Dionysias
Exeter was dominated by dionysias and fritillaries. Before I start posting new pictures, I ought to name the dionysias from the two 3-pans (I don't have notes of the plants in the 6-pan exhibits, or I would add those too).

Class 43

Paul and Gill's three dionysias in class 43 (3 pans rock plants, any one genus) were (left to right):

Dionysia Ewesley Legacy

Dionysia Geist (best plant in 19cm pot)

Dionysia PMR-JM97120/49/0209

Class 9

The three dionysias in class 9 were (again left to right):

Dionysia Goteborg (freitagii x viscidula)

Dionysia Andreas (Certificate of Merit)

Dionysia tapetodes JRDE2

Dionysia viscidula
There were many more besides; this is Dionysia viscidula - another red sticker for Paul and Gill in Class 10.

Saxifraga Lismore Carmine
Exhibited by David Hoare. Although when I mention David, we all think of huge domes of flowers, he also brought some immaculate smaller plants. This one was in his winning entry in class 74 for three plants with cultural information.

Saxifraga quadrifaria
Another unusual saxifrage from Eric Jarrett, following on from his S. scardica at Kent.

Saxifraga frederici-augusti grisebachii
I saw this plant when Jim Almond was photographing it; previously, I have never found it appealing, but this small specimen from Alan and Janet Cook had an air of distinction which set it apart.

Primula allionii Crusader

Sticking with the cushion theme, I come to this huge and magnificent primula, which won the Farrer Medal for Mike and Christine Brown at the East Lancs Show last year.

Ironically, David Philbey and I were at the Kent Show that day, and on the way home he was complaining that (he believed) a Primula allionii would never again win a Farrer.

Draba polytricha
Exhibited by Cyril Dart. More cushions, the first drabas of the year. This lovely plant won the large Brassicaceae class for Cyril.

Draba subacaulis
Not content with that, Cyril also won the small pan class, with this specimen.

Draba ossetica
A close runner-up from Lee and Julie Martin

Androsace ciliata
The last plant I photographed which could be considered a cushion by those pesky nieces was this one, exhibited by Eric Jarrett

Jovibarba heuffellii 'Elmos Fire'
Exhibited by Howard and Sally Wills. Definitely NOT a cushion.

Oresitrophe rupifraga
Exhibited by Robin White. A quick round up of some other plants I photographed, before I move on to the bulbous classes. This plant had developed quite a lot since the Kent Show, but it is still lovely and I make no apology for taking and showing you more pictures of it.

Hepatica Millstream Merlin
Exhibited by Ivor Betteridge.

Anemone caucasica
Exhibited by Joy Bishop; runner up to the Hepatica above. This little relative of Anemone blanda can be tricky to grow and flower, especially in a pot.

Ranunculus caladrinioides
Always a fabulous plant to photograph; this one was exhibited by Douglas Forsyth. I hope he is feeling better after fainting at the show.

Anacamptis longicornu
A couple of orchids now, exhibited by Richard Manuel. These still don't count as bulbous, for anyone new to these shows.

Ophrys sphegodes
I took this over to the photo 'studio' not for the full plant photo, which has turned out surprisingly well, but for the close-up opportunity following.

Cyclamen coum f. album
Exhibited by Ian Robertson. Another non-bulbous plant.

Corydalis solida ssp. incisa alba
Exhibited by Ivor Betteridge. Corydalis, on the other hand, are bulbous. I always love this one at this time of year, with its pristine white flowers.

Corydalis sewerzowii
Also exhibited by Ivor Betteridge, in the same 3-pan entry, together with his wonderful Anemone biflora. What a colour contrast.

Digression
I've just been watching a magpie sitting in my cherry tree in the rain, eating a cheese sandwich which, presumably, someone had discarded along the road. Eventually it managed to pull out the cheese, and dumped the crusts on the lawn; so next time I want to complain about the things people throw over the fence, I will know who is responsible. Meanwhile the blue tits are fussing around collecting moss for their nest.

Veitch Trophy
The Veitch Trophy for 3 pans of bulbs in 19cm pots is always hotly contested and this year was no exception. This year it was won by Bob and Rannveig Wallis, with Fritillaria crassifolia ssp. crassifolia (winner of a Certificate of Merit, picture posted already) together with the two following plants.

Gagea fibrosa
Exhibited by Bob and Rannveig Wallis

Fritillaria gibbosa
Exhibited by Bob and Rannveig Wallis

Fritillaria gibbosa
Exhibited by Ivor Betteridge. Ivor's pot of the same Fritillaria was possibly even better, but perhaps not fully out; it seemed neater as a result.

Fritillaria gibbosa
To complete this trio, here is a paler form exhibited by Peter Erskine.

Fritillaria graeca
Exhibited by Bob and Rannveig Wallis

Isn't the F. graeca tiny by the way?

Fritillaria reuteri
Exhibited by Bob and Rannveig Wallis. A clear yellow form, but not the deep brassy yellow we see in many fritillaries.

Fritillaria purdyi
Exhibited by Bob and Rannveig Wallis

Fritillaria meleagris
Exhibited by Ian Robertson. An unusual pale clone, which always seems to have these pale leaves.

Fritillaria montana

Exhibited by Kath Baker. One of the chocolate-brown fritillaries, but one with a certain grace and delicacy.

It was good to see Kath at the show; apparently she came packed in with the plants in the back of Bob and Rannveig's car.

Fritillaria raddeana
Exhibited by Tony Bennett; one of my favourite fritillaries, because it is so photogenic.

Iris willmottiana
Exhibited by Lee and Julie Martin. Fabulously crisp and fresh.

Iris macarandica
Exhibited by Ivor Betteridge

Erythronium multiscapoideum
Exhibited by Mike and Christine Brown; another really photogenic plant.

Hyacinthella dalmatica grandiflora
Exhibited by Joy Bishop. Unlike H. glabrescens, this is definitely one I haven't posted this year.

Muscari pseudomuscari
Exhibited by Ivor Betteridge. I have taken lots of photos of this over the years; when grown properly, it makes a nice neat photogenic display (it doesn't for me !).

Narcissus triandrus x assoanus
Exhibited by Bob and Rannveig Wallis. I always love these little crosses with triandrus in them.

Narcissus watieri
Well you wouldn't have guessed it, but these were exhibited by Nigel Fuller, and came all the way from Kent with (I'm guessing) David Hoare.

Romulea bulbocodium ssp. leichtlinii
Exhibited by George Elder.

Tecophilaea cyanocrocus
Exhibited by Lee and Julie Martin. I have to photograph one pot of Tecophilaea each year, just to make sure I can still capture the blue, and I rather liked this potful, partly because the leaves were less strongly developed than in some other pots.

Tulipa humilis Lilliput
Exhibited by Tony Bennett

Lapeirousia oregona
Exhibited by George Elder. This was one of the first plants I photographed, but I have saved it till the end because it is such a wonderful colour, outdoing even the Tecophilaea; the photographs don't really quite do it justice.

Viola beckwithii
And finally, a tiny plant, ten years old, and blooming for the first time. Exhibited by Joy Bishop, and overlooked by the judges in favour of less subtle delights.

These will be the last photos from me for a little while. I will be at London, but I am show secretary so I won't be doing the show photography (I might take a few snaps); apart from that, the next show within a reasonable distance for me is Solihull.

I hope we can overcome any potential problems resulting from the threatened rail strike, and London goes ahead; when a firm decision has been reached I'll post an announcement on the website.