WOTTON & Abinger's summer flower show was held on July 28 and, despite the previous evening's breakdown in the spell of hot and sunny weather, it was a fine afternoon for the annual event.
Wotton House provided a stunning backdrop for the show, writes show secretary Trudie Bree.
As one exhibitor said: "It is the only flower show I have been to that has a carpet underfoot."
The Wotton Suite was awash with floral colour and divine-looking vegetables, provided by more than 250 exhibits.
The committee and judges were delighted with the quality and variety of the exhibits. These included two huge cabbages, incredibly detailed miniature flower arrangements, a fly catcher plant in action, six faultless fresh eggs, a multitude of sweet peas and even five wonderfully-decorated welly boots. Refreshments and homemade cakes, as always, were a huge hit.
Outside there were bric-a-brac, books and plants for sale. Judges' nominees for best-in-show were six fresh eggs in a basket by P Redsell; a decorated cake by Dawn Jameson; bowl of sweet peas by Bob Ockenden; James Bond flower arrangement by Jane Bishop; a basket of five different fresh vegetables by Geoff Tidy; and a sewn item by Pat Rudling.
The best-in-show prize of £50 was a close call, but was won by Bob Ockenden's elegant sweet pea exhibit.
RESULTS
RHS Banksian Medal – Richard Tabor. The Whitworth Cup – Geoff Tidy. The Pearman Cup – Martin Rudling. The Beddington Behrens Cup – Richard Tabor. The Reg Woods Memorial Cup – Jane Bishop. The Sweet Pea Salver – Bob Ockenden. The Overington Memorial Trophy – PG Roberts. The Cox Cup – PG Roberts. The Evelyn Challenge Trophy – Richard Tabor. The Wotton Cup – Richard Munford. The Wotton Hatch Challenge Cup – Geoff Tidy. The Sheen Cup – Deborah Redsell. The H.W. Jay cup – Jane Bishop. The Friday Street Cup – Lucy Harlow and A Jamison. The Late Mary Matthews Challenge Cup – Deborah Redsell. The Ladies Cup – P Redsell. The Craft Cup – Dawn Jameson and Jo Mansfield-Tubb. The Children's Challenge Cup – Scott Bree. The Harrison Trophy – Scott Bree. The Worshipful Company of Gardeners' Diploma in Excellence in Horticulture – Geoff Tidy. The Worshipful Company of Gardeners' certificate in floral art – Jane Bishop. Children under-five section – Jess Kilfeather. Children 5 to 10 years section – Scott Bree. Children 11 to 15 section – Millie Tubb.
