538 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



AuGfcsr 20, 1898. 



Exhibitions 



SHREWSBURY FLORAL FETE. 



The twenty-fourth annual floral fete held at Shrewsbury took place in the 

 famous Quarry Grounds on August 17 and 18, and was, from a horticultural point 

 of view, a decided success. The quality of the exhibits throughout was good, and 

 there was even an advance in the grape classes, which were more keenly contested 

 than ever. Six large tents, two of these being monstrous canvas erections, only 

 just sufficed to hold the largely increased number of exhibits— we were informed 

 that there were four h undred more entries than last year, enough itself to make a 

 large show. The groups and plants came in for a full share of admiration, but 

 perhaps the floral decorations gained the fullest meed of praise, for they were 

 exceedingly beautiful, especially the baskets and bouquets. The " dessert table " 

 and the "garden produce" classes were great attractions, and if the latter 

 possesses no special educational value, it, at any rate, adds another to the many 

 attractions of the fete. All the arrangements were of the best, under the able 

 superintendence of Messrs. Adnitt and Naunton, the co-hon. secretaries. 

 Judging commenced at twenty minutes past ten, and soon after that time the 

 weather became extremely hot and bright, so that by twelve o'clock, when the 

 rank and fashion of Salop came to the show, there was a gay scene, for the ladies 

 had all donned their lightest and brightest of summer costumes. Cottagers' ex- 

 hibits were both extensive and of high quality ; there were splendid onions, cab- 

 bages, lettuce, currants, and gooseberries, twenty-six collections of vegetables, 

 asters, stocks, marigolds, dahlias, potatos, and marrows, and stands and bouquets 

 of wild flowers. T hese exhibits filled one large tent. 



Groups. 



The chief award for a group of miscellaneous plants arranged to produce the 



best effect upon a space of three hundred square feet was secured by Mr. James 



Cypher, who once again put up a grand exhibit ; at the back was a representation 



of rockwork, a rustic bridge over a pool of water in which were water lilies, and 



into which water dripped from the bridge ; bamboos, caladiums, palms, and tall 



ferns were used in the background, and on either side were tall graceful specimens 



of Humea elegans ; small mounds towards the front were composed of bright 



crotons, dendrobiums, Cattleya gigas, Lilium speciosum, cypripediums, oncidiums, 



ixoras, and Francoa ramosa ; on the ground was very dark moss, with small Rex 



begonias dotted about it ; a grand exhibit. Mr. W. Finch, Coventry, was placed 



second ; his group contained a grand lot of liliums, Humea elegans, and Francoa 



ramosa; Mr. C. Roberts, gardener to Miss Wright, Helston Hall, Coventry, 



third, his group containing handsome and well-grown crotons, Rex begonias, 



Lilium auratum, &c. ; the virgin cork was rather too prominent, however, to be 

 pleasing. 



Mr. J. Edmonds, gardener to the Duke of St. Albans, Notts, secured the £2$ 

 offered as first prize for a group of ornamental foliage plants, palms, ferns, &c. , 

 arranged to produce the best display on an area of three hundred square feet. The 

 largest mound of this fine display was placed as far back as possible, and was 

 topped by a fine kentia, with acalyphas, crotons, fittonias, alocasias, &c, sur- 

 rounding its base ; smaller mounds towards the front were mostly tall well-grown 

 crotons, surrounded at the base with Rex begonias, bamboos with a base of ferns, 

 palms with bromeliads at the base, &c. ; the groundwork was of moss in two 

 shades of green, dotted with Acalypha Macafeeana, grandly grown ; Mr. J. 

 Cypher, Cheltenham, had to be content with second place, but he had a grand 

 exhibit, in which ferns were used with wonderful effect and taste. 



In the class for a group of miscellaneous plants to occupy a space of one 

 hundred and fifty square feet, and to contain no orchids, the president, T. F. 

 Kynnersley, Esq., gave the first prize. The result of the competition was that 

 Mr. T. Tug wood, gardener to the president himself, at Leighton Hall, Ironbridge, 

 won the first prize with a bold group consisting of a central mound of palms, 

 lihums, tuberoses, and ferns, with spans of virgin cork extending to the similarly 

 constructed corner mounds ; Mr. C. Roberts, gardener to Miss Wright, Halston 

 Hall, Oswestry, came second ; and Mr. J. Bremmell, third. 



Plants. 



A grand display of twenty stove and greenhouse plants was put up by Mr. 

 James Cypher, Cheltenham, who, as usual, won the first prize, a silver cup valued 



at c 2 *° S° me of the finest specimens were Phoenocoma prolifera Barnesi, Statice 

 profusa, Croton montifortiensis, C. Her Majesty, Allamanda nobilis, Clerodendron 

 tfalfoun, Bougainvillea Glabra, Ixora Westi, Croton Warreni, Kentia Belmoreana, 

 and Livistoma rotundifolia. Mr. Finch, of Coventry, also competed, and the two 

 sets made up a really marvellous display of plant culture ; Mr. Finch secured a 

 valuable special prize. Mr. T. Lambert, gardener to Lord Harlech, gained first 

 prize for thirty stove and greenhouse plants, orchids excluded, with medium-sized 

 and nnely-grown examples of Ixora Prince of Orange, I. Williamsi, Phrynium 

 vanegatum, Hehconia illustre, Eucharis amazonica, Drac^na Regince, D. Baptisti, 

 Uipadenia amabilis, Pancratium fragrans, &c. Mr. R. C. Townsend, 

 gardener to Colonel Lloyd, came first for a collection of thirty plants, and among 

 his set were nice plants of Cattleya gigas, Cypripedium Rothschildeanum, and 

 some oncidiums ; Mr. J. Birch, second. Mr. Myers had the best three specimen 

 lucnsias, but was closely followed by Mr. A. Bateman, Forgate. 



Exotic ferns made a good show in one of the smaller tents, but we have seen 

 better plants than were on view ; Mr. E. Jones, gardener to A. M. Barber, Esq., 

 vve lmgton, had the best set of six, showing big specimens of Adiantum 

 I arleyense, A. formosum, and other maidenhair ferns, Pteris serrulata cristata, 

 and a large Davalha hirta cristata ; Mr. T. Stevenson, Wellington, was second ; 

 and Mr. A. Jones, third. The first prize for six stove and greenhouse plants 

 was well won by Mr. T. Lambert, gardener to Lord Harlech, Oswestry, who 

 staged very tine specimens of Dipladenia amabilis, Ixora coccinea, I. Pilgrimi, 

 proton Warreni, a splendid example ; Allamanda Hendersoni, and Kentia Bel- 



^ eai ?t # i n \ se ^ ond class for six stove and greenhouse plants, the awards were 

 s cured by Mr. A. Jones, Oaklands ; Mr. Tugwood, Leighton Hall Gardens ; and 



t£" a m 2? or , der 01 their names > all showing good produce. 

 ,Wp1 vZ™ ^1 plantS the chief awar <* was secured by Mr. J. Edmonds, who 

 SlTl ^ d lx ? le 8 a ? t CTOt £ ns > Maecenas, and pandanus ; Mr. A. H. Hall, 



Mr. R. C. 

 show- 



Townsend LS^SSS Pr «tbury, Macclesfield, second. Mr. 



£?C%Stf%2 A°^? nel - R '. L, °yd, had the best half-dozen orchids, 5 uuw- 

 K^fiM^^^^ each; Cypripedium barbatum, 

 well-flowereH Z c Pi ^ j j £ est hl tf-dozen tuberous begonias were neat, 



Mr rrlfn , go 2 l oub l e Varieties ' sho *° w Mr - B - K - Davies - Yeovil •> 



Chffe, gardener to r T 1 M ' S™ htt > Esf l- Wellington, second ; and Mr. H. 

 Pyramidal coleuses were ?ood' A , bbe y legate, third, with huge plants. 



Myers was fir.tfor for ni^T v ng wel1 finished and highly coloured ; Mr. A. 

 and Mr . j. thTrd P rV ^ five feet high ; Mr. J. H. Slaney, second ; 



in some cases ; Mr'. J. Parson" S^t* W " e fairly S ood » but rather . ^ . their t* 5 * 



uiap^j, ^-""^ i'""-«-uuzen specimens Mr A Vf o, * 10T «1 



secured first prize with magnificent plants car™;™ „ ' j 1 "^Y^t ShrewsburY 

 foully ,ied P dow„ ,0 thelliage ; % £ £g* Sd^^l 



Floral- Arrangements 



The floral arrangements were most beautiful throughout ar>A a L , 

 Perkins and Sons, of Coventry, gained a good man of the TS^^*** 

 were not always first, and this alone will serve to iLtrate H?^-\ Wards ,' *f 

 flowers and designs. A class for six bouquets and 5 bLEf* f ^ <* 

 brought out a lovely display, in which Messrs. PerSs and M'V™^ 

 secured the chief award, together with silver cud with a i * Y Gentry, 

 design, , the baskets w e V e Special* M^ffe 0 ' W 



consisted of white pancratiums over maidenhair fern, with smkes of th. 

 white Francoa ramosa rising gracefully above the whole. Another was arich^ 

 gorgeous design of odontoglossums, Cattleya gigas, Lselia crispa, DendShjS 

 Phitenopsis, and Oncidium flexnosum; a basket of Cypripedium ilwrenckmr 

 asparagus, and yellow oncidiums was also good. Messrs. Tones andW 

 Shrewsbury, came second with a choice group of handsome arrangement 

 Messrs. Jenkinson and Son, Newcastle, Staffs, third. Messrs. Perkins and Sam 



pair of designs, the ball bouquet 

 being a gorgeous affair m gold, purple, and white orchids; Messrs. Pope and 

 Sons, second ; and Messrs. Jenkinson and Sons, third, out of four sets. 



For ball and bridal bouquets, orchids excluded, Messrs. Jones and Sons, 

 Shrewsbury, were first with arrangements of roses, stephanotis, carnations, and 

 lapagerias. Mr. W. Tresider, Cardiff, had the best shower bouquet of cactus 

 dahlias, a fine lot of gold and buff blooms and croton leaves. For a sweet pa 

 bouquet Messrs. Pope and Sons were first, using rose and white flowers ; there 

 were seven sweet pea bouquets staged, Messrs. Perkins and Sons coming second, 

 and Mrs. Lovatt, Chetwynd Grove, third. For six each of ladies' sprays and 

 gents' buttonholes, Messrs. Perkins and Sons, Coventry, were easily first with 

 tasteful and light productions of orchids and roses Messrs. Jenkinson and Sons, 

 second ; and Messrs. Jones and Son, third. There were eight collections. Mrs. 

 Lovatt, Chetwynd Grove, had the best stand of cut flowers, showing sweet peas, 

 pale blue, yellow, and rose flowers, amid maidenhair fern and plumes of Agrostis 

 nebulosa. 



Cut Flowers. 



Only one exhibitor exhibited thirty-six bunches of sweet peas in as many 

 varieties in competition for the Eckford Challenge Cup. This exhibitor was Dr. 

 Sankey, Boreatton Park, who had a goodly set nicely staged. This ten guinea cup 

 must be won three times before it becomes the property of any competitor. The 

 first prize for eighteen varieties of sweet peas was won by Mr. A. Bessell, High 

 Street, Ludlow, who staged his flowers with gypsophila ; he had splendidly fresh 

 blooms of Lottie Eckford, Little Doritt, Lemon Queen, Prince Edward of York, 

 Countess of Powis, Mrs. J. Chamberlain, Mars, Senators, Mrs. Eckford, Countess 

 of Radnor, Lovely, Meteor, Venus, Salopian, Gaiety, Boreatton, Blanch Burpee, 

 and Lady Mary Currie ; Mr. C. Barnett, gardener to H. Aldersey, Esq., Chester, 

 second ; and Mr. T. Aldersey, third. 



Mr. A. Myers, Shrewsbury, scored a first for six trusses each of double and 

 single varieties of zonal pelargoniums, with splendid trusses of substantial and 

 bright flowers that, unfortunately, were not named ; Mr. H. Huxter, second ; and 

 Mr. T. Maddock, third. For asters, Mr. J. Davis, gardener to W. G. Kttg 

 King, Esq., Roderham Manor, was first ; but asters were not shown so exten- 

 sively as usual at Shrewsbury. The best dozen carnations, selfs, fancies, or yellow 

 grounds, were beautiful and highly-developed flowers, chiefly of yellow grounds, 

 shown by Mr. A. W. Jones, Handsworth, Birmingham. Messrs. Thomson an* 

 Co., Birmingham, staged the best set of twelve picotees, three flowers of eaca. 

 Mr. Myers, a most successful pelargonium grower, of Shrewsbury, offered pnies 

 for the best six trusses of zonal pelargoniums, single and double ; there was a good 

 competition among the Salopian gardeners, and Messrs. Huxter and Cliffe were 

 placed first and second respectively, both showing handsome, bright, and weiJ- 

 developed blooms. Gaillardias made a brilliant show, and the Messrs. Harness 

 were the most successful exhibitors of these gorgeous flowers, staged in buncM « 

 six blooms. 



Roses were poor, as one mieht expect at so late a date and after so dry i 

 season. For two dozen blooms; Messrs. D. and W. Croll, Dundee, ^secured m 

 first prize, their best flowers being Mrs. J. Laing, Charles Lefebvre, n» 

 Majesty, Earl of Dufferin, and Gustave Piganeau ; Messrs. Harkness * nd 

 came second, and Messrs. Perkins and Sons, Coventry, third; the ro.es sunc 

 intensely from the heat. The best eighteen spikes of gladiolus, distinct soris, , • 

 staged by Messrs. Harkness and Sons, Bedale, who had massive flowers ana sp 



ot the Gandavensis section ; Mr. R. Morrow, Leominster, second ; and Bj 



j ^ 2 J Messrs. Keynes, Williams, and Co., Salisbury, sec 



J - • ' - set of Little Jac 



Townsend, third. 



LI w** • 



Midatf. 



first prize for pompon dahlias, putting up a pleasing 

 Blanche, Emily Hopper, Arthur West, Bacchus, Phoebe, Agate 



Whisper, Nerissa, Lilian, and Elegant; Mr. R. CWnt*dKW* 

 second. For half a-dozen bunches of cactus dahlias, Mr. J. Davies, »•» . 



successful competitor. Mr. R. Campbell, High Blantyre, secured first PJ*^ 

 show dahlia blooms, showing charming flowers of J. Walker, 

 Colonist, Norma, The Reverend, Ethel Britten, Eclipse, ^rs. tn ^ ( 

 and Muriel ; Mr. S. Mortimer, Famham, was a good second, these s . rf ^ 

 rich display. Mr. B. Cromwell won first prize for a dozen Dun .^.^ 

 flowers, with Dipladenia, Brearleyana, Gloriosa superba, Stcphanoi". j ^ 

 Scherzenanum, Ixora coccinea, Bougainvillea glabra, and loveiy c : < ^ 

 and white lapagerias ; Mr. J. MacDonald, second ; and Mr. J- ^ m " 



Collections of Cut Blooms 



nged 



on * 



Shrews***, 



n^beautiful display 



looked 



i 



placed firsts 



L ~( ten blotf* 



boards and m ^-V^ 



varieties were beautifully iresii au Blantyre 

 remely pretty : Mr. M. Campbell^ I ^"Jiy 



> 9 third, showeu »> >~ 

 m ^ ^ finish Us necessao jo 



w^..^, moN«. xveynes, Williams, anu ±» 

 ost artistic display, though perhaps a little more 



for • collcc'J* 



plants carry 11 * 



begonias, cut flowers and' 2* faT this ckse, putting up nea P j— ( doi bk 

 magnificent flowers in all bright shades of colour ; btd a * 

 ^lmon.pmk form, and Thunderer a grand double scarkt. ^ itlgpr n^ m 



Son. Shrpwchnrv d lL_ r . j . J n rtus dahlUS, snt>^ b 



arson's ? ere fairly B ood » but rathcr P^ 1 their 1x51 Son » Shrewsbury, set up the finest display of cactus c 



amitn, Abbotsmead, secured first prize with splen- ( Continued on page 547)- 



