Hurst Green Gardening Club: 2022

Tuesday 25 October 2022

AGM -2022 - November 9th

The next meeting, on November 9^th, is our AGM. Our agenda is below.

The meeting also doubles as a Christmas Social – please bring a plate of nibbles suitable for a finger buffet, either sweet or savoury.

Please do try to come along as we would like a good turnout before the Christmas festivities get into full swing (Bah Humbug – Ed). It is also Jane’s last meeting in the role of Chair, and we are sure that you would like to thank her for all her years at the helm.

Tuesday 14 June 2022

Summer Show 2022 - Online

Hello everyone, and welcome to the annual Summer Show 2022. We decided to keep this show as an online show (after being forced into online versions during lockdown) for a number of reasons - partly because it is now difficult to get into the hall early enough to set the tables up, and also because a fair number of members said that they liked taking photographs over a period of a few days as it made things all a bit less hectic!

Many thanks to our judge, Sylvia Pocock, for once again cheerfully attempting to make sense of photographic entries, where you cannot pick up the exhibits and look at them in detail!

Thank you also to all those who entered and supported the show. We are aware that getting back into the swing of things is difficult, and a return to normality is long overdue (What day is it? What month is it? Sometimes, what year is it? - Show Elf). We would like to return our shows back to the level we all enjoyed before the COVID epidemic, and hope you all agree that we should do so and are willing to support us.

We are pleased to report the following results:

Nineham Challenge Cup - Overall Show Winner - Jackie Chapman

Lady Burnett Bowl - Best Floral Art Arrangment, Class 1 - Pat Thorn

Bennet Cup - Best Exhibit in Miniature Floral Art, Class 2 - Jane Firmin

Brux Rose Bowl - Most points in the Rose Classes 4-9 excluding Class 8 - Rosemary Buchan

Congratulations to Jackie, and Jilly (Show Secretary) and I (Show Elf) would like say how pleased we are that a new Show Winner has emerged rather than one of the Usual Suspects.

A note on the Summer Show

One thing that we have learnt from the show is that we will need to look a bit more carefully at the class descriptions in order to hold the show online in the future. Having duplicated the classes from previous shows which were held in person and which use those dreadful bikini vases, we soon realised that many members wanted to send pictures of blooms etc still on the bush, rather than picking them and using vases. We will need to look at class descriptions more carefully and consider adjusting where necessary to take the photographic medium into much better account.

We have therefore put entries into the most appropriate class, even if they were not strictly according the the schedule - and thanks again to Sylvia who was understanding in not declaring anything the hated NAS ("Not According To Schedule")- although in certain areas, doing it exactly as the class specified did gain a few extra points. This is why some of the entries might look a tad peculiar for the class description, but we hope that not too many eyebrows will be raised!

It is apparent that we should have thought of adding classes for planted containers and hanging baskets - we do not have these at in person shows as they are too large, but with photos this is not an issue. We live and learn (Even me, and I'm Practically Perfect - Show Elf).

Class 1 - Floral art arrangement of flower and foliage, table space 2ft x 2ft

First Prize - Pat Thorn

Third Prize - Sue Warren

Second Prize - Pat Thorn

Class 2 - Miniature exhibit of flowers, not to exceed 4"x4" height/diameter in own container

Third Prize - Val Sampson

First Prize - Jane Firmin

Second Prize - Pat Thorn

Class 3 - Vase of cut flowers from your garden

First Prize - Sue Hyman

Third Prize - Rosemary Buchan

Second Prize - Sue Warren

Class 4 - One vase, 3 roses, large flowered, may be mixed

Third Prize - Val Sampson

First Prize - Barbara Forrest

Second Prize - Paul and Brenda Parry

Class 5 - One vase, three stems of cluster rose, may be mixed

First Prize - Rosemary Buchan

Second Prize - Barbara Forrest

Third Prize - Paul and Brenda Parry

Class 6 - One vase, two specimen roses, large flowered

Third Prize - Jeremy Ball

Second Prize - Sandy Berry

First Prize - Jane Firmin

Class 7 - One buttonhole rose presented with foliage

Second Prize - Jilly Ball

First Prize - Rosemary Buchan

Although there were four entries, the judge awarded only first and second prize. This was the only class suitable for a photograph of a single specimen stem, but the judge felt that it would be difficult to wear a whole bush in your buttonhole.... something for us to address next year!

Class 8 - One vase, one rose, for scent only (judged by popular vote)

As it is not possible to smell a rose online - or at least as yet - this class was held live at the Club meeting during the period allowed for entries. Unfortunately, the Show Elf forgot to take any photographs and has been suitably chastised, and is now distinctly grumpy (more like Dozy or Dopey even if they were dwarves - Show Secretary - also his wife). There were 14 entries, which was higher than at the last in-person show, but makes judging slightly difficult as there is the risk of nose-blindness after the first few sniffs.

First prize was awarded to Margaret Edwards for her Ena Harkness rose, second prize to Carole McGuire and third prize to Peggy Gray.