The Summer Show had 340 entries this year, despite the heavy rain in preceding days – and the long dry spring. As usual the summer flowers predominated – but there were plenty of vegetables too. Our special summer vegetable class was for three ‘Winston’ potatoes, grown in a sack from a seed potato, both purchased at the Spring Show. Disappointingly, there were only 10 entries, but they were of a high quality. Tim Richardson won this class and was also awarded the President’s cup and the Askew cup for collections of vegetables. Richard Hilson won best vegetable with his potatoes. Jim Stockwell was this year’s winner of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Banksian medal, having won the largest amount of money in the horticultural classes. Brian Fitzgerald’s displays of glowing white, red and black currants, as well as blueberries, gained him the Fruit Cup. Some exhibitors had even managed to grow onions and shallots and ripen tomatoes in time for this show.
Ann Higgins won the Lemmey Cup for her vase of sweet peas. Gill Jones won the Filmer Cup for the best exhibit in the flower arranging classes with an elegant display entitled ‘Still Waters’ – the twisted leek seed heads caused a lot of comment! The Thornberry trophy class for a vase of mixed flowers and foliage was well supported this year and was also won by Gill Jones. Michael Figg won both the Don Booker Fuchsia Cup with ‘Eden Rock’ and the award for best pot plant with a magnificent begonia. Jocasta Fearn won best bloom with an enormous ‘Annabel’ hydrangea. Unfortunately the Gilbert Cup (for three blooms of roses) was not awarded this year as the judge did not feel the entries were of a high enough standard – no doubt due to the weather conditions before the Show.
As usual the Cookery section looked enticing. Margaret Carter’s jam tarts were judged the best entry but there was also a wonderful selection of soft fruit jams, fruitcakes, savoury flans and shortbread. In the children’s classes a new class for homemade lemonade was well supported. Emily Sutlow and Ruby Anscombe won the Kieron James Toys Shield and the Heart and Soul Shield respectively for achieving most points in their age groups. Emily Sutlow’s Sea Shore in a Seed Tray was elegant and realistic, while George Adams’ tropical version with a crocodile was quirky. Best in show in the handicraft section was Rita Pickett’s very appropriate knitted toy gardener, complete with tools and vegetables.
Rosemary Humphreys
July 2011A list of all the cup and award winners is below.
The Lemmy Cup - Ann Higgins
The Savill Cup - Jim Stockwell
The President’s Cup - Tim Richardson
The Don Booker Fuchsia Cup - Michael Figg
The Thornberry Trophy - Gill Jones
The Askew Cup - Tim Richardson
R.H.S. Banksian Medal - Jim Stockwell
The Filmer Cup - Gill Jones
The Fruit Cup - Brian Fitzgerald
Blue Riband Of The British Fuchsia Society - Michael Figg
Kieron James Toys Shield - Emily Sutlow
Heart And Soul Shield - Ruby Anscombe
Best In Show
Vegetable - Richard Hilson
Pot Plant - Michael Figg
Cookery - Margaret Carter
Handicraft - Rita Pickett
Flower - Jocasta Fearn
Trug Class
1st - Clare Wilson
2nd - Gill Jones
