Spring blooms for Winton show
Joan Jordan became interested in daffodils through her husband’s mother and grandmother in the 1970s.
Daffodils are the only flowers Jordan grows for competitions and she plans to have 100 at the Winton Spring Flower Show at the Memorial Hall on Thursday to Saturday.
Jordan’s mother-in-law, Fran Jordan, and Fran’s mother, Mabel Remnant, grew lots of daffodils.
Southland’s climate suits odils, Jordan says. ‘‘I like the deep colours.’’ She and Daphne Batt are conveners of the show, which is run by the Winton Garden Club.
Its 40 members all help with running the show and planning begins in May.
‘‘We all get involved, it’s our big thing of the year,’’ says Jordan, a past president.
Judges from Invercargill, Gore daff- and Otago will examine hundreds of entries in nine categories – daffodils, open; daffodils, amateur; daffodils, novice; cut flowers, flowering shrubs and trees, dwarf miniature alpine and rock plants, vegetables, floral art and children’s section (pre-school, under 10 years, over 10 years).
‘‘The children are very active participants,’’ Jordan says.
‘‘They do amazing things for us ... doing group projects [for the show].’’
The Winton, St Thomas Aquinas and Lochiel Schools usually enter, along with Weka Preschool, Winton Kindergarten and Winton Playcentre.
Entries will be taken at the Hall on Thursday, judging is on Friday, 8.30am-12.30pm, and public viewing is Friday, 2pm-6pm, and Saturday, 9am-3.30pm.
Jordan thinks about 45 exhibitors are likely to turn up with between 1200 to 1300 entries.
The Winton Garden Club was formed in 1966 and its first show opened in 1983.