It would be a nice change if we could get a little of the weather conditions that these British Isles of ours are famed. What those of you that have visited us in summers past will remember of course, is the unseasonable cool damp overcast periods, interspersed with sunny spells. I don’t know if it’s the ozone layer that we keep hearing about that’s the problem, or just the summers that are naturally warming up.
The long hot summer of ‘95 arrived towards the end of June and stayed until the beginning of September. Drought conditions and hose/sprinlder bans were enforced in many areas by mid-July, with Mediterranean temperatures in the high 80 s Fahrenheit being a daily occurrence. Blooms developed quickly, but lacked the size and quality expetienced in a normal season.
Our National Shows in London and Yorkshire are always a fair barometer of conditions across the country and this year, both shows were 50% down on exhibits with only four exhibitors managing to stage the premiere class - The Terry Clarke Trophy -in London. The average for this 19 bloom, five vase championship over the last 20 years is 12 entries per year.
One exhibitor who mastered an extremely difficult season better than most, was the Newcastle-upon-Tyne enthusiast, David Boyd. Not only did he win his third Terry Clarke Trophy, but also took another seven leading awards away from Westminster and a similar number of successes in Harrogate.
The quality of the blooms he showed at the earlier shows of Midlands, High Wycombe and London were outstanding, but by mid-September, he started to struggle like many of us had all season. David Boyd would undoubtedly get my accolade as exhibitor of the year, but for my dahlia of the year I would have to go back to a pompon that was raised way back in 1972, and been conspicuous by its absence in recent years.
MI WONG really was a revelation, the pale pink and white
blended blooms dressed back into an absolute globular golf ball
of petals and duly won a string of top awards across the country.
Whether it is good stock of an old variety or the unusual season,
time alone will tell, but I will grow a bed of it next year on
the strength of its exploits this year. On now to the new varieties
for
1996.
GIANT AND LARGE DECORATIVE
Last year, I reported on three promising giants in this section,
MABEL ANN MAISIE MOONEY; and GEMMA DARLING. All performed very
well around the shows and look reliable varieties for giant specialists.
Unfortunately, nothing of the current batch looks up to that standard. The American raised BEL[A undoubtedly has the size depth and colour to go places, but although the deep lavender blooms reached the magical 12 mark, the spiky petals did seem to cross and swirl far too much for top competition standards.
Peter Cleaver’s dark bronze FAIRWAY SPUR has unusual reflexing form in the bottom half of the bloom, whilst the upper section is on the lines of an incurving chrysanthemum. It’s not on the market yet, just a possible for the future.
Although not new, I was very impressed with a little grown variety called SKIPPER ROCK. The yellow and pale bronze flowers are held on clean 4ft plants and have fine exhibition form which reach 11’ mark . Raised in England by David Walker, the variety never really took off when it was released about seven years ago, but is now gradually being recognized as a classy giant.
The large section was a different story altogether. Some real quality cultivars turned up here. Champion seedling of the year at both National Shows, was the golden yellow HAMARI SUNSHINE. Raised by the late Pi Ensum and shown around by his friend Derek Hewlett this is assuredly a top class variety. Although it is being released as a large decorative, it is quite possible that its spiky petal formation could establish it as being a semi-cactus. Whatever classification it ends up, the large well formed blooms have plenty of depth and are held on ramrod stems.
There is no question the tall growing bright yellow FIDALGO SUPREME is a decorative. This Dick Matthies novelty, grown 4 blooms per plant, produced elegant 10’ blooms which dress back onto the strongest of stems. It was pretty good as a medium too when grown 10 up.
Ed Redd’s ELMA E has established itself as a leading variety in this section over the last few years, so it will be something of a surprise if Geoff Gardener’s pale lavender sport does not succeed. VERA’S ELMA has the same superb bloom formation and late flowering plant habit as its parent. Stock of John Mooney’s SHEILA MOONEY has been around in this country for 2 years now. It has taken a while to get established. Pure white blooms have good form and plenty of depth.
GIANT AND LARGE SEMI-CACTUS
Quite thin on the ground in both sections. TOMBOY was the only
promising giant, with clear yellow blooms, fair form and reaching
the 11 mark. One for the specialist of this type only.
MEDIUMS
CAMANO FIRESTORM was chosen as the winner of our overseas class
in London. Dick and Susan Ambrose’s variety has good semi-cactus
form and comes in an attractive shade of dark orange.
Top medium seedling of the year was Les Jacksons HILLCREST
DELIGHT, the sizeable dark orange blooms have tremendous form
and depth. The very powerful in-
formal decorative flowers have a slightly wavy petal and are produced
on a very strong growing plant.
Another in this section with promise and in a much needed colour, is the deep lavender formal decorative BRIAN R, raised by the late Phil Traff. Blooms came to size well when grown about 5 up and dressed right back on healthy strong 4ft plants.
I don’t know what to make of MASCOT MAYA. There is no doubting that this 1994 Harrogate seedling winner is a fine variety, well formed flowers come in a clear yellow with good form and depth, but to be honest, I can’t for the life of me tell it apart from the long established CHARLIE TWO. The truth is, it’s just so similar to that variety to make it.
Barry Davies is better known for his miniature and small seedlings, but came up with two useful looking formal decoratives this year. BARBARRY BONANZA comes in a clear lemon yellow and has neat formal flowers that dress well. BARBARRY CHEVRON produces non-fading bright red blooms that have good depth, tight form, strong stems and healthy plant habit.
The Trengrove man Gerry Woolcock produced another of his bronze formal decoratives this year. Like all of this strain, TRENGROVE D’OR does need growing very well to reach top size, but the effort is worth while as the tightly petalled blooms dress wefl and are held on healthy powerful plants. Ted Fuller’s FERNHILL GRACEFUL is another that would come under the formal heading. Pale yellow flowers have fair form and strong stems.
I was not sure what classification CLASSIC A1 would end up when it arrived from Les Connell. Grown as both a small and a medium it was best when grown about 8 up. Dark orange 8” blooms had great depth and super incurving cactus form. It will be shown in the straight cactus class here in Britaim, and is possibly the best of this type I have ever grown.
The pastel pink and white sport from PINK PASTELLE which is to be called GILL’S PASTELLE did not like the hot summer much A lot of split petals spoilt all the PASTELLES this year. On a cooler season, this well formed semi-cactus will be a must, same vigorous healthy habit.
The award for the most colourful variety of the year goes to Les Jackson’s HILLCREST FIESTA. Vivid bi-coloured blooms come in a riot of bright yellow and crimson. It probably has not the depth of bloom to make it on the show bench, however, but what an eye-catching feast in the garden! It comes to size easily and has good stems and vigorous plant habit.
SMALLS
Top decorative and winner of the Sport Of The Year class in London
was PINK SUFFUSION. This
formal dark pink and yellow based colour break from HILLCREST
SUFFUSION needs growing about 6 up to reach top size, but its
tight globular form, strong stems and healthy, robust habit ensures
a big future. A variety that crept almost unnoticed on to the
market last year was ARTHUR HANKIN. Dark purple formal blooms
come to size well and have super reflexing form and is sure to
become popular when better known.
Another in the same section is BRACKENHILL FLAME raised by Eric Furness, the trials master of the Bradford Trials at Brackenhill Park. Bright flame coloured flowers have neat, tight form that dress back well, but needs growing strongly to compete with the best. Luckhurst Trophy winner as the top small decorative seedling in London, was Mr Kershaw’s ROSENDALE LUKE JOHN. Formal, well shaped flowers needs to be grown well to compete. It has very strong, powerful stems and good plant growth.
I felt the best in this section from the prolific seed beds of Barry Davies, was BARBARRY CASINO, brick red formal blooms dress back well and the usual strong stems and healthy abundant growth that you would expect from this raiser. Although BARBARRY EPIC is quite a short grower (about 3ft), it does not stop it producing size-able, bright lavender blooms of superb formation.
A new class at our National Show, is the class that calls for a seedling with cut flower potential. The winning variety this year, was Brian Frost’s ASTRA POLLY. Free flowering, dark pink chunky blooms stand all types of weather well and is ideal for garden or cut flower use.
In the semi-cactus section, the ruby red I LYKE IT, became a double seedling champion by winning the top awards at London and Harrogate. A tall strong grower that when grown about 11 up, produces very deep 6’ blooms with real class. A bonus of this variety is that every bloom is showable.
As the top variety in the straight cactus section for several years has been KIWI GLORIA. It is not surprising that exhibitors are falling over themselves to obtain stock of the dark pink coloured sport DEBORAH’S KIWI. It has the same healthy, robust, habit on late flowering plants that, grown 8 up, will be a rival to any.
Another sport that impressed was the pale bronze straight cactus, SYLVIA’S DESIRE, being a colour break from HILLCREST DESIRE. It does need growing about 10 blooms per plant or oversize problems will occur. Identically shaped blooms to the parent and the same free flowering 4ft habit.
A sport that was on release in 1995, was YELLOW LINDA’S CHESTER and although the blooms were the same shape as the parent, and came in a pleasing bright yellow, I was a little disappointed that a lot of the blooms were very weak in the centre and somewhat smaller than the parent.
Top variety at the Bradford Trials in 1994, was the late Neville Weekes last raising JEAN McMILLAN. Pale salmon and lemon blended blooms have good exhibition form and 4ft plant habit.
Bob Korth’s chunky semi-cactus BERNICE SUNSET was placed second in the Crowley Cup in London. Bright salmon, full bodied blooms are free flowering and held on tall growing healthy plants.
KEN TAYLOR is another that might not make it to the very top of the exhibition tree, the bright yellow semi-cactus blooms have a slightly wavy petal and are held on strong stems.
BARBARRY FORUM is the only new small ball variety around this year. In a weak section, this candy floss pink variety may be helpful with well dressed form if a little flat across the face.
MINIATURES
BARBARRY IDEAL produced some excellent pale bronze blooms early
in the season. Tightly dressed decorative flowers and superb centres
but the centres and super form deteriorated by mid-September.
Another with tight formal decorative form is BARBARRY FLAG. Striking cerise pink blooms are free flowering and come to size easily, held on strong 3.5 ft plants. BARBARRY CADET is another the exhibitor will be interested in. Formal reflexing dark red decorative flowers have super form and the usual healthy strong plants.
In the same classification, comes the dark red JULIA MARGUERITE. This Eric Carter novelty has good form, but could do with dressing back onto the strong stems a little better. I mentioned Cor Geerling’s dark red ball CORNELL last year. What a great first season it has had on the show bench. Excellent vases were shown all over the country, which is always a good sign in a variety’s maiden season. Some exhibitors even managed to push it up in the small section where it also did very well. A low grower, it has good stems and high percentage of top class blooms.
COLLERETTES
CHRISTMAS CAROL is not as big as some in this section, but it
has classical form. The deep red outer petals are enhanced by
the pale lemon inner petals and dark yellow centre. It was used
in the winning championship exhibit for this type in London.
Les Jacksons first collerette raising is to be called HILLCREST FLOSS. Dark red outer petals, with an unusual mixture of white and red petals around the inner section.
FIMBRIATED
This section has never been one of our strongest, but is picking
up a few more followers now. Winner of the class at our National
Show, was the medium flowered HARVEST. Beautiful tangerine blooms
were of superb laciniated cactus form. Very good depth, stems
and growth habit.
POMPONS
We have never had such a strong batch of new poms as we have this
year. No less that six varieties, and all British raised. Master
pom grower, Frank Newberry, used a super vase of the pale pink
and white GURTLA TWILIGHT in his winning nine vase championship
in London. Fine honeycomb form, globular shape and sturdy plant
growth.
Three others used in the same exhibit were the Ralph Cook raisings
DANA JUDE, DANA ALICE and DANA FRANK.
DANA JUDE comes in pale lavender, has good tight form which dresses
right back in the desired golf ball of petals. It has been a long
time since a good yellow pom has come along. Bright yellow overlaid
with crimson makes DANA ALICE a real eye-catcher. Named after
Frank’s sister Alice, the health, petal formation and globular
shape of the flowers makes it a must for pom growers. DANA FRANK
is another that comes in a much needed strikingly attractive colour.
Free flowering burnt orange blooms are underlayed with primrose
yellow. Again good form and show bench potential.
We end with two sports from top class varieties. WILLIAM GREGORY
sported from the 1947 raising DIANA GREGORY about seven years
ago.
The latest in the chain is PURPLE GREGORY, a clear deep purple
sport from WILLIAM GREGORY. Good exhibition form and finely quilled
petals but, unfortunately, a very poor tuber maker and keeper.
MINLEY CAROL had proved a reliable exhibition cultivar in recent
years, so the bright red colour break RED CAROL will prove popular.
Identical in habit and form to its workmanlike parent.