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Post by scrumpy on Jul 6, 2013 13:15:17 GMT
It's the nationals at Harrogate Saturday and Sunday next week so i'll be putting an entry in today. I was going to do the under 200 plants section which needs 7 spikes per vase, 3 entries, Millenium in the reds, Sir Jimmy Shand fancy/picottee, and a vase of mixed, using my seedlings. However, after spending the morning with Bev Chislett who came to have a look at my plants,I may be entering the division 1 category for reds and mixed. Bev was national champion a few years ago and reckoned that my Millenium were really good and if I had 15 they would have a chance for best in show. Big if....there are 15 on the plants at the moment that could be cut, but I'd rather go for something like that than play safe lower down the divisions. As for the seedlings, he was really impressed with all of them and was particularly enthusiastic about the cream one, and said that a mixed vase of all of them would take some beating. There are also classes for 12 in a vase, so I could be making loads of entries throughout the divisions and choosing on the day. All I have to do now is practice arranging them....I struggle with 7 so god knows how 15 will go  |
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Post by scrumpy on Jul 7, 2013 13:18:27 GMT
here is the first practice 
Think there are 7 at the back,then 6, then 2 in the front. Looks untidy so I'm doing something wrong but at least the stems are straight |
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Post by sweetpea on Jul 7, 2013 21:47:37 GMT
Hi Scrumpy, the usual layout for 15 is 7, 5 and 3 although 8 and 7 can be very effective if a good weight of bloom.
Good luck.
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Post by Cherry on Jul 8, 2013 5:53:22 GMT
Hi Scrumpy, the usual layout for 15 is 7, 5 and 3 although 8 and 7 can be very effective if a good weight of bloom. Good luck. I looked at the sweetpeas on Saturday and the white ones looked good in the centre with the colours at the back. These look good. |
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Post by Rosie on Jul 8, 2013 8:55:26 GMT
They are lovely Scrumpy, I hope you do well!
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Post by scrumpy on Jul 8, 2013 21:56:18 GMT
Thanks for all the tips and comments. They look a lot better from a distance Heres an attempt at 15 Millenium 
I've got the 7,5,3..the lowest blooms about 10 ", back blooms about 18". Is that about right? Out of those I could get a really good 7, a not bad 9. Tomorrow I'll try a 9 of Sir Jimmy Shand. |
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Post by sweetpea on Jul 8, 2013 22:09:47 GMT
There used to be a entry for a vase of 25 at the national. Not sure if they still ask for it.
That really takes a bit of ingenuity to stage well.
Your right hand bloom seems to have slipped a little and when you stage for real don't forget the twin leaf front and rear. It can actually assist with keeping the reluctant stem in place as well as the decorative effect.
I always practised the lay out on a sheet of paper before actually placing in the vase. That way you get the chance to alter easily without messing up the staging material particularly if using oasis.
I cut my first four today. most are still threes but indoors the scent is intoxicating.
That millenium looks a lovely colour.
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Post by Cherry on Jul 9, 2013 5:34:44 GMT
That does look really good. I think if it is a bold colour like those, they have to be better quality than the paler ones because they stand out so much.
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Post by scrumpy on Jul 12, 2013 8:00:06 GMT
Cut all the blooms now.
Have got loads of Millenium and Sir Jimmy to choose from.
Have also cut 7 of my pink seedling so I've phoned through an entry for those.
Have also got at least one each of 7 other seedlings, which is what I really wanted.
Will start straightening the stems a little now, then get them ready for transporting.
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Post by scrumpy on Jul 12, 2013 10:28:44 GMT
All packed up ready to go. One on the left has the seedlings in plus a few Millenium. Other one has Millenium and Sir Jimmy. We'll see what survives the journey later. 
From that lot I could get some really good 7's and 9's, but I may forego them to do the 15's with Millenium, 12 with Sir Jimmy Shand as I'll probably never get the chance again to get decent vases with that number. Seedlings definitely going into the 15's. |
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Post by Cherry on Jul 12, 2013 11:25:41 GMT
Cut all the blooms now. Have got loads of Millenium and Sir Jimmy to choose from. Have also cut 7 of my pink seedling so I've phoned through an entry for those. Have also got at least one each of 7 other seedlings, which is what I really wanted. Will start straightening the stems a little now, then get them ready for transporting. and sweetpea, how do you straighten the stems? There was a bent stem on the winning 15 stems at the show I was at last week. |
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Post by Rosie on Jul 12, 2013 11:47:39 GMT
Thats an interesting question Cherry, how do you straighten the stems? Your sweetpeas look really beautiful Scrumpy, best of luck with the show |
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Post by scrumpy on Jul 14, 2013 7:58:25 GMT
Well we ended up with 5 2nds and a third out of that lot.It was a nightmare journey up, should have taken 2 1/2 to 3 hours, ended up over 5 because of motorway accidents meaning back roads had to be used. The hottest day of the year in a small car meant a lot of those peas suffered and couldn't be used.
I managed a vase of 15 Millenium, which was what I wanted, and they came 2nd out of 3 entries. Really chuffed with that one.
The remaining ones went into a vase of 7 and they got a 2nd. My 7 best would have won easily.
Sir Jimmy Shand I managed a vase of 12, which came 3rd out of 6 entries.
The remainder went into a vase of 7 which came 2nd.
If I'd picked my best 7 they would still have come 2nd. The chap that one all the lower division prizes had some incredible spikes. Individually they were probably the best sweet peas in the show. Huge blooms and massive stems.
I managed a vase of 7 pink seedlings in a vase that came 2nd. Again to the chap above who had some really good ones.
Mixed vase, I ended up just having 7 surviving the journey, but they looked nice in a vase. They came 2nd, but a lot of interest in some of the colour breaks.
Generally, my spikes compared favourably with the big growers for size and length of stem. Quite a few entries throughout, the multi vase exhibits looked really good.
As to varieties, Dalesman and Doreen seemed the most popular new ones and looked good.
Pictures to follow.
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Post by Cherry on Jul 14, 2013 10:36:43 GMT
Scrumpy that is really great. Congratulations.  This is a national show and the weather was still against you. Good to hear news of what is coming up and what the others are doing too. The awful journey was not wasted, because you really had a great day. |
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Post by Moonlight on Jul 14, 2013 14:03:26 GMT
Well we ended up with 5 2nds and a third out of that lot.It was a nightmare journey up, should have taken 2 1/2 to 3 hours, ended up over 5 because of motorway accidents meaning back roads had to be used. The hottest day of the year in a small car meant a lot of those peas suffered and couldn't be used.I managed a vase of 15 Millenium, which was what I wanted, and they came 2nd out of 3 entries. Really chuffed with that one. The remaining ones went into a vase of 7 and they got a 2nd. My 7 best would have won easily.Sir Jimmy Shand I managed a vase of 12, which came 3rd out of 6 entries. The remainder went into a vase of 7 which came 2nd. If I'd picked my best 7 they would still have come 2nd. The chap that one all the lower division prizes had some incredible spikes. Individually they were probably the best sweet peas in the show. Huge blooms and massive stems. I managed a vase of 7 pink seedlings in a vase that came 2nd. Again to the chap above who had some really good ones. Mixed vase, I ended up just having 7 surviving the journey, but they looked nice in a vase. They came 2nd, but a lot of interest in some of the colour breaks. Generally, my spikes compared favourably with the big growers for size and length of stem. Quite a few entries throughout, the multi vase exhibits looked really good. As to varieties, Dalesman and Doreen seemed the most popular new ones and looked good. Pictures to follow.  Respect.
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This is a national show and the weather was still against you. Good to hear news of what is coming up and what the others are doing too. The awful journey was not wasted, because you really had a great day.
