Today's blog has been dedicated to the annual Royal Horticultural Society Cardiff Flower Show.
This is my local show and I look forward to it every year! Today was by no means a let down. The weather was absolutely fantastic. Clear blue skies and temperatures hitting 19 degrees celsius (66 Fahrenheit)! Quite nice it was too!
The show is relatively small by RHS show standards but I think this just improves the feel of it. You get plenty of time to indulge in the exhibitions and chat to sellers. I found my self lost in the marquees, chatting to anyone who could spare a few seconds as the frantic crowds grapple to buy the "plant of the moment". It appears that the show has grown since last year with more stands, more quality and most definitely a higher attendance!
Below is a picture of what greeted us as we walked through the gates. This rugby player was planted with succulents, mainly Sempervivum.
This was probably my favourite entertainer. "Venus" cycled her way around the show chasing a fly whilst her CD player boomed out Bananarama's Venus. Amazing! She had also stolen Alys Fowler's glasses I believe!
The fly being prayed upon!
The famous BBC 'Dig In' van! I've got my seeds, have you? The lady in the van was more than happy to pose!
This was the best in show garden titled: Law of motion. Designed by Lisa Madsen this was most definitely the best of the show gardens. Not much emphasis is placed on the show gardens at Cardiff and it was a delight to see something of this standard at the show.
Another of the show gardens that I enjoyed. I really like the driftwood fence surrounding the garden.
The show dedicates a large proportion of the grounds to the children's wheelbarrow competition. The number of entries has increased threefold in just one year! This year there must have been around 50 or more barrows. Some of my favourites are below.
A dedication to Darwin.
The hungry caterpillar. The caterpillar and the butterfly were knitted.
The Easter tree barrow.
There were two floral marquees, each filled to the rafters with flowers, plants and people. Generally the quality was high and there was very good representation by UK nurseries. I could have spent days in the marquees, chatting, spending a lot of money and generally standing in awe, mouth open, lusting after some of the specimens on offer.
So many daffodils! A new cultivar was on display, somewhere, named after the singer Duffy. The cultivar was named the 'Duffydil', get it?
A great succulent stand.
Echinopsis pachanoi cristate. This is quite possibly the strangest succulent I've ever seen.
The most exquisite selection of Bonsai were on show at Cardiff today. Many mature specimens that illustrated Bonsai at it's finest. A well deserved Gold medal.
An Acer over fifty years old.
Perfect!
Bulbs were well represented at this years show and proved to be my highlight. Many bulb nurseries were at the show selling and competing. The variety was excellent but it was just my luck that the Arisaema I wanted was out of stock!
A fantastic Tulip cultivar.
Another Tulip.
Gloriosa superba. I love this plant but unfortunately I don't think that it would fit with the scheme in my garden, or withstand the frost.
Avon bulbs. An excellent display and stand and very helpful staff.
The Arisaema that was out of stock.
And finally, the star buy! I have been looking for this tree for a few years now and this specimen was perfect. This is my favourite tree and I am so happy that I finally have one. I could dedicate a whole post to this plant alone.
Cercidiphyllum japonicum.
I can't wait for next years show! Lets hope that this years success means a bigger, better and equally fantastic show!
By placing the spirals at different heights, and in great numbers throughout the patch, it creates quite a nice effect. It is almost as though another species of plant has crept into the mix. I quite like the effect created and it goes very well in a modern garden.
