RHS Rhododendron Competition

The last weekend of April brought with it the annual RHS main rhododendron competition held at Rosemoor. Here professional and amateur gather with one defining trait, a shared obsession with the ‘Rose Tree’. From the Greek  ῥόδον (rhódon) for Rose and δένδρον (déndron) meaning ‘tree’ - an apposite name for a genus that has so ensnared its admirers in a way only comparable to that gardeners’ favourite from which it derives. This horticultural legacy has given rise to a mind boggling diversity of form through the richness of species discovered and collected from the wild and subsequent hybrids raised by enthusiasts from that wild bounty. There are few better places to admire this diversity than the show, where growers bring sprays and single trusses of their prized specimens to display and, lest we forget, compete for coveted awards.

Hergest Croft arrived jostling for places alongside gardens famed for their Rhododendron luminaries: Exbury, Bodnant, and The Crown Estate - a roll call of horticultural excellence. Despite the usual stiff competition, I think it is fair to say we were tried and not found wanting. Particular highlights included R. pingianum which took third in the ‘any species one spray’ and R. rex which came second in the ‘any species from subsection Grandia and Falconera’. Also quite pleasing was the second prize which went to R. ambiguum 'Jane Banks' in ‘any spray from subsection Triflora’ which was first awarded an AM when exhibited by W.L. & R.A. Banks in 1976. It was great to have it back on the show bench.

Full list of prizes

Any three species, one truss of each. 3^rd R. rex, R. kesangiae, R. (need to check what the third is probably some form of R. sanguineum)

Any species, one spray. 3^rd R. pingianum

Any hybrid, one spray. 3^rd R. ‘Alison Johnstone’

Any species of subsect. Campanulata, subsect. Fulgensia or subsect. Lanata, one truss. 2^nd R. campanulata CC6141

Any species of subsect. Grandia or subsect. Falconera, one truss. 2^nd R. Rex

Any species of subsect. Neriiflora, one truss. 1^st R. neriiflorum, 2^nd R. sanguineum

Any species of subsect. Neriiflora, one spray. 2^nd R. neriiflorum

Any species of subsect. Pontica, one truss. 1^st R. makinoi

Any species of subsect. Triflora and subsect. Heliolepida other than R. augustinii, one spray. 2^nd R. ambiguum ‘Jane Banks’, 4^th R. sp (Subsect. Triflora) CC98316

Any species of subsect. Lapponica, one spray. 1^st R. impeditum

Any species of evergreen azalea, one spray. 1^st R. kaempferi

Any hybrid of which one parent is R. griersonianum, one truss. 3^rd R. ‘Matador’

Any hybrid of which one parent is a species of subsect. Taliensia, one truss. 2^nd R x wightii

Any deciduous hybrid azalea, one spray. 3^rd R. ‘Rustica Phideas’, 4^th R. molle hybrid