Cumnor Gardening Club

Report below

SPRING SHOW, SATURDAY 28 MARCH 2026

Despite having brought the Show forward by a week to take account of the warming weather, the daffodils flowered even earlier this year with the warm and wet February. Many daffodil varieties were over by the time of the Show, though the weather conditions favoured an earlier flowering of tulips. However, on the day exhibitors rose to the challenge and not only provided a great display of daffodils, but the most colourful display of tulips and spring flowers that we have seen for some time. 

Fiona Fogg was successful in the Flower Classes, not only winning the cup for the most points overall, but also winning best entry in the daffodil classes for a fine display of three matched and unusually coloured frilled trumpet daffodils. Best entry in the other spring and shrub flower classes went to Heather Aplin, with a magnificent exhibit of a dark red aeonium (tree house leek).

On the domestic side exhibits included a good number of elderflower and lemon drizzle cakes, chocolate chip cookies, savoury scones and jars of marmalade and chutney. Graham Ansell was the overall winner in the Domestic Classes with his jars of chutney and marmalade. We are grateful for the individual comments that the judge for the Domestic Classes leaves on most of the entries. 

Ruby Manson-Reeves won the over 7s Tighe Cup and Bowie Manson- Reeves won the under 7s Hawtin cup with their delightful entries of paintings of spring flowers. 

The photography classes generated a good number of entries. Topics for the classes included winter colour in the garden, canal and river boats, colourful doors, signs of spring, rushing water and engines. The cup for the most points was won by Chris Scruby, with the cup for the best entry going to Nick Thorn for his photograph of a waterfall glimpsed in sunlight through a halo of shaded vegetation. Similarly we are grateful for the individual comments that the judge leaves on many 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 are able to submit a number of exhibits, 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. 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. We are also grateful to those who so generously supported the Plant Stall and for all those 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 –  Fiona Fogg

The Prince Cup for the best single entry in the daffodil classes – Fiona Fogg

The Sherlock Shield for the best entry in the other flower classes – Heather Aplin

The Stevens Trophy for the most points in the domestic classes – Graham Ansell

The Tighe Cup for the most points in the 7 to 10 Junior Classes – Ruby Manson-Reeves

The Hawtin Cup for the most points in the under 7s Junior Classes – Bowie Manson-Reeves

The Parker Trophy for the most points in the photographic classes – Chris Scruby

The Parker Trophy for the best entry in the photographic classes – Nick Thorn