Spring Show 2024
Report below
Well, it did not actually rain on the day of the Spring Show! Though that could not be said of much of the weather this Spring. It has been very wet but also quite mild – possibly an indication of climate change? Whatever the cause, the result for gardeners looking to exhibit daffodils and tulips for the Show was mixed. On the one hand most of the daffodils were over or badly affected by wind, rain, slugs or insects. On the other hand the tulips were coming into flower and a number of spring shrubs and flowers were well in advance of their normal flowering times. Taken together the exhibits made a good display and remarkably some exhibitors managed to find some daffodils to enter. Although the number of entries was quite a bit down overall, there was a good level of entries for the Domestic, Photography and Junior Classes – a welcome increase for the Junior Classes especially.
Best entry in the daffodil classes went to Dianne Cockburn for a fine display of small cup narcissi and the best entry in the tulip and spring flower/shrub classes went to Margaret Scruby for a vase of unusual coloured tulips. Harriet Bretherton won the cup for the most points overall in the flower classes.
On the domestic side, exhibits included a good number of Honey fruit cakes and Apple cakes together with savoury scones. Janet Pottle was the overall winner in the Domestic Classes with entries of scones and marmalade. We are grateful for the individual comments which the judge for the Domestic and Junior Classes leaves on most of the entries.
The Junior classes provided a delightful display of decorated eggs, different gingerbread persons or shapes, very imaginative pictures of tree houses and some dramatic models of space rockets. Oliver Rogers won the cup for the over 7s and Bill Greenwood won the cup for the under 7s.
The photography classes generated a good number of entries with the judge commenting favourably on the standard of entries. Chris Scruby won the trophy for the most points overall, with the trophy for the Best Entry going to Johnathan Widdess for his photograph of Windows. Similarly, we are grateful for the individual comments which the judge leaves on most of the entries.
A huge thanks to all those who exhibited this Spring; without them the Show would not be possible, and we would like to encourage more of you to enter in the future. Whilst some exhibitors are able to submit a number of entries and for that we are very thankful, we also welcome exhibitors who may only be able to submit a few or even just one entry. All the entries come together to contribute to a successful Show.
The Shows are not for experts but for the local community, so we hope that you will continue to support them, or if you have not entered before to put in something from your garden, your kitchen or your camera/phone. Thanks also to all those who came to see the Show in the afternoon. It is rewarding for the exhibitors to see their work appreciated by a wider audience. Finally, we are grateful to those who so generously supported the Plant Stall and for all who helped behind the scenes to make the Show a success.
SPRING SHOW PRINCIPAL WINNERS
The Boyles Cup for the most points in both the daffodil and other flower classes – Harriet Bretherton
The Prince Cup for the best single entry in the daffodil classes – Dianne Cockburn
The Sherlock Shield for the best entry in the other flower classes – Margaret Scruby
The Stevens Trophy for the most points in the domestic classes – Janet Pottle
The Tighe Cup for the most points in the over 7s Junior Classes – Oliver Rogers
The Hawtin Cup for the most points in the under 7s Junior Classes – Bill Greenwood
The Parker Trophy for the most points in the photographic classes – Chris Scruby
The Parker Trophy for the best entry in the photographic classes – Johnathan Widdess