Successful rhododendron show for Brodick Castle
The Brodick Castle gardens won a clutch of awards with their entries at the Scottish National Rhododendron Society show held at Garelochhead at the end of April.
The team won best hybrid in show for the second year running, six first places, two seconds and four thirds in the nine categories in which the gardens entered.
Tim Keyworth, head gardener at the Brodick Castle, said: ‘It was a great result considering the awful weather that we endured the week before the show. This made the preparing and picking of good plant material, that was up to exhibit standard, incredibly difficult.
Impressive
‘Sleet, snow, hail and frosts had all taken their toll on the flowers of many of the impressive specimens located in the lower part of the garden on the lower rhododendron walk which were the most open to the elements of all the collections at the castle.
‘The exception to this though was the rhododendron ‘Fortune,’ the plant that once again was lucky enough to win best hybrid in show. Although very similar in habit to the other big leaf rhododendrons it appears to be more resistant to bad weather and thus is thriving and looking magnificent.
‘This particular plant is supposed to be related to one of the original crosses of this hybrid and is likely to have come from the renowned Exbury gardens in Hampshire. The judges think it is a fantastic example of its kind and I am already looking forward to entering it in to the show for the third time next year.’
The Scottish Rhododendron Show provides an excellent opportunity for exhibitors to network with other gardens and gardeners, many of whom are experts in their field and, of course, to see a wide variety of the estimated 800 to 1,100 species of rhododendron.