No one had high expectations of the first show of 2013 after the exceptionally cold and wet weather we had experienced for months, with low light levels just making things worse. But as usual, members were undaunted and while the actual number of entries was down, the quality which has become the hallmark of LHS shows was certainly evident.

As ever, all shapes and sizes of daffodils predominated. Jim Stockwell’s collection of first prizes for his perfect specimens of a range of cultivars earned him the Lea cup and also the Daffodil Society Bronze Medal for the best bloom. The Fisk cup for collections in the open classes went to Richard Hilson’s collections of equally perfect blooms. Michael Elliott’s bowl of tete-a-tete was much admired in the miniatures class. The special members’ class, this year for the daffodil ‘Rapture’ (a really pretty and delicate bloom) was won by Sally McBirney, while Richard Watson won the Daffodil Cup (for members who had not previously won a first prize for daffodils) with 2 bowls of perfect miniatures.

As was to be expected there was little in the way of individual vegetables apart from some excellent leeks, but it was good to see an attractive selection of trugs being entered again.

Possibly the most noticeable sign of the late spring was the few entries for flowering shrubs. However, pot plants figure well in the Spring Show when there is less to show from the garden. Clare Wilson’s glossy foliage plants won the ‘Mother and Child’ class, Lorelei Hilson and Wendy Dumbleton had firsts for a superb fern and and a very large African Violet respectively. The Humphreys’ giant amaryllis Red Lion (a £5 bulb from Sainsbury’s!) was the judge’s favourite for best pot plant and flower. The bowl of floating hellebore blooms continues to prove popular (won by Margaret Carter) as do the informal arrangements in a jam jar.

After several years with few entries, support for the flower-arranging classes continues to grow and entries for the Chinese New Year theme - the Year of the Snake - were particularly impressive with their red and gold tones and imaginative takes on the ‘snake’. There were 8 entries in the miniature egg cup arrangements, with Anne Skinner’s compact creation winning first prize. Anne also had the best exhibit with her Children’s Easter, comprising rabbits, chicks and eggs galore, balanced on lovely pussy willows.

Entries are also up for the junior classes and the children really went to town on their junk models, with everything from a fashion boutique to impressive robots. Liam Jolly’s pretty butterfly-decorated cake for Mother’s Day and perfect Rapture bloom helped to contribute to his award of the Kieron James Toys Shield.

Helen Dunlop won a number of firsts for cookery ranging from Leek and Potato Soup to Chocolate Mousse but the judge pronounced Margaret Wells’s fatless sponge the best in show. Entries in the handicraft section ranged from Pat Whetstone’s winning tapestry picture to Hugh Parkyn’s watercolour, but Sue Stockwell’s silver initialled bookmark entry in the Valentine keepsake class was best in show. There was a good range of entries for the photographic section and as usual Tom Hughes entered a number of wines to take the Dawson cup.
Rosemary Humphreys

The Daffodil Society Bronze Medal And Certificate - Jim Stockwell
The Fisk Cup - Richard Hilson
The Lea Cup - Jim Stockwell
The Jeeves Cup - Michael Elliott
The Daffodil Cup - Richard Watson
The Evelyn Drew Floral Art Cup - Anne Skinner
The Dawson Cup - Tom Hughes
The George Murrell Photographic Cup - Carolyn Nurse
The Junior Shield - Ella Armstrong
The Keiron James Toys Shield - Liam Jolly
The LHS Junior Cup - Natalie Armstrong

Best In Show:
Vegetable - Michael Elliott
Pot Plant - Rosemary & Neville Humphreys
Flower - Rosemary & Neville Humphreys
Cookery - Margaret Wells
Handicraft - Sue Stockwell
Floral Art - Anne Skinner

Trug Class:
1st - Michael Elliott
2nd - Gill Jones
3rd - Tim Richardson