Big blooms delight flora lovers at show
An Autumn Flower Show was held over the weekend at Whanganui Intermediate School, drawing flora fans and exhibitors from across the lower North Island.
The show, now in its 152nd year, was organised by members of the Wanganui Chrysanthemum Club, in conjunction with the Wanganui Horticultural Society.
Chrysanthemum Club president and show organiser Margaret Gibbard said there were 15 exhibitors and 390 blooms entered this year, all of which were judged by Levin’s Dennis McCarthy.
“There was a very high standard of blooms,” Gibbard said.
“The public was just wonderful as well. We’re really lucky to get good support from the people of Whanganui, and they support us immensely.
“We love that.”
Tony Jones and Sheri Taylor were the big winners of the show, taking home five awards including champion bloom and large and medium exhibition.
“We have lots of different classifications and lots of different colours,” Gibbard said.
“Chrysanthemums are an autumn flower, so they do die off from around now onwards. Then you get bulbs for winter and spring that come through.
“The good thing about them is that they last for a long time. You can pick them and you can have them in the house for two or three weeks.
“It’s not like a rose, for instance, that will flake after a couple of days.”
Roses were featured at this weekend’s show, however, along with daisies, dahlias, gladioli and daffodils.
Pot plants and vegetables also made an appearance.
Gibbard said it was “very disappointing” to cancel the show last year due to Covid-19 restrictions, but she had added an extra day this year to make up for it.
“I think the public were pleased with that, because people are just so busy these days, and they’ve got so much on. If they were busy on Saturday then they could always come along the next day.”
There were more men than usual in attendance this year, Gibbard said.
“It’s our men growers that go for the big, blousy blooms.
“We have other stalls in there as well, like making flies for fly fishing, and wood turning. It’s a bit like the [Whanganui River] markets, there are different things for different people.”