Summary - 2008 Early Shows.
Once again we have seen a decline in
entries on the show bench, although quality remains typically high in the
top exhibits. The weather during August and September was not kind to the
exhibitor - very little sunshine meant bloom development slowed down for
many growers. Medium reflexed
cultivars were once again the most popular section with John Wingfields
and Chempak Roses being grown much to the exclusion of other reflexed
cultivars. These two families are consistent year on year so there is
little doubt why exhibitors concentrate on them for the backbone of their
exhibits. Large intermediates rely
almost solely on Billy Bell, Yellow Billy Bell and Lyn Johnson, with the
odd vase of Chessington sports popping up from time to time. Large
Reflexed are becoming something of a rarity with only one or two growers
prepared to grow this difficult section. Popular cultivars in this section
are Pearl Celebrations and Courtiers. Medium
intermediates rely almost entirely on Millennium with a few vases of
Woolley Globe and Cornetto making up the numbers. In
the incurved section only Joyce Frieda now seems worth growing as nearly
all other cultivars have fallen by the wayside. Please
note: the above notes are my personal opinion based on observations during
the 2008 show season in Scotland. These opinions may not be representative
of other parts of the UK.
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