4am Sunday saw me up and out the door for our annual autumn trip to Heathrow. Now, I have a rule by which I live my life which involves me not entering the inner circle of the M25 (London ring road/long stay car park). I was 13 the last time I purposely visited my nations capital, i didn’t like it then and I imagine I will like it even less now. However seeing as the show is only a couple of miles inside the M25 and then only a step off the M4 (another impromptu car park) I make an exception to my rule. As a country boy any road without grass growing down the middle makes me as nervous as a cat in a dogs home.

Mark Moreland and his dedicated team have done a simply REMARKABLE  job developing this show from a dark damp tent affair into one of the best club type shows I have seen. Every year the palpable sense of excitement and friendly banter that pervades the event seems to increase along with the attendance and quality. Well worth the early start and late finish alongside running the gauntlet of our capitals embarrassingly pathetic road system.

I was so busy, mostly talking my head off, I really didn’t have time to peruse the club displays to the extent I would have liked. Trees on display were the usual mix and a broad level of skill was on display as well as a huge range of species. One or two trees were a cut above the rest but for me nobody really bought the big guns. One thing that did impress the socks of me was the quality of accent plants. I have nothing but admiration for folk who put these together and manage to keep them looking so good.  Around here they just get lost and torn to shreds by birds.

Here are a few snaps I did manage to take. A few trees that caught my eye or I just happen to like. There were others but sadly due to the press of admirers I was unable to cut in a take pictures.

Make sure you pencil this one in for next year!

G.