National Begonia Society, North West Area

North West Area North West Meetings Representative : Denis Hague
Meetings are held on the first Friday of April, June, and October (BUT SEE NOTE BELOW) at the Hartwood Hotel, Chorley, commencing at 7.30 pm. The hotel is situated near junction 8 of the M61, it can be seen on the right after the roundabout heading into Chorley on the A6, to obtain entry to the car park you will need to go round the next roundabout and come back along the other lane of the dual carriageway. Mind you do not miss the entry, as it is almost immediate after the roundabout. All are welcome, even if you are not in the National Begonia Society, we can soon arrange for membership. Speakers are usually arranged from North West members, and whilst the emphasis is with large flowered named varieties, many members also grow non-tuberous varieties and species. A few also specialize in basket varieties and the smaller multiflora types. Advice is freely available with any problems that growers have, with the wide experience amongst the North West members, there are usually answers to any problems or difficulties encountered by growers
AREA NEWS
NORTH WEST AREA SOUTHPORT FLOWER SHOW Victoria Park, Southport. Thursday 21^st. Friday 22^nd. Saturday 23^rd. Sunday 24^th. August . Judges : Dave Staines and Derek L Telford Schedules from Southport Flower Show. The 20 Pot Class is to be re-introduced PICTURES OF 2007 SHOW MEETINGS Friday 4^th. April 7.30pm - Speaker Andy Hardie of Nutrimate Friday 6^th. June 7.30pm - Speaker Plant sale followed by Bob Bryce on "Times Gone By" Friday 3^rd. October 7.30pm - Speaker Denis Hague on"Begonias and Epiphyllums" Hartwood Hotel, Chorley. On right hand side into Chorley off the M61. Shirley's Plants Shirley and Terry Tasker Holders of a National Collection of Begonias. OPEN DAY Sunday September 7th 1pm to 4pm Please book with us first.
2007 SOUTHPORT FLOWER SHOW Victoria Park, Southport. Thursday 16^th. Friday 17^th. Saturday 18^th. Sunday 19^th. August Judges: Alan Harris, Derek Telford. Schedules from Southport Flower Show. MEETINGS Friday 6^th. April 7.30pm - Speaker Vincent Potts. Friday 1^st. June 7.30pm - Plant auction followed by a quiz, chaired by Jack Larter. Friday 5^th. October 7.30pm - 2 Speakers: Terry Tasker and Dennis Need. Hartwood Hotel, Chorley. On right hand side into Chorley off the M61.
2006 SOUTHPORT FLOWER SHOW Victoria Park, Southport. Thursday 17^th. Friday 18^th. Saturday 19^th. Sunday 20^th. August Judges: Alan Harris, Derek Telford. PICTURES MEETINGS Friday 7^th. April 7.30pm Friday 2^nd. June 7.30pm Friday 6^th. October 7.30pm Hartwood Hotel, Chorley. On right hand side into Chorley off the M61.
SOUTHPORT FLOWER SHOW Thursday 18th. - Sunday 21st. August 2005 The begonia classes were the best supported for many years with a good entry in both the pot and bloom classes. Report & pictures by Alan Harris MORE PICTURES OF THIS YEAR'S SHOW			3 cut-blooms - 1st. Denis Hague. Best Bloom - Fred Martin at front.
6 cut-blooms - 1st. Dennis Hague.	The Pot Plant Classes. .	The Cut-bloom Classes. .	Best Pot - Fireflush Vincent Potts.
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	Congratulations to Terry Tasker and his wife Shirley who staged a magnificent display of Species and Hybrid Begonias at the 2005 Holker Hall Garden Festival. They were awarded a Gold Medal and were also awarded "The Lady Cavendish Award" for the best exhibit in the Floral Marquee. PICTURES FROM THE NATIONAL COLLECTION Report & picture by Jeff Rhodes. Shirley's Plants Holders of a National Collection of Begonias. 2005 OPEN DAY - SUNDAY 18TH. SEPTEMBER 1pm. - 4pm. Please book first.
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MEETINGS IN 2005: Friday 1^st. April 7.30pm Friday 3^rd. June 7.30pm AUTUMN MEETING Please note change of date. The venue is unavailable for the first (or second) Friday in October New Date - Friday 30th. September. 7.30pm Denis Hague North West Meetings Rep.
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Southport Show. Thursday 21^st. Friday 22^nd. Saturday 23^rd. August 2003 The entries in the show were better than I had expected following the very hot spell in the weeks prior to the show. There were some empty spaces on the benches, mainly in the cut bloom section. John Talbot being the winner of many of these classes, plus best cut bloom with ”Monica Bryce”. The pot plants made an excellent display, with Vincent Potts winning the 6-pot class, for which he was also awarded the John Wilder Trophy plus another of the Southport Trophies. Peter Foster was second. Bob Joy after only growing for 3 years was a worthy winner of the restricted 6-pot, which also gave him the Blackmore and Langdon Trophy to polish during the winter. Second place going to Brian Taylor, although he must have been pleased that it was Bob Joy who beat him, as he has been Bob’s mentor over the past couple of years. Denis Hague, with “Apricot Delight”, “Ziggy”, and “Geoff Bisley”, was the winner of the 3-pot class, with “Ziggy” being awarded the Rosette for best pot. Brian Taylor was second in this class with “Mrs Elizabeth MacLauchlan”, “Lady”, and “Beryl Rhodes”. Vincent Potts taking the 3rd prize. In the past few years Denis Hague has won the single pot plant class with “Jessie Cruikshank” and best pot with this variety, but whilst it was still a superb plant winning the class, his “Ziggy” was better this year. It was pleasing to see 4 entries in the class calling for a plant of tuberous and non-tuberous, this was another win for Vincent Potts. His rex of “Snow Queen” dwarfed the 7-inch pot in which it was grown. I was quite impressed with this spiral leaved variety, and thought it was the most impressive non-tuberous plant in the show. Thanks must go to Glenda Sweeney, who did a great deal of work on the Bureau, selling supports and other begonia items and organizing a system at the sell off of plants at the end of the show. Thanks must also be extended to the other members who gave help, Derek Telford, Len Gill, and others, especially Brian Taylor who took over late afternoon allowing helpers living further away to get home at a reasonable time. PICTURES Report by Dennis Need
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	Terry and Shirley Tasker were awarded a Gold Medal for their display of non-tuberous begonias at the Tatton RHS Show, 23^rd - 27^thJuly. Terry will giving a talk at the next Area Meeting (see below). Shirleys Plants Begonia Species & Hybrids
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OCTOBER MEETING 2003 For the October meeting, Terry Tasker will be giving a talk on the growing of non-tuberous Begonias, mainly as a beginners guide. Terry was an enthusiastic grower of tuberous begonias until his interest in other types became an obsession, and whilst he still grows some large flowered varieties, these have now taken a back seat compared to the wonderful collection he now has. With his wife Shirley they are now one of the three National Collection holders of Begonias, and they show at a number of venues during the show season. For folk interested in these wonderful plants, they are having an open day for the NCCPG, on the 7th September 2003, from 1.00 PM until 6.00 PM. Their web site is shown below, where their home address, phone number, and direction map is shown.http://www.stbegonias.com If attending, please inform Terry and Shirley, so they know how many tea bags milk and cakes etc to get in, to help make your visit more enjoyable.
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	June 2003 Meeting Following the excellent talk given by Bob Bryce in the April meeting on his growing methods, we had another good meeting in June, with another superb talk by Jack Larter. The points he brought up and variations on propagation, were an eye opener for both amateur and experienced growers. The plants he brought to show many of the different types of cuttings that could be taken, were looking quite bare by the end of the evening, but the hands on display were surely a great help to members with little experience of propagation.
THE SOUTHPORT SHOW
	Area bureau at the Southport Show 2003.
	Area entry at the Southport Show 2002 The display was awarded a Large Gold Medal and trophy for best Society entry.
	Area entry at the Southport Show 2001 The display was awarded a Large Gold Medal and trophy for "Best Society Entry".
	Area bureau at the Southport Show 2000. Left to right : Neville Webb, Jack Larter, Derek Telford (Society bulletin editor), Len Gill (Society Chairman and Yorkshire/Humberside Area Representative).
	Area entry for the Area Class at the Southport 1999, awarded 3rd. prize. First prize went to the Scottish entry.
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