The northern Group show was started about 30 years ago some say it was first held in Richard and Anne Smales garage long before the pie eaters was ever thought about, It was and is a fun show where the exhibitor stage their flowers, and judge any class were they don’t have an interest after which we all sit down and have a buffet lunch and talk about the flowers on display and the season as an whole. It has always been a show that was meant to pull all the exhibitors in the north to get together from both sides of the Pennines. Sadly this does not happen any more because with the Northern Group show on Saturday and the Pie Eaters on the Monday the exhibitor stay local and who can blame them with the cost of fuel, also in early May there are two few flowers and they will not survive if used more than once. But may these show go on and grow they both important to the exhibitor..
The Northern group show was held in its usual venue at Piley just south of Barnsley and due to the season being so late it was very well attended, in fact if one or two of us had not brought their own vases the show could have been in difficulties. Some exhibitors did cross the Pennines Alun Brierley and Ken Harrop and they both had some success.
The Main class is for a collection of 9 distinct varieties from 3 Div’s the winner was yours truly see photo 1, the exhibit was the best exhibit in the show and contained the best bloom in the show.
The exhibit contain the following blooms
Back Row from L-R John Peace Snr, Ombersley, Sheelagh Rowan
Middle row from L-R Banker, Lakeland Fair, Jonathans Gold
Front Row from L-R MoonShadow, Gold Convention, Guy Wilson ( Best Bloom)
Photo 2 Guy Wilson
Photo 3 John Peace snr
The final picture of the year was left to the ladies which was Terry’s 3×3 hybrids or specie, the exhibit contain on the back row Fairy Chimes (Best vase of 3 in the show), Segovia on the middle row and Little Rusky on the front row
I hope you have enjoyed your little tour around the English shows the photographs were mainly Paul Payne’s and the bad ones were mine.
I do hope you will take time and visit us here in England, I know you will be made welcome and as the song goes here’s to next time maybe 2011
Regards
Roger Braithwaite