Harrogate Spring Flower Show 2012 (part two)

The Oriental Lily's were beautifully coloured,and the scent filled the flower hall.I love the infinite variety of the colours.

A Chinese Wisteria Tree growing in the Bonsai section.I am always amazed how these Trees can be grown so small yet look like a full sized tree.I have never been able to keep them alive,so its good to look at brilliant specimens.

One of my favourite displays was this small scale version of Keukenhof.The famous Dutch city where millions of Tulips bloom every year.The colours they bring to the garden give them an energy and light.

Some Dutch Iris growing away at the front of the display.I have a weakness for Iris,big and small.I am trying to grow some this year.

Tulip Eye Candy..

There were two specialist Orchid Nurseries at the show.I always love the Lady Slipper Orchids.they are sort of H.R.Geiger art work inspired,but very beautiful too.I can see why people start to covet Orchids.

I worry if I bought one of these from the show that I would Kill it once it got home.Its better to admire perfect plants rather than kill one with kindness at home.

The Sweet Peas smelt delicious.I have some growing in the greenhouse but they are only just germinating.These were perfect flowers and perfumed the air.How do they make them all flower at the same time?

Even the humble Pansy was on display in vibrant new colours and patterns.

The fabulous Himalayan Blue Poppies were blooming again.These Meconopsis are notoriously hard to grow yet the nursery can make them bloom for the show.RHS Harlow Carr was trialling these plants to see which grows best in Yorkshire.

A rare glimpse of me in front of the camera.Cat took it next to my favourite flower hall display of the Dutch Tulips in the flower hall 1.

This is a Scylla Peruvian.It is the maddest looking plant with a purple pine cone,and pale blue flowers.I love seeing plants that I have never seen before.

I had to take a photo of the display of one of my favourite Nurseries.They are called Dark star plants and they love growing plants that are dark coloured or have black flowers.I think the darker plants are great when grown together.The opposite of candy coloured flowers and rainbows.It was good to see them back.

In Flower Hall two next to the Kitchen Garden section there were these Heirloom Tomato Varieties.they even had fruit sat besides the respective plants.I have a fondness for growing Tomatoes every year and these had old and unusual varieties from all around the world.The Humble Tomato has been cultivated every where.It is easy to grow,and tastes fabulous.People must have crossed plants to come up with the amazing variety I saw here.

This Tomato was called Frankenstein Black and had a little Boris Karloff model to set it off.Humour and Tomatoes.

There were Aquilegias in bloom too.I love these delicate pink and white flowers with their pink spurs.My Aquilegias are just leaves at the moment.

Another crazy plant was growing in the nursery hat had won the Best In Show for its woodland display collection.It was like the forest floor had grown up through the concrete and boards of the hall floor.This looked like a black arum lily with a bright white light bulb!

The cup they won was enormous.I wander if they get to keep it or get a replica to take home with them?

Outside the flower halls the Sculpture of this Toucan took my eye.He was beautiful but very expensive.

Away from the flower halls,show gardens,and outdoor sundries there was floral art on display.I loved the bright colours of this representation of the Berlin wall,done by the Askham Bryant florists students.The peace word is made up of individual plants.

A church in Harrogate had this display done entitled from Darkness to Light following the restoration of the Church.I love the colour changes along the S shape,and the displays above it.The photos behind illustrate the story.

This was one of my favourite Floristry pieces.It was enclosed in a black box.It reminded me of a still life by Rembrandt with the different colours and textures.There were loads of artistic pieces done by professional florists,enthusiasts and students in different sections and titles.

The last photo shows some of the Tulips in the Tulip and Daffodil competition.Cat was tired out by then so we left the rainy showground.It had been a great day.
  There was the usual plant Specialist groups,Ripon Bee Keepers, Made In Yorkshire food section,Arts and Crafts,A cookery Theatre with demonstrations,A kitchen garden section,a garden roadshow Q & A's,Have a Go,and Gardening with Nature.It is open until tomorrow..