California Gardeners come up trumps with spring show
BY THURSDAY of last week show officers of California Gardeners Club were becoming anxious.
With their Spring Show day only three days away they had received very few entries for the flower classes but lots for the photographic categories.
“We visualised the hall with only a projector running a slideshow of photographic entries, but little else to see,” said Sylvia Hawes.
Concerned, the organisers put out an appeal to members of the club.
“Then we were overwhelmed by the flood of entries that came in,” she said. “The warm, wet winter hadn’t provided ideal growing conditions for daffodils and tulips, but somehow our expert gardeners defied the odds and provided us with show benches full of colourful blooms.”
Three generations of gardeners were among the entrants; Claire Temperley, her daughter Macey, and Macey’s grandmother Karen Attree all competed for prizes.
Terry Miller swept the board with his daffodil exhibits, Margaret Wade won best exhibit in flowering shrubs and trees, Sylvia Hawes received a certificate for best floral art, and Stuart Slocombe won an award for his double daffodils.
Other creative winners were Lesley Hicks who won best domestic category, and Maurice May who won the creative writing class on the subject of What My Garden Means To Me.
“And our skilful floral artists, handicrafters and bakers provided a feast for the eyes, too,” said Ms Hawes.
“As one of the judges said ‘It is good to see such a thriving club with entries of such a consistently high standard – the best I’ve seen this year’.
“High praise indeed for our club and the skill of our members.”
California Gardeners Club enjoyed a record 263 entries to their Spring Show, and a large number of visitors enjoyed tea and homemade cakes during a fundraising auction afterwards.
The club would like to thank everyone who entered, and who came to support the show in the afternoon.