Lilium Royal Sunset at the RHS Cardiff Show, April 2012
It has been over a week now since I went to the Royal Horticultural Society’s show here in Cardiff. But I took so many pictures that it has taken this long to process them.
Here I will mainly show you some close-ups of plants in the floral marquees, with just a couple of the show gardens and general views towards the bottom of this post. There are other pictures on my Flickr page.
It was such a wet Sunday morning that the marquees were the best place to be! It always amazes me how the nurseries manage to bring along plants in bloom from all seasons on the one weekend.
Heuchera Blackberry Jam on the Plantagogo stand at the RHS Cardiff Show, April 2012 - I bought two Heucheras, I love them so much...
Daffodils - Narcissus Pencrebar - at the RHS Cardiff Show, April 2012
Begonia My Best Friend at the RHS Cardiff Show, April 2012
Streptocarpus Frosty Diamond from Dibleys Nurseries at the RHS Cardiff Show, April 2012
Ferocactus glaucescens from Craig House Cacti at the RHS Cardiff Show, April 2012
Sun pitcher plants Heliamphora elongata from Hewitt-Cooper Carnivorous Plants at the RHS Cardiff Show, April 2012
Zantedeschia Picasso at the RHS Cardiff Show, April 2012
Hydrangea Fireworks at the RHS Cardiff Show, April 2012
Vriesea gigantea Nova at the RHS Cardiff Show, April 2012
Lilium Aranal at the RHS Cardiff Show, April 2012
Orchid - Oncidium alexandrae from McBean's Orchids of East Sussex at the RHS Cardiff Show, April 2012
Fritillaries at the RHS Cardiff Show, April 2012
Lilium Eyeliner at the RHS Cardiff Show, April 2012
Lilium Linda at the RHS Cardiff Show, April 2012
I bought five of these for a pot - Lilium Trebbiano
Chrysanthemum Lemon Zembla from Devine Nurseries at the RHS Cardiff Show, April 2012
Chrysanthemum Batini from Devine Nurseries at the RHS Cardiff Show, April 2012
Agapanthus - I bought some big blue evergreen ones from a lovely Yorkshireman on the Hoyland Plant Centre stand...
Lovely Japanese Acer shirasawanum Jordan at the RHS Cardiff Show, April 2012
Oranges grow on trees...
A wet Lilium Columbia on one of the outside trade stalls...
Sunflower Pina Cola (or did it mean Colada?) at the RHS Cardiff Show, April 2012
The stall holder was on me like a shot when I took this picture - trying to sell me this lovely little dragon!
Beautiful irises in this Urban Oasis garden designed by Chris Beardshaw, sponsored by Marks & Spencer and built by Groundwork UK...
Waste slate is made into a wall in the shape of a fern frond in this Regeneration garden from Broxton & Moruzzi...
This modern urban garden with pots and grasses is called Off the Shelf and it's from Gaynor Witchard Design and Alfresco Landscape and Garden
A badger features in the Wildlife Gardening for Everyone show garden from The Wildlife Trusts of South & West Wales
A Dream Journey - a show garden from Arriva Trains and Bridgend College
Cooper's Field is surrounded by lovely trees - this one was golden even though the weather was grey...
This general view gives you an idea how wet it was...
Cooper's Field is just behind Cardiff Castle - seen here with Stadium House in the background...
Here the city centre building beyond Cardiff Castle is Capital Tower in Greyfriars...
The Squirrelbasket 
Some post!
The pitcher plants. Extraordinary! Never heard of them. Never seen anything like them!
I’m a bit surprised you haven’t seen pitcher plants before. I’ve always thought they were incredible – the way a plant can evolve to drown insects to add nitrogen to its nutrients, which would otherwise be lacking.
I expect you know sundew and Venus fly trap, though, don’t you? Same problem, different solutions…
Best wishes 🙂
After pressing to comment, I began to doubt. The name rang a bell. When I scrolled back, I saw they were from Hewitt-Cooper so realised they are carnivorous. I think it’s the scale that’s confusing me. How big are these? What I’m certain of is that I’ve never met one in real life – so they live in a hazy, mythical place in my mind.
I’ve come across Venus fly traps. But sundews – again only in photos.
The pitcher plants pictured were Heliamphora elongata from Venezuela and were up to six or seven inches tall. But then there’s this giant pitcher plant from the Philippines that can eat a whole rat!
Best wishes 🙂
Thanks for the lovely photos. Reminded me of my day too – on the Friday and was lucky to see the show before it rained. For me, happy memories.
There was so much to see at the show wasn’t there?
Yes, it was pretty good, and I love the setting as much as anything 🙂
I enjoyed this virtual trip on this rainy day…Michelle
OMG..pitcher plants..I just found out about them..Here in Florida 2-3 times a year we are plagued with ” Lovebugs” The pitcher plant has an odor that attracts the” LB” they will go down into the tubes,unable to get back out so I have be searching nurseries for them. I wish to plant them in my ” WEED” garden….wish me luck in my endeavor…
My last comment dropped this line..I’m sure it’s in cyber space..somewhere..
I have enjoyed reading about ” merry ole England” and such and learned so much from reading your site…thank you again
I wish I’d been able to go, but seeing the photos on your blog was nearly as good. I have a soft spot for Heucheras too. I’ll look out for “Blackberry Jam”.
Beautiful photo’s Pat. I felt as if I was with you at the Cardiff Show. I can almost smell and feel the flowers. Wonderful Thanks.
Amazing photos of some marvelous flowers, Pat!
Thanks for the kind comment – there was more to get my teeth into than my usual garden weeds 🙂