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Post by Moonlight on Aug 25, 2013 23:01:28 GMT
For the last 2 years there hadn't been any entries in the Novice class. Unfortunately this year, the year I start there were 2 but I thought, 'You know what, bring it on'. All I can do is try. Whichever of us win it's a result to get this far. Especially with the weather sabotaging those of us who don't use covers.
Thing is by the time we left quite near to time deadline, the other person hadn't come. So it looked like it ended up as a class of 1 after all. All we can guess is that the weather ruined his blooms so he gave up on this year and is planning to go for it next year.
HH didn't realise that there was a Cup for the winner but when I told him, he asked will they award the cup if it is only 1 entry. I thought about it and replied that I like to think that they would only award the Cup if the exhibit was good enough but then the maybe the flip side would have been that if they want to encourage new members to compete, if they don't award the Cup and someone has put their flowers in, it isn't very encouraging for the Newbie to carry on showing. If I had to wait for an opponent in the class, before I could be awarded the Cup, maybe I would have to wait years.
Got from the dance display as quickly as HH could legally drive and found this waiting for me:
So there you go, I'd won. My biggest opponent wasn't another exhibitor but the awful rain.
One thing is for certain, next year I will have other opponents. No more Novice class for me, I've got to go for the Intermediate Classes.
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Post by Moonlight on Aug 25, 2013 23:31:59 GMT
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Post by Moonlight on Aug 26, 2013 0:08:14 GMT
Looking at the photos makes me feel sad. Tomorrow I'm going to go plant by plant and cut off all the broken stems. Hopefully it will ease some of the pressure and weight that they are putting on others around them. I hope that the plants recover. 1st year of growing Dahlias and we had done so well, I hope that they are able to develop new blooms.
In 2 weeks time we have got our town show which has the Dahlia / Chrysanthemum single stem Novice class. That was my goal for this year, can't believe that I've actually been able to exceed my goal. Forget the town Novice cup, I've won the Novice dahlia cup.  So I'm already a winner whatever happens. 
I'm hoping that I'll have another Downham Royal for that because it is a special dahlia to me. A lady asked me what variety it is because she loved the lovely colour. I was proud to tell her what it was and where it had come from.
I'm a very lucky woman.
One confession to make you laugh. Went down the garden to water my tomatoes and chillies in the greenhouse. Took my Cup with me and hummed 'We are the champions' ala Queen. Couldn't sing it too loud because my neighbours were in the garden.
Mind you they probably already think I'm nuts... probably am, remember discussion when I 1st joined that I must be another Dahlia Nut.
Guilty as charged.
Time for bed. Night All. Told the girls to have a lie in. Fingers crossed HH can to. Mind you he did say that he enjoyed being woken to a cuppa tea in bed. He deserved it. Oh nearly forgot my girlies were really good today, sitting on the side waiting. Told Fairy Pink Wellies that she reminded me of me when I was little when I gave her a kiss goodnight. Left her lying there with a big smile on her face.
Really going now!
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Post by Rosie on Aug 26, 2013 12:17:18 GMT
YAY, well done Moonlight  It's a shame your other blooms have been smashed by the rain. Believe me i would have done the same if i had won the cup but i would be singing out loud....it would scare your neighbours away with my singing voice   |
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Post by lesley on Aug 26, 2013 14:53:44 GMT
Well done Moonlight, I'd be chuffed to bits as well, we don't have any big shows down here |
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Post by markb on Aug 26, 2013 17:32:24 GMT
Well done Moonlight - great when a plan comes together isn't it?
Nothing worse than heavy rain during show season to raise the blood pressure. You're not alone though as Dave Gillam should have been at the Welsh National today but cancelled as the rain had done for his flowers as well - and he's got covers!
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Post by Moonlight on Aug 26, 2013 23:39:56 GMT
Thank you guys.
Mark I would have 'liked' your reply but I didn't because of what happened to Dave Gillam - very shocked to read that.
They said on the news that we had 4 inches of rain on Saturday. Neither Mum or Dad can ever remember weather like that. Lets hope that it doesn't happen again for a very long time.
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Post by Moonlight on Aug 27, 2013 15:57:44 GMT
Mum and Dad have been round Dad asked me what I wanted to grow next year.
I told him that I definitely wanted to grow
Kenora Valentine because I love the deep red colour (+ it was used in the Intermediate Classes). I was even thinking of growing more than 1 plant.  In fact in those large / giant classes it was the only variety exhibited. I have already decided not to grow Decs myself (with just a couple of exceptions  ) but the girlies are going to have a plant each. (One a small and one a miniature which will mean that if they want to show they won't be up against me or each other!)
Dad explained to me that the people that grew Kenora Valentine would have been likely to grow them under covers and have lots of plants. Not sure if I am going to try or not bother but I do think that it is beautiful. HH isn't that fussed on the poms and thinks that the Alf Ramsey looks very impressive, so I am going to grow 1 of these but not with an eye on a possible show but because they look so huge.
Anyway so it back to the drawing board on those classes, Dad has suggested Trooper Dan even though I know it has been successful and Dad has explained that it also has the + of being a relatively small plant - I'm just not that fussed on the petals in the centre.
So I am going to grow an Alf Ramsey but whether or not I grow Kenors Valantine is another thing. Maybe I will grow a single plant of all three. Plenty of time to decide yet.
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Post by Moonlight on Aug 27, 2013 16:18:33 GMT
These are this year's Intermediate Classes:
Intermediate Championship
2 vases, of 3 Blooms, 2 separate classifications. Giant or Large varieties may be stages in separate vases.
3 blooms, Giant or Large flowered. May be staged in separate vases.
1 vase, 3 blooms, Medium flowered.
1 vase, 3 blooms, Small flowered.
1 vase, 3 blooms, Miniature flowered.
1 vase, 3 blooms, Pompon (52mm)
1 vase, 3 blooms, Collerette
1 vase, 1 bloom, Giant or Large flowered.
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Post by sweetpea on Aug 27, 2013 17:49:11 GMT
:)methinks she has the bug
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Post by Tel on Aug 27, 2013 18:23:07 GMT
:)methinks she has the bug What give's you that impression, Sweetpea. |
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Post by Moonlight on Aug 27, 2013 20:29:13 GMT
Moi? Not I said the wolf!
I blame the parents! Either that or she got in with the wrong crowd, led astray!
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Post by Moonlight on Aug 27, 2013 20:30:52 GMT
Haven't even mentioned my 'sunflower seeds' that I've collected...
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Post by Moonlight on Aug 27, 2013 20:34:25 GMT
Varieties Mullings: These are this year's Intermediate Classes:
Intermediate Championship
2 vases, of 3 Blooms, 2 separate classifications. Giant or Large varieties may be stages in separate vases.
3 blooms, Giant or Large flowered. May be staged in separate vases.
1 vase, 1 bloom, Giant or Large flowered.
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
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Post by Moonlight on Aug 27, 2013 20:58:04 GMT
More Varieties Mullings... 1 vase, 3 blooms, Pompon (52mm) - This year interestingly there were no poms entered.
I am going to have to carry on growing Gurtla Twilight, probably keep Willow's Violet but want to get Mooreplace lovely deep, deep purple and Lismore Moonlight bright cheerful, in your face kind of yellow. Gurtla Twilight might seem to win all the classes but I like the colour of the other two more (until the wind changes direction...)
1 vase, 3 blooms, Collerette - Not going to bother growing any
hmmmmmmmm |
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) but the girlies are going to have a plant each. (One a small and one a miniature which will mean that if they want to show they won't be up against me or each other!)
