Now bear in mind I have never seen Jack, well when I say I've never seen him, of course I've seen the photograph on his web site, and the one that they used in the Garden News, when he was writing for them, and I dare say he's got another one like me in the attic, showing all the ware and tear of modern life. But I can tell when a guys upset, and he was  upset on the day after the judging at Shepton Mallet. The effort he put in to that vase is there to see in front of your eyes. He's no flower arranger, but I'll tell you this, no flower arranger could have arranged those flowers any better, they were his seedlings. I don't want to go on, but I will, because that man put those flowers in that container with one hand, his left because his best hand has been mucked up with something called Carpel Tunnel, it's a hell of  a business, my daughter had it, and was lucky, Jack wasn't and his went wrong. I know he won't gripe, but I can, surely there should be a class for this mans many seedlings, He has a beautiful series of dark leafed varieties called Pathfinder coming along, with many that have a beautiful scent, and also the wonderful `Petite' Series, which are shorter in stature. I suppose I shouldn't complain on here, I should go to a Annual General Meeting, and put my two penny worth in there. However motor ways aren't my speciality, but I could write to the committee, and see if they can't have a basket class for this type of dahlia, Jack mentioned the general public love `em. Of course before the powers to be tell me, there was a class that they could have gone in to, the seedling class, but some of these were first year seedlings. None the more for that, that vase was worthy of some sort of recognition. There should be a `Special Award' for people who go that extra mile to enhance our National  show. Just like they do on any award show on the telly. Everyone should be catered for, because more and more we need garden varieties to hold the general publics attention, Tom, Dick and Harry aren't dahlia showmen, (apologies to any who are) some of their wives have a job to get them to cut the grass, specially when Arsenal or Manchester United are playing. Funny how this computer always lists things in alphabetical order, isn't it. See you at the trials.