A Chelsea exhibit without a single decorative bloom has again charmed judges into awarding a Gold Medal.
In 2015 potato aficionados Morrice and Ann Innes took the first-ever Gold Medal for a potato display in the show’s history – and this year they made it two in a row.
Morrice, of Old Town, Aberdeen, claims to have the largest private collection of potato varieties, and the exhibit, sponsored by Thompson & Morgan, showcased over 140 varieties. Many came from Morrice’s collection, including original South American species and European heritage varieties such as ‘Karaparea’, which was taken to New Zealand by James Cook in the 1770s. The exhibit also featured some 50 modern varieties grown from Thompson & Morgan seed potatoes, including blight-resistant maincrop ‘Sarpo Axona’ and high-yielding salad potato ‘Jazzy’, currently the company’s best seller.
Morrice says, “We’ve tried to tell the tale of the potato by highlighting a vast array of skin colours, shapes and sizes, while suggesting the best uses of each variety and the places where they come from. You won’t find many of the varieties for sale at the supermarket. Hopefully we’ll help inspire more people to grow potatoes and to try some of the more unusual forms while they are at it.”
Find out more at http://blog.thompson-morgan.com/golden-wonder/
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