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The Award of Garden Merit review 2012 Mike Grant Mike or over 150 years the RHS trial judges assessing Sedum for AGMs The Award of RHS has given awards to Garden Merit list of F plants exhibited at shows, The current review and continues to do so. The ranks When the AGM was relaunched in recommended plants of First Class Certificate, Award 1992 it was envisaged that there has just undergone of Merit and Preliminary Commend­ would be a so­called ‘sunset review’ ation are rightly valued, but they are every 10 years, when the list would its first review for awards given to that specimen on be scrutinized and less than excellent 10 years. John that day, as exhibited. Since 1922 plants excluded. Such a review took rimshaw the Award of Garden Merit (AGM) place in 2002 and has again G explains has been available to recognize plants happened in 2012. Much has the process and for their overall garden performance. changed, however, in 20 years. By the 1980s, however, it had fallen So, prior to starting work in 2012, reveals how it will be into disuse, and so was reinvigorated the remit for the AGM was studied done in the future in 1992 to become the Society’s by a working group led by Raymond premier accolade, granted to plants Evison (RHS Horticulture Board), that show consistent excellence in consisting of Jim Gardiner (Director the garden. ‘Plants that Perform’ is of Horticulture), Kylie Balmain the current marketing banner being (Head of Horticultural Relations), used to promote the AGM, and RHS trials staff, members of RHS sums up the concept very well. plant committees and represent­ 20 March 2013 PlantsmanThe atives of the nursery industry. This Available in the trade group confirmed the desirability and at some level value of the AGM, established a The award plant should be available crisply redesigned ‘trophy’ logo in the UK from nurseries, seed (which has already been in use for suppliers, specialist growers or two years), and critically examined garden centres, either through retail the parameters for the award. outlets or online. Some plants, e.g. Five criteria for granting an AGM alpines, would be of more limited were established (see panel below) availability than bedding plants: and a series of guidelines was formul­ availability needs to be defined ated to assist in deliberations. appropriately for each plant group. The plant should also be at a reason­ Excellence for ordinary use able price for its type. in appropriate conditions Availability has been the most We made the assumption that the contentious of the criteria. In the plant is sold with information to 2002 review an AGM plant was make the buyer aware of appropriate expected to be sold by a minimum growing conditions. For example, a of six nurseries (as listed in the RHS / RHS Henricot Beatrice Rhododendron may be AGM­worthy Plant Finder), but this approach was on acidic ground, but not on alkaline specifically rejected in the current RHS trials are one means of AGM assessment. This Buddleja cultivar succumbed to Phytophthora soil. ‘Garden’ was defined as any space review. Much has changed in the used for growing plants, enabling marketing of plants. The majority plants, such as Chamaecyparis houseplants to be included. But an of sales take place through garden lawsoniana ‘Intertexta’, no longer AGM plant must not require highly centres which seldom list their wares meet the availability criterion and specialist growing conditions or care. in the RHS Plant Finder, and there is have been removed from the list. Assessors of plants are expected to an increasing internet­based market. A particular challenge has come to set a particular standard against which It is also quite easy for a nursery to light in the case of annuals, bedding each plant is to be judged: if a plant miss the deadline for inclusion in the plants and many flowering house­ equals or exceeds the standard, it RHS Plant Finder and thus give a plants. In these categories there is a may be recommended for the AGM. false impression of non­availability. rapid turnover of cultivars and many There is no limit on the number of In some cases the merits of new or are not sold by name at all. For plants that may hold the award, but currently unfamiliar plants are so instance, the customer may just be in groups that include many cultivars, obvious that an AGM has been offered ‘orange busy lizzie’ or ‘blue standards have to be set especially granted. This may be before they are pansy’, despite the marketing effort high if the AGM is to offer helpful widely grown, in the hope that the put in by the breeders. A classic case guidance to the gardener. This award will stimulate propagation and that baffled the Tender Ornamental standard should be regularly distribution. Others, whose qualities Plants Committee was florists’ reviewed; the bar may need to be need further assessment, have been Cyclamen, where, despite the raised regularly, particularly in plant placed on ‘watch lists’ for consider­ presence in the market of a large groups where lots of breeding work ation in future years. Sadly, some number of named seed­raised is being undertaken. formerly well­respected AGM cultivars, none are sold under their cultivar names. Apparently the criTEriA for grAnTing An AwArd of gArdEn mEriT public only want a red­ or pink­ 1 Excellent for ordinary use in appropriate conditions – a cultivar or selection out­ flowered plant, and that is what they performs others, e.g. more flowers, length of flowering, scent, colour, form etc. are offered. In consequence, it was 2 Available to buy – gardeners can obtain material without significant effort, at a decided that, since the public cannot reasonable price in reasonable quantity. buy such plants true to name, they 3 Of good constitution – the material is known to be generally healthy. should not be granted an AGM. The 4 Essentially stable in form and colour – performs according to its description. challenge of giving RHS recognition 5 Reasonably resistant to pests and diseases – no significant pest and disease issues which would affect growth and performance. to these ephemeral but significant groups is being considered. ➤ March 2013 21 PLANT AwArds of good constitution This refers to persistence in performance appropriate to the plant type. Stock should generally be healthy in the trade and cultivars which have declined over the years should be considered for deletion. Also, the plant must not require highly specialist care or treatment. Essentially stable in form and colour Adherence to characteristics for which the plant was selected, such as / RHS Sheppard Carol Sleigh / RHS Mike floriferousness, is essential. Cultivars should be stable in form and colour and known to be stable over an appropriate period of time, depend­ ent on genus. This is particularly relevant for variegated plants. Fundamental to the AGM criteria is the concept of consistency. A person buying an AGM plant must be assured that it really will perform to expectation. One of the weak points in the system is the granting of an AGM to a species with no further distinction, effectively suggesting that the AGM pertains to / RHS Barry Phillips all representatives of that species. Various species have had their AGMs withdrawn because of inherent variability. They have been replaced This is undesirable, as the natural by more reliable cultivars of those same species, such as (clockwise, from top left)Cotinus coggygria variation inherent in wild species can ‘Young Lady’, Betula albosinensis ‘Red Panda’ and Rhus typhina Radiance (‘Sinrus’) result in wildly varying performance. In consequence, we are trying to give parents, vary greatly. As most The situation is also complicated the AGM to named cultivars rather specimens of it are raised from seed by the fact that many plants sold by than just ‘the species’, to guarantee the inherent uncertainty as to their nurseries under a species name are in consistent performance. qualities makes it impossible to fact clonal representatives of their This is not as easy as it sounds: award an AGM in this group. species (and probably should have a there are many species whose garden Perhaps the increasing availability of cultivar name). In such cases the plant performance as a whole is of AGM tissue­cultured clones with supplied to a customer is going to be standard, even when raised from consistent characteristics will permit consistent to its clonal attributes and seed – Acacia dealbata, Cyclamen it in the future, if they meet the it can be safely given the AGM, such hederifolium and Papaver commutatum other requirements. as Phyllostachys aurea. An example of ‘Ladybird’ for example, but in others Examples of where we have been a common clone that has been there is too much variation. The able to remove the AGM from the named and given the AGM is Sorbus situation with Helleborus x hybridus, species but apply it to cultivars thibetica ‘John Mitchell’. It is to be although not a natural species, is a include Betula albosinensis ‘China hoped that in the ongoing classic example. While few would Ruby’ and ‘Red Panda’, Cotinus assessment of plants the number of argue that the Lenten rose is a coggygria ‘Young Lady’ and Rhus species with the AGM will diminish superb garden plant, most are aware typhina Radiance (‘Sinrus’) and Tiger in favour of named clones that seedlings, even from good Eyes (‘Bailtiger’). representing them more reliably. 22 March 2013 PlantsmanThe Carol Sheppard / RHS Sheppard Carol Wendy Wesley / RHS Wesley Wendy wild. Many of these were never going to be AGM plants and the undesir­ ability of some, such as Impatiens glandulifera and Hydrocotyle ranunculoides, is self­evident.

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