Issue 45 March 2014 Invite a friend to join the AGS Introduce a friend to the benefits and services offered to members of the Alpine Garden AGS news Society. All they have to do is fill in their personal details, together with payment instructions Newsletter of the Alpine Garden Society (or call AGS Centre to arrange payment by Direct Debit), and return this page to the address at the bottom of the page. A reduced subscription rate is offered to those paying by Direct Debit. Please allow 28 days for processing this application. I/We wish to apply for membership as indicated below. Rates valid for 2014. UK & Ireland UK Direct Debit Overseas Single £31 £29 £33 Family (two at same address) £35 £33 £36 Student/Junior (under 18 years) £13 Subscriptions of members joining after July 31 are valid until the end of the following calendar year. The membership year runs from January 1 to December 31 and subscriptions are renewable on October 1 for the following year. Direct Debit subscriptions become due annually in the quarter that you joined. Your details (block capitals please): Title Name: Keith Lever and Brian Burrow giving practical demonstrations at last year’s conference If family membership, name of second member Address: he success of both the AGS Snowdrop Day last month and the Conference and PLEASE CUT HERE T County/country two-day members’ conference last Post/Zip code: November means that both are to be Snowdrop Day to If under 18, please give date of birth repeated. If student, please give date of expected end of course Booking for the conference on go ahead again November 8 and 9 this year will open the E.B. Anderson Memorial Lecture will To pay by Direct Debit, please contact AGS Centre. To pay by cheque or credit/debit card, on our website on March 31. Booking please complete either of the sections below. details for both the conference and the be given by Martin Sheader. It is part Snowdrop Day, to be held on February of the AGM and is free to all members. CHEQUE 7, 2015, will be published in the June The conference will commence after I/we enclose a remittance of £ made payable to the Alpine Garden Society. issue of AGS News. Martin’s lecture. CREDIT OR DEBIT CARD (Visa/MasterCard/American Express) As last year, our AGM will precede the This year more time will be allowed No extra charge for paying by credit card conference on November 8. This year Continued on page 3 Name on card Card number Security code SPECIAL FREE BOOK OFFER FOR MEMBERS: PAGE 9 Start date Expiry date Issue No. (some debit cards) Win cash at Malvern 5 Access frames offer 10 Signature Date All information is protected by the Data Protection Act. Your information will not be disclosed to a third party. However, the AGS may wish to pass your details to our local groups. If you do not wish to receive information from our local groups then please tick this box. Book shop 12 Tours 19 AGS Centre, Avon Bank, Pershore, Worcestershire WR10 3JP, UK Phone: 01386 554790 Fax: 01386 554801 email: [email protected] www.alpinegardensociety.net NOTICEBOARD AGS shows AGS Centre, Avon Bank, Pershore, Worcestershire, WR10 3JP, UK and plant sales Phone: +44(0)1386 554790 Fax: +44(0)1386 554801 Email: [email protected] Registered charity No. 207478 Annual subscriptions for 2014: Single (UK and Ireland) £31* March 15: Kendal Show Some of the AGS members who Family (two at same address) £35* March 22: Kent Show attended February’s Snowdrop Day. Junior (under 18/student) £13 Right, Christine Mole enhanced her March 22: East Lancashire Show galanthophile credentials by painting Overseas single US$54 £33 March 29: Northumberland Show Overseas family US$60 £36 each of her nails with a different * £2 deduction for direct debit March 29: South West Show snowdrop! Pictures by Doug Joyce subscribers April 5: North Midland Show April 5: Ulster Show Continued from page 1 For details of life membership apply to April 12: Midland Show the AGS Centre. between Saturday’s talks and practical April 19: Cleveland Show demonstrations because many April 26: Dublin Show members at last year’s event felt that AGS CENTRE April 27: London Show the programme was just too packed! EASTER CLOSURE May 3: East Anglia Show The conference speakers will The AGS Centre will close at May 10: Malvern Show include John Mitchell from the Royal May 17: Southport Show 5pm on Thursday, April 17, Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Harry Jans May 31: Summer Show South from the Netherlands, Tom Mitchell and will not reopen until June 15: Summer Show North from Evolution Plans, Ian Green of Wednesday, April 23. It will July 12: Summer Show Mid West Greentours, and Christopher Bailes, the also be closed on Bank Holiday September 20: Autumn Show North curator of the Chelsea Physic Garden. Mondays May 5 and 26. The September 27: Autumn Show South There will also be practical AGS garden is open every day. October 4: Loughborough Autumn Show demonstrations and workshops. Full October 11: Newcastle Show details of the programme will be excellent range of snowdrop exhibits. © Alpine Garden Society 2014 Full details for each show are in the published in the next issue of AGS The nurseries attending all did brisk AGS Shows Handbook, on the AGS News. business. Send items for the June 2014 issue The first AGS Snowdrop Day, which Next year’s event will feature an of AGS News to Jackie Cooper at the website and in the shows calendar that was held at Stratford-upon-Avon in improved layout to allow more space for address above or email was included with the December 2013 February, was a sell-out, with more than [email protected]. issue of AGS News. Please note: there plant sales. Speakers will include the The deadline is April 30, 2014. are no AGS plant sales at Malvern. 100 members enjoying lectures and an well known garden writer Val Bourne. 2 3 NOTICEBOARD AGS ANNUAL AWARDS NOMINATIONS ARE INVITED FOR THE FOLLOWING AGS AWARDS Lyttel Trophy for meritorious work with alpines. The Sir William & Lady Lawrence Award for an outstanding contribution to work with alpines from those new to horticulture in the last five years. The Award of Honour for sterling work on behalf of the AGS, not necessarily during the previous year, but over a period of time. The Ferrier Charlton Award for outstanding work for the Society in an administrative capacity. The Kath Dryden Award to recognise meritorious work on basic cultivation Three of the many wacky containers planted by AGS members at Malvern last year and/or new plant introduction within a single genus or group of alpine plants. Local Group Awards to recognise outstanding service within a Local Group over a number of years, the impact of which is felt more widely than just JOIN IN THE FUN AT MALVERN AND the local area. Nominations for this award must come from the Local Group WIN CASH FOR YOUR LOCAL GROUP concerned. At the Malvern Spring Gardening Show from May 8 to 11, the AGS Website Award to recognise the best contribution to the Society’s website is staging an exhibit of planted containers, giving you the chance during 2013. to win cash prizes! You can plant alpines in any sort of container AGS LITERARY AWARDS – old boots, hats, kettles. In fact the wackier, the better. The only The Alpine Gardener sets extremely high standards in horticultural journalism stipulations are that they must fit on the show bench and can be and photography and every year the Society seeks to honour the very best easily moved. of the contributions. We do this by appealing to the judgement of the most There will be three classes to enter: discriminating and informed critics – you, the readership. Members are invited 1. Alpines planted in the most innovative container by an individual. to nominate contributors to The Alpine Gardener, Volume 81 (2013), for the First prize £50 Second prize £25 following awards: 2. A Local Group exhibit in any container, from troughs to tin baths. The Clarence Elliott Memorial Award for the best article published in The First prize £100 Second prize £50 Alpine Gardener in 2013 (Vol. 81). 3. The best planted small trough or miniature garden by an individual. The Lionel & Joyce Bacon Award for the best practical alpine gardening First prize £50 Second prize £25 article published in The Alpine Gardener in 2013 (Vol. 81). The Christopher Grey-Wilson Award to recognise photographic excellence So please join in and have some fun. The AGS may be able to help in The Alpine Gardener in 2013 (Vol. 81) for the best ’feature’ article that to arrange the transport of your exhibits to Malvern in the week must contain a minimum of ten photographs. before the show and will take care of them. All nominations must be submitted on the appropriate form (available from To enter, call Jo Walker on 0121 744 3129 AGS Centre) and sent to Christine McGregor, Director, AGS Centre, Avon Bank, Pershore, WR10 3JP by July 31, 2014. Good luck! 4 5 NOTICEBOARD AGS LOCAL GROUP SHOWS Can you help AGS Bristol Group Dorset Group Show and Plant Sale to run the Inspiring Alpines Saturday, April 5, at the Allendale Centre, Wimborne, BH21 1AS, A one-day conference on from 11.30am to 3pm. Admission £1, AGS members free. AGS’s tours? Saturday, September 27, 2014, For further information contact John and Christine Chappell on at The Red Maids’ School, 01300 320247 or email [email protected] or many years The Alpine Garden Westbury Road, Westbury-on- Society has organised tours to Cotswold and Malvern Group Show and Plant Sale F Trym, Bristol BS9 3AW from botanically rich parts of the world, 9.30am to 4.30pm.