The Autumn Cactus and Succulent Show at Harlow Carr took place on 23rd September 2023. 23 people entered the show from 7 different branches of the British Cactus And Succulent Society, including several new members and 2 junior members.
Almost 30 people volunteered in total, with Tracey from Bradford branch as the Show Manager and Sue from Leeds branch as the Show Secretary.
The standard of entries was incredibly high, with many of us excited to spot plants we’d seen at the BCSS National Show the previous year.
8 Bradford branch members entered the show, including 2 new members and 2 juniors, and everyone won at least 1 certificate. 4 more Bradford members got involved as volunteers.
Jo was Bradford’s star entrant, winning a special Award of Merit certificate for her miniature succulent landscape planted on a piece of wood in the Unusual Container class. As well as winning one of the top awards, this was one of the most admired and most photographed exhibits in the show.
The BCSS President, Graham Charles, won the Ron Ginns medal for Most Points In Show, plus the Best Succulent In Show Award for his Adromischus nanus plant, which was in a 15cm pot but considered huge for this species!
The BCSS Membership Secretary Simon Snowden won Best Cactus In Show for a Copiapoa solaris plant.
6 Award of Merit certificates were given out in total, with Barry from York also receiving 2 for his huge specimens of Pachyphytum oviferum and Parodia magnifica. See all the plants and exhibits that received special awards here.
As well as having over 50 plant classes, there was also a cactus and succulent-themed arts and crafts competition, which was decided by a visitors’ vote. This class attracted 9 entries using a range of craft techniques and over 250 people voted for their favourite during the day.
Jo won the vote for her amazing pens made from wood-turned cholla cactus wood filled with brightly-coloured resin. Michael from Bradford branch took 2nd for his cactus watercolour, with Louise from Manchester branch winning 3rd for cactus embroidery.
The show also had a large sales table, plant displays and free Aeonium plants for children.
Bradford members started propagating hundreds of Aeonium mascaense plants in cells trays back in July, so that on the day of the show young visitors could pot one up, add gravel, write a label, and take their plant home with them.
The sales table was incredibly popular, with a wide range of plants available at bargain prices. Plants were grown by show entrants and volunteers and included specialist cacti, colourful succulents, some fashionable cultivars, classic houseplants and easy-to-grow hardy species.
The show was a big success, and as well as being an enjoyable day out also received praise for the way it achieved the BCSS’s charitable objectives.
The show will be back next year, this time on Sunday 22nd September 2024.
See more photos of the show here.