Showtime Plans

The Camellia has got three of these lovely pink buds on it. Last year it looked quite poorly with brown leaves, and it dropped all its buds. It looked like it was going to keel over.
The plant has regrouped over the winter, put on new growth, and even got flower buds on it now.
Healthy Camellias look beautiful with their very thick glossy leaves. They make me want to clean them of any muck they have on them.
This plant will have pink flowers. I did buy a Camellia with white flowers but it never survived the winter.
I was writing in my diary the dates of the flower shows. The 22nd of April will be the first of the year the Northern Horticultural Societys Spring Flower show. That should be special with the cold winter delaying the early flowers by a month.
http://www.flowershow.org.uk/
I want to go to the Tatton Park RHS flower show, and the Great Yorkshire Show in July. The last show of the year is the Autumn Flower show in Harrogate in September.
Of course the biggest flower show in the world is the RHS Chelsea flower show from the 25th of May. I want to mention a garden for people to visit made by skilled young people...
I was reading today about the Buffalo Garden Walk on the last weekend of July (24th to 25th this year) in the USA. http://www.gardenwalkbuffalo.com/
Over three hundred gardens are open for free visitors to walk around them through a variety of distinct districts. The event is run by volunteers and there are no entry charges!The flags designed for lamp posts are beautiful too. If i was in New York in July I would love to go there.
I might buy a white flowered Camellia from the flower shows. These gatherings are part of the Horticultural calender. They are where you can bring your friends or family year after year to go shopping, eat and drink, and look at a plethora of beautiful gardens. The RHS shows have the added bonus of trying to guess which gardens will get the gold medals..
The many ideas you see can be brought back to your own garden. The shows reinvigorate your green fingers.

Fruit from Show

From the Flower show the Fruit section looks like a buffet table. This photo reminds me of the old Dutch masters painting a still life.

I guess its the black table and fruit baskets holding the multicoloured fruit.

The poor summer meant the entrys were not as plentiful, the only exception being Apples.

The vegetables were sparse so maybe not as many people grew to the entry standard.

If people could see these vegetables and fruit, and go away from the show thinking I will have a go at growing that. Then it will have been a success.

How much sweeter is produce that you have grown yourself, free from any chemicals or additives hopefully. Picked, washed, and eaten fresh. I was inspired by the show...

Pink Angels in the Show

Fuschias from the Flower show. Like beautiful pink angels..mine have all died horribly this year so it was good to see some lovely plants. Enormous hanging baskets of pendulous flowers.I like the Angel/Ballet Dancer flowers the most, ahead of the tubular flowers.
I have been shrinking the photos to see how much quicker it is to upload them.It works pretty well. Do you all miss the large photos I normally post?
A garden would be empty without some Fuschias.I have seen them growing as shrubs and hedges almost, as well as in hanging baskets.
Last year I had a pink fuschia/White Petunia mix in a hanging basket which worked quite well.
I have Fuschia Alice Hoffman regrowing from its woody branches, and the unknown variety from Tatton Park for a Pound. All the others have keeled over, Sigh.
There is always next year to grow them...

Astrantia Major

Some Astrantia from the Autumn flower show.I love the pin cushion effect of these plants.They are at the top of the blog page.

Its a late post from me after a long day today. Thirteen hour day...

Im off for two days So I can blog the other photos from the Flower show.I have shown the flower competition, and some of the Vegetable competition.

It was funny to see beautiful ornate cauliflowers and cabbages displayed on the black covered tables.

These Astrantia were in a Nurserys display, with the plants on sale besides it.These were given medals too for Exhibitors Displays. Perennials, Acers, Carniverous plants, Alpine plants...

My favourite flowers that I discovered at Harlow Carr, and here again at Harrogate.More posts in the morning :)

Dahlia Heaven

The Dahlias were quite photogenic.I have four plants growing on the window sill but only one has flowered so far.

I love their leaves and flowers. They are beautiful, and have the most complex looking flower petals, arranged in circles it seems.

Bright colours, and soft colours abounded.I think people loved the Dahlias. Angela and Fran walked around with bunches of Dahlias. They kept being asked where did you get them.

My memorys of the Autumn Flower show will include the Dahlias.

Vegetables Galore

Look at these beautiful Carrots, like athletes lining up for the 100 metre sprint!

















Shallots, on the plate...














Cabbages, what a nice colour they are...














Marrows, very colourful











Tomatoes that would look good in my cheese sandwich...










Giant Heavy leeks, like heavyweight boxers in the Veg growing world. The first prize went on weight, and the leaves were so neatly washed and plaited...














Onions from Table eyed view.You can see the hall they were displayed in. Long black tables with various Veg displayed in their respective classes for judging.

I would love to grow all of these, but for eating with home cooked foods. They can be displayed like edible Art works!

Flower Competitors

Some Beautiful White/yellow Dahlias from the Autumn flowers show on Friday..

Dahlias looking very Anime like, they are wanderful colours and shapes...

White Chrysanthenum with yellow centres. Love these beautiful flowers being exhibited..

Mums like Cheerleader Pom PoM's....Ra ra ra...go flowers!

Gladiolus are well loved, judging by the impressive amount of entrys into the competitions..

The Carnations Are lovely.I have grown these flowers.They are great for cut flowers for the house.

This is a selection of the Flowers I photographed. They are like finely polished models of the Flower world. What the ones in your garden should Aspire to look like.

Its a traditional British competition the Flower show, and Veg show. Showing your horticultural prowess in growing beautiful works of living Art. More photos to come yet.....

Autumn Flower Show

I went Yesterday to The Autumn Flowers show in Harrogate, held in the Yorkshire Show grounds.

The last flower show of the year.I took a mere 150 photos only. This was my Fifth trip with Hils since June.

There were competitions for flowers, vegetables, fruits, Exhibitors displays, Honey and Mead, Flower Arranging, and a wide selection of Arts, crafts, Jewellry, clothing, Yorkshire Foods like cheese, Meats, pork pies, cakes, sweets, drinks, and even a Massage area run by physiotherapists.

It was packed yesterday with people, and the sun was shining.I will show a selection of photos this week. I worked today so my energy levels are low...

Photographed are some of the Gladiolus Display flowers arranged in Vases, with a Selection of classes. The winners got rosettes.

The flowers were all beautiful, but strange in the way that single Stems were displayed.I like my flowers in a garden, as part of a bigger display.

There were Carnations, Chrysanthemums, Roses, Dahlias, Gladiolus, Bonsai,....

Over ninety Nurserys and plant sellers were there.The funny wheeled plastic trolleys were there like at Tatton, for wheeling around all your new plants. There was a plant Creche too....

It was Sunny to start, then it became Autumnal with cloud, and a cold wind.It was a fabulous day out, but even I have become Planted it, after taking over 1200 photos :)

The Next flower show is in April, So I have time to recover from my frequent exposure to masses of plants and flowers.

Harrogate Bound

This time we are going (me and the three little birds) to the Northern Horticultual Society Autumn Flowers Show. These are held twice a year in the Harrogate Yorkshire Show Grounds.It shares the grounds with Antiques fairs, Toy Fairs, Gem Stone Fairs, and so on.
The Two flower shows are in April and September.
90 Flower Nurserys, and Plant Specialist groups like the Orchid society, or the Bonsai society.

More photos Later...