Events

RHS September London Flower Show: RHS Late Summer Show
11-12 September 2007

Theme: Woodland Wonderland

Words: Phil Clayton, Images: Tim Sandall

The RHS Late Summer Show marked the return of the London Shows at Vincent Square and was full of late summer interest. The London shows are of great use to gardeners as they provide an opportunity to see and buy plants that are of specific interest away from the main growing season.

As a group, Agapanthus have a long flowering season, some blooming well at summer’s end.

Hoyland Plant Centre in Hoyland, South Yorkshire are dedicated to growing Agapanthus and Tulbaghia and have a wide range to choose from. Among those on display were A. ‘New Blue, a distinct selection with rather open umbels of long drooping blue flowers, and a new and as yet un-named seedling, labelled ‘Hick 11’. The nursery has high hopes for this plant with its large but rather dense flower heads of rich blue.

Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants of Hampshire display included a good range of perennials with late season appeal. Foremost among these was Linaria dalmatica, an attractive species from central Europe and Asia with upright stems bearing large snap dragon-like golden yellow flowers above blue-green foliage. Of a similar hue was Aster ‘Golden Sunrise’- shown by Longacre Nursery of Hampshire. This plant has flowers of an unusual colour for a Michalmas daisy, and would prove useful for mixing with the tints of autumnal foliage.

An interesting Hosta was shown by the Botanic Nursery of Wiltshire. Although most hostas are grown chiefly for their foliage, H. plantaginea var. japonica has large and deliciously scented flowers. The blooms are white, trumpet-shaped and up to 10cm long, held above lush apple-green foliage.

Several nurseries displayed tender plants. Dibleys Nurseries of North Wales had a special stand showing the range of different members of the African violet family (Gesneriaceae) that can be grown as house plants, including a double flowered hot water plant, Achimenes ‘Stans Delight’ and white flowered Sinningia cardinalis ‘Innocence’. A good range of Passiflora were to be seen on the Twinings Nursery (Somerset) stand - such as rose pink P. ‘Lady Margeret’ and P. ‘El Indio’ with small ivory flowers and attractive foliage

Also tender but ideal for use in containers outdoors in the summer were several of the new selections of grass Pennisetum setaceum, raised by Highdown nursery of West Sussex. ‘Tom Thumb’ is a dwarf with rich red foliage and flowerheads, ‘Pixie’ is slightly larger and of a similar colour. ‘Fire Crest’ is larger with foliage flushed with gold, while ‘Midway’ features rather bronzy foliage. ‘Oliver Froam’ has greenish blades teamed with red flowerheads.

Special mention must also go to the dazzling displays of gladioli that were to be seen, greatly enlivening the hall, in particular the gold medal winning stand of Pheasant Acre plants.

 

The Winners

Gold

 
Pheasant Acre Plants: Gladioli

Silver-Gilt

Barnsdale Gardens: Perennials & shrubs
Bluebell Arboretum & Nursery: Trees & shrubs
Devine Nurseries: Gladioli
Dibleys Nurseries: Begonias & coleus
Harveys Garden Plants: Perennials & grasses for late summer interest
Highdown Nursery: Ornamental grasses
HW Hyde & Son: Lilies
The Old Walled Garden: Shrubs & climbers from the Southern Hemisphere
Pembroke Farm Nursery: Succulents & exotics
Tynings Climbers - National Collection of Passiflora: Passiflora
Wilford Bulb Co Ltd: Lilies
World of Ferns: Ferns
Cookoo Box Nursery: Chilli plants
Dibleys Nurseries: Gesneriads

Silver Flora

Foxgrove Plants: Mature ornamental grasses
Hardy's Cottage Garden Plants: Late summer-flowering herbaceous perennials
Hoyland Plant Centre: Agapanthus & tulbaghia
Norfields Nursery Ltd: Acers
Pennard Plants: Southern Hemisphere plants

Bronze Flora

The Botanic Nursery: Lime tolerant woody plants & perennials
Longacre Nursery: Herbaceous perennials, ornamental grasses & hardy ferns
Southcombe Gardens: Rock & woodland plants