in class 9 '1 pan
cushion plant' but I loved the texture of it.
Simon Bond's exquisite Jeffersonia dubia 'Alba' in class 14, '1 pan alpine plant in flower' was stunning and really
stood out amongst all the plants at the show, but it lost out to David Richards Saxifraga 'Allendale Hobbit' which
actually looked like part of the Shire!
Above: Saxifraga pubescens 'Snowcap'
Right: Jeffersonia dubia 'Alba'
As it was supposed to be spring there was a great show of bulbs like Tulipa schrenkii and a gorgeous wee Scilla
bifolia, both entered by Jim McGregor.
-3© Published by the Cotswold & Malvern Group AGS
Tulipa schrenkii
Scilla bifolia
In Class 15 the Judges had to look twice at Roger Normans
Galanthus 'April Fool' just to make sure he wasn’t pulling an April
the 1st wheeze and entering a plastic plant, but sure enough it’s
what it said on the label and beautiful too, but overall, not good
enough to take the first which was awarded to John Hill for his '3
pans bulbous plant' which included a fantastic pot full of Crocus
kosaninii 'April View'.
Peter Summers knock-out Crocus vernus subsp. albiflorus was
awarded first in its class, 16 '1 pan bulbous plant' and a welldeserved Best Bulbous Plant in Show.
Allan and Janet’s rainbow of Dionysia claimed first in class17 '3
pans plants from one botanical family' and they certainly lit the
hall up with their wonderful colours.
Graham Nicholls was surprised to see Peters Summers Primula
allionii 'Timsbury Glow' in class 18 '3 pans Primula distinct' and
commented 'He had never seen a better specimen' high praise
indeed as it was bred by Graham himself. However, this wasn’t
enough to take the class with a first awarded to Allan and Janet’s
fantastic trio of Primulas.
Galanthus 'April Fool'
Crocus vernus subsp. albiflorus
Crocus kosaninii 'April View'
-4© Published by the Cotswold & Malvern Group AGS
Allan and Janet’s Androsace muscoides really caught my eye with
its cute little pink flowers and the amazing texture of its foliage, but
they tell me it should ideally be smothered in flowers. I am very
keen on Androsace and its the one I would have taken home much
to Eric’s relief I suspect, as he was awarded the first in this class,
'1 pan Primulaceae, other than Primula' with his Dionysia.
Class 20 '1 pan of primula' saw Alan and Janet bounce back to
take first with a pot full of gorgeous flowers on Primula allionii with
similar success in class 21 '1 pan of Saxifragaceae' with what
looked like a pot full of snow but turned out to be Saxifraga
'Coolock Gem'.
Mavis and Sam Lloyd received a first for their Cryptomeria
japonica 'Tenzan-Sugi' in class 27 '1 pan conifer' and the delightful
frosted Ficinia ‘Ice Crystal’ in class 25 '1 pan foliage plant'. In class
30, if anyone else had entered I think they might have been hard
pushed to better their entry for 'an arrangement of cut flowers of
alpine plants'. Everyone at the show was very impressed with
Mavis' stunning art work and I'm sure would like to have one on
their wall at home.
Winning trio of Primulas
Androsace muscoides
Finally the Novice section provided some cracking plants with two
new exhibitors doing rather well and winning some first prizes.
Brenda Nickels received the most points in this section winning a
first in class 31 '3 pans alpine plants' using foliage alone. Pauline
Carless won her first firsts with some wonderful entries including
Saxifraga 'Gregor' in class 37 '1 pan Saxifraga' and Dionysia
'Monika' in class 36 '1 pan Primulaceae, other than Primula'. Helen
Picton, another new exhibitor, won a first with a sweet little Primula
'Broadwell Milkmaid' in class 35 '1 pan Primula' and took the best
plant award in the Novice section and another first with the unusual
Bukiniczia cabulica in class 40 '1 pan for foliage effect'.
Primula allionii
Well done everyone and thank you for a cracking wee show.
Ed…….My thanks to Ross for this report on our local group show, I
look forward to his report on the AGS Mid West Show at
Tewkesbury which we hope is not so wee, the show that is not his
report!
Cryptomeria japonica 'Tenzan-Sugi'
-5© Published by the Cotswold & Malvern Group AGS
Ficinia ‘Ice Crystal’
Just in case you haven’t had enough a few more images from the Show!
-6© Published by the Cotswold & Malvern Group AGS
Troughs Galore Update
Well we selected our trough at the
May meeting after a brief voting
process. The winner was an old
terracotta pot, narrowly beating the
other contenders. At the meeting
we also collected together the
plants donated to the group effort,
Dave Richards and Julie Ritchie
being particularly generous. The
next stage was to get the ‘trough’
planted up, bearing in mind the
necessity to keep the weight down I
left out the grit and used perlite
instead to make a free draining
mix. I also ‘borrowed’ a couple of
small pieces of tufa from the very
understanding Ross Barbour... or
at least he had little choice by the
time I’d finished planting it.
The next stage was to wedge the plants in, much closer than you would if you were making a long term
container but this of course was more a matter of instant impact. The first plant to go in was a rather
attractive pale pink mossy saxifrage, kindly donated by Ross.... knowingly this time. The mossy was useful
as it hung over the edge of the container instantly making the whole thing look more mature, the only
downside being that it would keep opening and so revealing the dead lower leaves on the rosettes. This
was then followed by Asperula gussonei, and Erigeron compositus var. discoideus. The latter being a
super little plant for the rock garden, trough, or crevice producing a mass of lovely lilac daisies over soft
dissected foliage from April throughout the summer. So far the container was looking decidedly pink which
is where Julie’s next two editions of the dwarf yellow Erysimum and the lovely Sempervivum came in. The
Sempervivum was particularly useful as I broke it up and was able to wedge individual rosettes between
the tufa, again making the whole thing appear better established. Finally there was just one gap left which
was filled with the Phlox subulata ‘Bonita’ nicely balancing the mossy saxifrage on the other side. Then all
that was left to do was a quick top dressing and a bit of watering.
The story however, doesn’t end there. Before we knew
it Malvern show was upon us and the trough needed to
be in. Where upon any organisational skills I might have
had fell apart and I failed to get it to Pershore and so
had to beg it a lift from the nursery in Colwall to the
showground with one of the open garden stewards.
Luckily it made it in, but ended up in the wrong place!
However, you can all breathe a sigh of relief as Ross
who was in early as an open garden steward on the
Thursday morning rescued the poor thing and placed it
where it was meant to be. And here’s the most
important bit of all the judges awarded the Cotswold &
Malvern Group Trough 1st Prize! So a big
congratulations to everyone that helped and who knows
maybe we’ll try a repeat performance next year.
Ed…….My thanks to Helen for this up date. Of course as is usual with items such as this the author never
thanks themselves, so on behalf of all members of the Group, thanks very much Helen for all your hard
work.
-7© Published by the Cotswold & Malvern Group AGS
A quick visit to Dave Richard’s Garden
On Saturday the 18th May 2013 after helping at an event in aid of Maggie’s Cancer Care Centre in
Cheltenham I called in to drop off a few unsold plants to Dave whose garden was being opened the
following day in aid of the Cobalt Unit, it has to be said that the plants were ones Dave had supplied to me
in the first place!
This gave me the opportunity to have a look at the garden and Dave gave me a tour pointing out one or
two plants of interest.
Haberlea rhodopensis, a plant found in the
mountains of Bulgaria and Greece. Dave says, ‘It is
an invaluable plant for shady sites, vertical or
otherwise. It will also grow in sunny situations,
particularly if you ensure an adequate supply of
moisture in dry periods. It flowers in late spring to
early summer and enjoys a humus rich compost’.
Pinus leucodermis ‘Schmidtii’, Dave says, ‘This
is a very fine slow growing pine found in the
mountains of the former Yugoslavia in 1926 as a
seedling mutant. Eventually, I suspect it will a
little too large for all but the largest rock gardens.
It has dark glossy green leaves and appears
very amenable in cultivation’.
Ed…….My thanks to Dave for the tour of his
garden and the notes provided for the item
above.
-8© Published by the Cotswold & Malvern Group AGS
Onosma polyphylla - An AGS seed exchange star
One of the most exciting things about the seed
exchange is getting a new plant, which you know
very little about, to not only germinate but to grow on
successfully and flower. This never ceases to get my
serotonin levels raised to a point that even chocolate
struggles to keep up with. The particular plant that
I’m talking about in this case comes from a genus
which has held a certain interest to me right from my
first tentative steps into the world of Alpines. One of
the very first plants to go on my rock garden was
Onosma alborosea, yes it’s rather boisterous and if
not kept in check would consume a vast portion of
garden along with all the plants in it, as my Lewisia
pygmaea keeps reminding me, but it provides
interest all year round and the insects love it both in
flower and as cover throughout the winter.
My next venture was more refined and took the form of Onosma nana, I was charmed by it when it was
displayed on the AGS Chelsea stand in 2011 and am still charmed by it now.
Of course the seed exchange is always a temptation and having been bitten by the Onosma bug ... I don’t
believe it’s contagious, as many different species of Onosma as possible went on my 2011/2012 list.
When the seed arrived I’d actually only got two species of Onosma, probably a good thing, and one of
these was a collection from the wild of Onosma polyphylla. This species was only described in 2010 from
Turkey so it was with much excitement that I sowed the seed. As luck would have it five germinated and I
managed not to kill them long enough to prick them out. After that things went downhill rapidly and I lost
two almost straight off. The remaining three soon found themselves being planted, as this seemed the
safest option. Number one went out on the scree bed, number two in the crevice bed, and number three in
my covered rock garden. By the time late autumn came round number two had perished but the others
were making lovely rosettes of thin silvery leaves, very much more refined than either O. alborosea or O.
nana.
Unfortunately, the winter wrote off number three much to my surprise leaving me with just the single plant
out on the rock garden. Despite the late, long cold winter we had as soon as spring hit it started to
flourish. By early May 2013 there were definite signs of flower buds, which of course meant I was to be
seen scrambling over the rock garden in order to peer at it daily just to make sure no disasters had struck.
My luck was once again in and towards the end of May the first flower opened, a beautiful deep lemon
yellow tubular flower appearing from in between long fine hairy calyces. It is now putting on a fine show
and I am hoping will be fully established and survive for years to come. Currently at only 20cm tall
including the flowering stems which are held above the silver basal rosettes it makes a super rock garden
plant, although I suspect that too much winter wet would be fatal.
Ed…….My thanks to Helen for this item on Onosma, I suppose that now we’ve read it most of us are
going to be disappointed after the next AGS seed exchange!
-9© Published by the Cotswold & Malvern Group AGS
Letters to the Editor
Well I didn’t think I would get any, but the following letter arrived asking a question I suspect one or two of
us might also like the answer to!
'Having been to the show on Easter Monday I have decided to make a concerted effort to enter something
next year. As such I have ordered some narcissus and tulip bulbs and would be grateful if there is any
advice on what compost mixture is best for growing these plants in pots for showing.
I remember a talk a few months back, maybe the one on frits, when the speaker said that he only put
compost below the bulbs and pure gravel above, is this considered good practice? What do others do?
Helen J.'
Jim McGregor replies, ‘Most of the bulbs I grow in pots get very similar treatment. They are grown in clay
pots plunged in gritty sand (builder's sharp sand) in an Alpine House, although a cold frame that can be
covered in the summer would do just as well.
For most bulbs I use a mix of half JI2 and half grit (2-3mm). The smaller bulbs get planted in this and
covered with an inch or so of compost, followed by 1.5 - 2 inches of grit. Bigger bulbs need to be a bit
deeper. Some of the tulips like to be deeper still and they will let you know this by sending the new bulb
down deeper at the end of the season - sometimes through the hole in the bottom of the pot!
The bulb year starts in September when the sand plunge is watered. Most of the Crocus, Narcissus, Tulipa,
etc. are also given extra water in the pot at this time as root growth is starting. A few more specialised bulbs
are left with just the moist sand around the pots to discourage too much winter growth (Tecophilaea spring
to mind).
Some of the autumn flowering varieties will flower soon after this initial watering, but most of the bulbs you
are likely to start with will not flower until the spring.
Throughout the winter the plunge is kept moist and the bulbs will benefit from an occasional (monthly say)
high potash liquid feed into the pots. The liquid feed frequency can be increased to fortnightly or every ten
days as the weather warms up in the spring.
After flowering, keep the pots well watered/liquid-fed while the foliage is still in growth and cut back the
watering as the foliage dies down. Tulipa seem happiest with a complete drying out after dying back, with a
summer baking. Most Crocus species do well with a summer drying out as well, but among the species,
there are important exceptions that you need to learn about if you become a bulb enthusiast. Most
Narcissus enjoy a drier summer too, but not to the extent of being baked dry - a little residual moisture in
the plunge in the summer seems to be appreciated.
Bulbs can be repotted any time after the foliage has died back and before root growth has started for the
following year. Timing varies, but most bulbs can be repotted during July and August. I often leave them in
the same pot for two or three years (or even longer if time is short)’.
Ed…….My thanks to Helen J for the letter and to Jim McGregor for replying to it.
- 10 © Published by the Cotswold & Malvern Group AGS
National AGS Summer Show - Mid West - Saturday 13th July 2013
Once again the show will take place at Tewkesbury School, Ashchurch Road, Tewkesbury, Glos., GL20 8DF (M5
Junction 9 head towards Tewkesbury, through set of traffic lights, school is first entrance on left after pedestrian
crossing).
We have six nurseries attending and our own plants sales to tempt you!
Staging will be on Saturday 8 - 9.45am, with Judging at 10am (Open to all at 12 - 4pm)
Entries to the Show Secretary by Tuesday 9th July 2013.
If anyone can help with setting up, or on the day please contact Eric on 01453 762812 or
eric.jarrett@agsgroups.org - I’m sure he would be very grateful.
June meeting - Members Mini Show
As usual the rules were simple, there were no rules! Everyone present had a vote, you could even vote for your
own plant. Why, because it was just a bit of fun.
And the results were as follows;
Class 1 - Eric Jarrett - Saxifraga cebennensis (Dwarf Form)
Class 2 - Dave Richards - Campanula rupicola
Class 3 - Eric Jarrett - Silene hookeri var. bolanderi
Class 4 - Eric Jarrett - Hieracium hypochaeris
Class 5 - Eric Jarrett - Iris urumiensis
Class 6 - Peter & June Walker - Azalea kermesina
Class 7 - Dave Richards - Juniper horizontalis ‘Neumann’
Class 8 - Eric Jarrett - Dionysia tapetodes ‘Peter Edwards’
Class 9 - Simon Bond - Sedum pilosum
Class 10 - Helen Picton - Bukiniczia cabulica
Class 11 - Simon Bond - Tropaeolum azureum
Class 12 - Judy Rhymes - Cut Flowers
Our congratulations to all the winners and better luck next time to those who didn't! Thanks to all who judged and
thanks to all those who took the trouble to enter. A special thanks to my assistant Tom Price, and to those who
talked about some of the plants on show, we always learn a lot from these little sessions.
As well as the above entertainment there was also the usual ‘Plant Sales’ and members also had the opportunity
to sit down with a cup of tea or coffee and talk.
- 11 © Published by the Cotswold & Malvern Group AGS
For Sale
Access Frame 7’8” long by 25” wide - 36” deep at the back and 27” deep at the front, it has glass in the sides but
not the top. No reasonable offer refused, so if you are interested please contact Primrose Upward on 01386
556683 to arrange to view it.
Do you have an email address?
If you have an email address and are happy to receive your newsletter by email (and save the Group a few pence)
please send an email to rodwells7@gmail.com with ‘Newsletter’ in the subject line, you will then receive all future
newsletters (which contain colour images) by email.
And don’t forget the Group’s pages on the AGS website at
www.alpinegardensociety.net/groups/Cotswold-and-Malvern
Details of the Cotswold & Malvern Group meetings:
Next Meetings
Meetings are held at Redmarley Village Hall (off
A417 Gloucester to Ledbury road) on the first
Wednesday of each month except July & August.
August
Meetings start at 7.15pm with a talk which is
followed by plant sales, coffee and a raffle,
(Members are invited to bring plants as prizes).
September 4th Stephen Waters & Clive Daws
talking about, ‘Mountain Flowers &
Other Alpines of the British Isles.’
Each season we hold a cumulative point’s
competition, where members may bring display
plants. These are judged at each meeting and the
Group Salver is presented annually to the winner.
October 2nd
We encourage members to bring plants for sale to
the monthly meetings and Annual Show.
(75% to the grower, 25% to the group).
Visitors are welcome to attend meetings at a cost
of £1.50 per meeting unless otherwise stated.
Please pay the treasurer on arrival.
2013
No Meeting.
Vic Aspland talking about, ‘The
Other Side of the Problem.’
November 6th Annual General Meeting followed by
a short talk from Tom Price on,
‘Growing Window Cill Orchids.’
December 4th Diane Clements talking about, ‘The
Shady Garden.’
January 2014 No Meeting.
Contributions to the Newsletter are always appreciated. Notices, articles, items for sale, wants etc. for inclusion in
the next issue need to arrive with the Editor by Wednesday 18th September 2013.
- 12 © Published by the Cotswold & Malvern Group AGS
- 13 © Published by the Cotswold & Malvern Group AGS