Flower Show Entries: A Sampling

Judges ponder the exhibits

Successful Flower Show in July

The large airy hall of the Chester Legion was awash with colour when the doors opened on the Chester Garden Club’s annual Flower Show and Tea on July 31st. Over 190 exhibits in the "design" section, along with 80 floral specimens, were entered in this year’s competition.

The design class included many stunning arrangements, each carefully created in accordance with specific parameters laid down by the organizing committee. The botanical specimens were ranged along one entire wall of the hall and spilled over onto the opposite side of the room. Two professional flower show judges studied the exhibits during the morning and released their decisions to the committee at noon. At two o’clock the public began to arrive and, by the end of the afternoon, 130 visitors had been come to admire the floral exhibits, compare their own impressions with those of the judges, and enjoy the tasty tea.

Awards

In addition to the regular first, second and third place designations awarded in most categories, a number of trophies were awarded. This year’s trophy winners were: Sandy Dumaresq (Best Specimen); Myra Knight (Wildflowers, and the President’s Award); Joanne Jellett (Best in Show); Lara Parsons (Annual Sweet Peas); Brenda Hiltz (Water Feature); Sydney Spahr and Dudley Grove (Roses in an Arrangement); and Sam Clayton (Children’s Category). Winners of the two outdoor garden awards were Melinda Walker, and the Kiwi Café (Lynda Flinn).

Wildflowers or weeds?

Members of the Garden Club hope that this year’s show will spark interest and enthusiasm among both members and non-members for next year’s event. Every year, nature provides its own challenges but the desire to garden trumps anything nature can throw at us. I learned many years ago in school that "a weed is simply any plant that grows where it is not wanted." Since then, I’ve learned to love a lot of "weeds"!