The best display of bougainvilleas anywhere in Europe scooped the top award and the judges’ praise at this year’s National Amateur Gardening Show.
The breathtaking stand exhibited by Westdale Nursery won a Large Gold and the title of Best in Show in the Floral Marquee.
“It is the best exhibit of bougainvilleas that we have seen at ANY Show – Hampton Court, Chelsea, Tatton and Malvern included!” said Roy Cheek who is himself hailed as one of the finest plantsmen and most knowledgeable horticultural experts in the country.
“You will not find a better collection anywhere else in Europe – it must be the best in Europe,” declared fellow judge Vic Verrier. “You rarely see a bougainvillea stand getting Best in Show anywhere so it is nice to see it happen here and it is also good that he is a local grower with good quality plants, and well displayed natural plants.
And judge Angela Cave said it was wonderful to see the flowers looking exactly like they should do –the same as they look when seen growing naturally abroad.
Westdale Nurseries, based at Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire is run by Charlie Clarke. It is a family business – Charlie’s founded it 50 years ago. Also named Charlie, Mr Clarke senior is 90 but still lends a hand as does Charlie junior’s wife, and seven children. And with a ninth grandchild on the way he is pretty certain it will stay a family business.
When told the judge’s comments Charlie said he could hardly believe it. “What can I say?” But as the news sunk in he said: “We do put an awful lot of effort into it. We grow 260 varieties and I believe we have the largest collection in the country and we send a lot of them around the world.”
So why does he prefer bougainvilleas? “They are very colourful and so versatile; they are pest-free and disease-free; they are ideal for hanging baskets; they flower for a oong time; people use them instead of blinds for their windows; they are easy to grow and last a long time – I’ve got one over 200 years old! The secret is keep them frost-free keep them fed, and then they can be as easily trained as husbands!”
Meanwhile the judges also praised the quality and high standards of the Floral Marquee exhibits in general. “It is the best Floral Marquee that we have ever seen at this Show, over all the years we have been involved,” enthused Roy Cheek.
“The quality is well up and the layout of the marquee has been vastly improved. I think the public will appreciate it very much too – they will see the improved quality and the better layout allows them to compare everything much more easily than in previous year,” said Vic.
And Roy added it was very obvious many of the exhibitors had taken on board the judges’ comments at previous shows as improvement was evident.
And he pooh-poohed marquee moaners who sometimes say that a Gold Medal at NAGS is the equivalent of a Silver Gilt at Chelsea. “I assure you a Gold Medal here at NAGS is equivalent to a gold at Chelsea! The Large Gold is a superb award!” he declared.
The three judges, who spent over four hours studying the 54 displays in minute detail and making copious notes, said they had been delighted by the standards.
*Roy Cheek spent 15 years working in parks, gardens and nurseries, from gardener to chief officer; he was a senior lecturer and curator of gardens at Cannington College, and for 15 years has been an international tour leader and lecturer and advisor, looking at plants all over the world. He also exhibited at Chelsea for 25 years and judged there for 20. He lives near Bridgwater and is also the senior advisor of RHS holidays as well as master-minding the Chelsea exhibit for Mauritius each year.
Angela Cave professes to be a latecomer to horticulture. She went to Lackham eight years ago and did a three year course where she won the Institute of Horticulture’s student of the year award – the Oliver Menhinnick Trophy. She went to work for Mendip District Council’s parks and gardens department and now runs her own horticultural company.
Vic Verrier has been involved in horticulture all his life starting off as a horticulture apprentice and finishing up as parks and amenities manager at Taunton Deane Borough Council. He is chairman of South West in Bloom, freelances for the BBC, broadcasts gardening programmes for BBC Radio Bristol and Somerset Sound, is one of the panel for the ITV Gardening Roadshow and writes for Gardens Monthly. He is appearing at the Show as one of the panel on the The Sun’s Gardening Roadshow.