Events
RHS November London Flower Show
9-10 November 2007
Theme: Plants for Christmas
Words: Phil Clayton
Images: Tim Sandall
Christmas came early at the RHS London Flower Show in November, with gifts and goodies for all gardeners, as well as Christmas decorations, holly and ivy displays, and the popular botanical art display.
RHS Garden Rosemoor and Highfield Hollies of Hampshire jointly displayed an exhibit of hollies celebrating the diversity found within this well known genus of plants, many of which are of the highest garden value. Rosemoor is a National Collection holder. Deciduous Ilex verticillata ‘Cresgold’ is grown for its fine displays of orangy-yellow berries held in profusion on bare stems. Others also stood out, including I. x altaclerensis ‘Camelliifolia’ with glossy spineless foliage, Brightly variegated I. x altaclerensis ‘Ripley Gold’, dark stemmed I. x altaclerensis ‘Purple Shaft’, smaller pale gold I. crenata ‘Ivory Tower’, and seldom seen species I. bioritsensis.
Several nurseries displayed interesting indoor plants. Arguably the most eye-catching plant at the show was shown by Plant Planet. Brighamia insignis is a most unusual looking member of the campanula family, native to Hawaii where it is now critically endangered, having been reduced to fewer than perhaps 10 individuals in the wild. It makes a good houseplant, forming a succulent stem topped by fleshy leaves, which gives it a common name of Hawaiian palm. Scented yellow flowers appear from time to time.
Dibley’s Nurseries of Denbighshire (01978) 790677 displayed choice conservatory plant Columnea ‘Gavin Brown’ a good subject for a hanging basket. It has soft, brownish foliage teamed with dazzling orange blooms. Also on the stand were a good selection of Chirita.
The display of Hippeastrum put on by Jaques Armand of Middlesex was certainly effective and a real splash of exotic floral colour. Several stood out, including bicoloured H. ‘Temptation’ and pink-flowered H. ‘Pink Floyd’ with narrow trumpet shaped blooms.
Southcombe Gardens of Exeter had a couple of particularly noteworthy garden plants. Rubus splendissimus is a first rate evergreen foliage plant with elegant, elongate, pleated leaves and arching stems. It lives up to its name. Also striking was a willow grown for its winter twigs, Salix x rubens var basfordiana ‘Fransgeel Rood’; the stems are a glowing golden-yellow.
The cut material competition is always of interest at this time of year. Some of the better specimens came from Buckingham Palace gardens; Sorbus folgneri with pinkish berries and amber leaves, Mahonia lomariifolia with its bold foliage and crowns of golden blooms and Ehretia dicksonii with its marble-sized yellowish fruit.
The winners
Gold
Cookoo Box Nursery: Chilli plants
Dibleys Nurseries: Begonias, gesneriads & other houseplants
Potash Nursery: Cyclamen
Silver Gilt Flora
Jacques Amand: Hippeastrums
Choice Landscapes: Conifers
Fibrex Nurseries: Hederas & hardy ferns
HW Hyde & Son: Lilies
The Old Walled Garden: Shrubs & climbers from the Southern Hemisphere
Pembroke Farm Nursery: Succulents & exotics
Solva Plants: Heuchera
Topiary Arts: Topiary & underplanting
Silver Flora
The Botanic Nursery: Lime tolerant shrubs and perennials
Foxgrove Plants: Ornamental grasses
W E Th Ingwersen: Late flowering & foliage plants
Southcombe Gardens: Shrubs, ferns & gentians
National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies: Floral arrangement (Silver Grenfell)
Bronze Flora
Plant Planet: Hawaiian palms
Pennard Plants: Seasonal plants
Rougham Hall Nurseries: Primroses
Botanical Art Awards
Gold
Angeline de Meester: Watercolour plants with animal names in their common names
Mayumi Hashi: Watercolour orchids from the cloud forests of Peru
Martha G Kemp: Special plants of Northern California
Tobita Noriko: Rosaceae
Silver Gilt Grenfell
Noriko Hasegawa: Watercolour & pencil hostas
Caroline Holley: Watercolour rhododendrons
Liz Rousell: Watercolour & pencil Dianthus perpetual flowering carnations
Nicki Tullett: Watercolour root vegetables
Jean Marie Webb: Watercolour & graphite heritage peas
Silver Grenfell
Lynda Gooda: Watercolour carnivorous plants
Odette Griffiths: Watercolour pulses that feed the world
Anna Johnston: Fruits from the Rosaceae family in watercolour
Rosemary Mason: Watercolour violaceae
Daniela Passuello: Watercolour orchids
Amanda Steen: Watercolour orchids