AGM

Trial of Garden Pinks 2007 (An RHS Long Term Trial)

There were no recommendations for the Award of Garden Merit following assessment of the 2007 trial.

Assessment on 5 June 2007 Trial Notes Objective: To assess, compare and demonstrate a range of cultivars submitted by

nurseries and individuals and to recommend the Award of Garden Merit. Judging: The Border Carnation & Pinks Trials Sub-committee assessed the trial on the

5th, 21st, and 27th June 2007. They used a scoring system out of 25 points, based on the following criteria:

Impact : plant growth : floriferousness : flower size/form/colour : perfume.

The Sub-committee also visited the trial on the 5th September to inspect and score the late season foliage, and to review the awards that had been recommended during the summer.

Meteorological Report and Findings: Some quite unusual weather patterns were seen in 2007. A very wet

February and March were followed by the driest, sunniest April on Wisley's records. May was very wet, followed by an average June. July was the wettest on Wisley's records causing flooding in parts of the garden and by the end of August the cumulative 2007 rainfall total was 612.5mm, a value comparable to a whole year (2006: 607.4, long term 646.7). In comparison, September was dry, with around one third of the long term average rainfall. This year the trial was first sprayed for aphids and rust fairly soon after being planted, rather than in the spring as had been done in previous years.

2

Despite all the rain, the curatorial team found that they needed to apply fewer applications of fungicides and insecticides than in previous years. First flowers were produced in late April and by June most of the plants were in full flower. The plants produced a large number of flowers this year and the rain seemed to help produce good foliage on the plants. However, the heavy rain in July and August did cause some damage to the later blooms. The following entries were considered to be miniature pinks rather than garden pinks and were assessed as such during the trial:

37 Iced Gem = 'WP06 Fatima' (syn. 'Devon Fatima') 43 Tickled Pink = ' Devon PP 11' 44 Slap 'n' Tickle = 'WP 05 PP 22'

The following entries had performed well this year and the Sub-committee agreed that they should not be considered as candidates for AGM removal at the AGM review in 2012:

15 ‘Rose Joy’ 18 ‘Houndspool Ruby’ (syn. 'Ruby') 19 ‘Diane’ 26 'Moulin Rouge'

Although a number of plants were considered suitable candidates for the Society's AWARD OF GARDEN MERIT (H4) (given to plants that are considered to be excellent for garden use) during the flowering season, their foliage was not considered good enough during the September inspection to meet the Award of Garden Merit standards. Therefore, the Border Carnation and Pinks Trials Sub-committee did not recommend the Award of Garden Merit to any garden pinks this year.

Records: For each entry a record was made of the date flowering started and the 50%

flowering date. Entries: There were 46 entries in this Long Term trial, of which 28 already hold the

AGM. Entries were submitted as plants raised from cuttings. Cultivation: The trial was planted in autumn 2006. The site was rotovated mechanically,

then cultivated by hand. There were four plants per entry. Each entry was planted in blocks 25cm square, with 35cm between entries.

The following top dressings were applied in the spring after soil analysis:

• Ammonium sulphate for nitrogen at a rate of 30g/m2. • Sulphate of potash for potassium at 240g/m2 • Triple superphosphate for phosphorus at 70g/ m2 • Kieserite for magnesium at 80g/m2

The pH of the site was 7.3 The plants were sprayed against aphid, rust and ringspot as necessary.

Plants, Senders and Awards: AGM = Award of Garden Merit H4 = Plants hardy outside throughout the British Isles

3

Number Cultivar Award Sender 1 ‘Mel Welch’ C Welch 2 'Linfield Rita Linnell' J Linnell 3 'Linfield Dorothy Perry' AGM (H4) 1999 J Linnell 4 'Linfield Kathy Booker' AGM (H4) 2004 J Linnell 5 'Linfield Julie' (Sdg. white ground

laced double '04) J Linnell

6 ‘Letitia Wyatt’ AGM (H4) 1995 Whetman Pinks Ltd 7 ‘Monica Wyatt’ AGM (H4) 1993 Whetman Pinks Ltd 8 ‘Valda Wyatt’ AGM (H4) 1993 Whetman Pinks Ltd 9 Crimson Valda = ‘Devon Kitty’ AGM (H4) 1998 Whetman Pinks Ltd 10 Carmine Valda = ‘Devon Louise’ AGM (H4) 1998 Whetman Pinks Ltd 11 Pink Valda = ‘Devon Judith’ AGM (H4) 1999 Whetman Pinks Ltd 12 White Valda = ‘Devon Isolde’ AGM (H4) 2001 Whetman Pinks Ltd 13 ‘Joy’ AGM (H4) 1995 Whetman Pinks Ltd 14 ‘White Joy’ AGM (H4) 1996 Whetman Pinks Ltd 15 ‘Rose Joy’ AGM (H4) 1994 Whetman Pinks Ltd 16 ‘Claret Joy’ AGM (H4) 1995 Whetman Pinks Ltd 17 ‘Faith’ Whetman Pinks Ltd 18 ‘Houndspool Ruby’ (syn. 'Ruby') AGM (H4) 1993 Whetman Pinks Ltd 19 ‘Diane’ AGM (H4) 1996 Whetman Pinks Ltd 20 ‘Doris’ AGM (H4) 1993 Whetman Pinks Ltd 21 ‘Houndspool Cheryl’ (syn. 'Cheryl') AGM (H4) 1994 Whetman Pinks Ltd

22 ‘Haytor White’ (syn. ‘Haytor’) AGM (H4) 1993 Whetman Pinks Ltd 23 ‘Haytor Rock’ AGM (H4) 1995 Whetman Pinks Ltd 24 ‘Devon Wizard’ AGM (H4) 1995 Whetman Pinks Ltd 25 ‘Devon General’ Whetman Pinks Ltd 26 ‘Moulin Rouge’ AGM (H4) 2003 Whetman Pinks Ltd 27 Lily the Pink = ‘WP05 Idare’ (syn.

'Devon Idare') Whetman Pinks Ltd

28 Lady Madonna = 'WP04 Opal' (syn. Devon Opal)

Whetman Pinks Ltd

29 ‘Rose Monica Wyatt’ AGM (H4) 1998 Whetman Pinks Ltd 30 ‘Cranmere Pool’ AGM (H4) 1994 Whetman Pinks Ltd 31 ‘Widecombe Fair’ AGM (H4) 1995 Whetman Pinks Ltd 32 ‘Waterloo Sunset’ Whetman Pinks Ltd 33 'Crimson Joy' (syn.'Cherry Pie') Whetman Pinks Ltd 34 Bright Eyes = 'WP08 Amethyst' Whetman Pinks Ltd 35 Dancing Queen = 'WP07 Verity' Whetman Pinks Ltd 36 ‘Strawberries and Cream’ Whetman Pinks Ltd 37 Iced Gem = 'WP06 Fatima' (syn.

'Devon Fatima') Assessed as a miniature pink

Whetman Pinks Ltd

38 ‘Gran's Favourite’ AGM (H4) 1993 Whetman Pinks Ltd 39 ‘Laced Monarch’ Whetman Pinks Ltd 40 Lady in Red = 'WP04 Xanthe’ Whetman Pinks Ltd 41 Candy Floss = 'Devon Flavia' Whetman Pinks Ltd 42 Coral Reef = 'WP07 Oldrice' Whetman Pinks Ltd 43 Tickled Pink = ' Devon PP 11'

Assessed as a miniature pink Whetman Pinks Ltd

4

44 Slap 'n' Tickle = 'WP 05 PP 22' Assessed as a miniature pink

Whetman Pinks Ltd

45 ‘Devon Magic’ Whetman Pinks Ltd 46 ‘Carmine Letitia Wyatt’ AGM (H4) 2003 Whetman Pinks Ltd SENDER DETAILS: Mr J Linnell, Linfield, Duncote, Towcester, Northamptonshire, N12 8AH Mr C W Welch, 'Millers Lea', Church Street, Carbrooke, Thetford, Norfolk, IP25 6SW Mr J Whetman, Whetman Pinks Ltd, Houndspool, Ashcombe Road, Dawlish, Devon EX7 0QP

Further information on this trial is available from: Trials Office, The Royal Horticultural Society, Wisley, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB

Tel: 01483 224234 & Email: trials@rhs.org.uk More information about RHS Trials and other illustrated final reports can be found on

the RHS Website at www.rhs.org.uk/trials