Northern Group A G M and Early show Sunday 3 March 2013

Contributed by Chris Bone (photos Chris Bone and John Freer)

Seventeen members attended the meeting at Denton on 3 March 2013. The meeting was chaired by Richard Smales as Rae Beckwith was still in New Zealand and our President Wendy Akers and James were daffodil hunting in France but Wendy left a report.

The show is very early and with this year’s freezing grip of winter I didn’t think there would be any flowers. To my amazement Sue Vinden and Alan Brierley brought some flowers to make a show which made it interesting. Well done.

President’s report
Last year was challenging to say the least, Harrogate closing early on the last day (rain) and even more shocking, the Great Yorkshire Show being cancelled after the first day. So a huge hope that this year is better. Having said that, the daffodils dug up are like turnips, so they enjoyed all the water. The Northern Group A.G.M being at Denton on the west side of the northern region, with the speaker Anne Wright, refreshments and the early show. Harrogate Spring Show is 25 to 28 April 2013 (please note that exhibitors can stage from 2pm on 24 April, judging begins promptly at 7.30am Thursday morning). The staging area is open all night with N Group facilities available for tea and coffee. All show details, including local shows, are available on the Northern Group website: www.thenortherngroup.co.uk and downloads of show schedules are also available including the Late Show at Pilley.

Secretary’s report
The secretary reported that we had a good year and would like to thank all of the members for their help at the shows for putting up staging and dismantling at the finish, also helping to man the stands at the different venues and hope we can do the same this year, without you there would be no shows.

Treasurer’s report
We are in quite a healthy position with income from Harrogate Spring Show £180, Great Yorkshire Show £120 and Autumn Show £180 for educational stands by John Freer. We can’t thank him enough. Then there is £150 from Gateshead MBC with thanks to Rae Beckwith. There is a further £100 from Hort Soc of Manchester and Northern Groups due to the efforts of Chris Bone. Where would we be without these people working tirelessly on behalf of the Northern Group. The bulb sale continues to be a big success thanks again to the people who work quietly behind the scenes and our generous sponsors.

The election of officers is: – President:  Wendy Akers, Chairman:  Rae Beckwith                                                  Secretary: Chris Bone, Treasurer: Anne Smales

Election of committee   All agreed to stand for another year

Guest Speaker
To round off the meeting our guest speaker was Anne Wright celebrated breeder of miniature daffodils who gave a talk entitled “Make your own Daffodils” where she used a slide show and video to demonstrate pollinating and then twin scaling which was very informative (you could hear a pin drop). Anne also brought along some of her seedlings which were in flower, to demonstrate the variations possible from one seed pod.



Top left Anne Wright with her pots.
Top right and lower left close-ups of a few pots. Lower right, John Colley picking Anne’s brains

Sue Vinden was competing with Alan Brierley which made a show, which was ably judged by Harry Fogg. With the winner of the Northern Group Early Show Trophy being Alan with a nice vase of N. ‘Paper White’ and Sue with a nice ‘Mitzy’ getting Best Bloom and a Bronze Medal.

The show results:(winners only)
Class 1: 1^st A. Brierley, ‘Paper White’ (Best exhibit). Class 2: 1^st Sue Vinden, ‘Jet Fire’. Class 3: Sue Vinden, ‘St Keverne’. Class 4: 1^st Sue Vinden, ‘Mitzy’. Class 8: 1^st Sue Vinden ‘St Keverne’. Class 11: 1^st Sue Vinden, ‘Bridal Crown’. Class 16: 1^st A. Brierley, ‘Paper White’. Class 17: 1^st Sue Vinden, ‘Mitzy’ (best bloom). Class 18: 1^st A. Brierley, ‘Tête a Tête’.

The meeting closed at 4-00pm so members could get home as the weather was not very good.