Bovingdon Gardeners Summer Show: 29 June 2024
Considering the horrendously inclement horticultural weather that we have endured in the first half of 2024, it is surprising that we had so many entries (151) for this year’s Bovingdon Gardeners Summer Show, a similar number to previous years and yet with less entrants.
There were a variety of classes available for Vegetable, Soft fruits, Flowers; including Sweet Peas and Roses, Pot plants, Floral art, Preserves and Cooking, Photographic and Children’s exhibits.
Our lifelong Committee member Mike Leon cleared the board within the vegetable classes winning the National Vegetable Society Medal on the way including his excellent Peas in a Pod and Broad beans.
The Fruit divisions were represented with Gooseberries, Blackcurrants, Redcurrants and Strawberry exhibits.
The flower classes were well represented with Roses, an excellent White Delphinium and a range of mixed vases of herbaceous perennials, Wild flowers and various individual variety flowers too.
However, the Sweet Pea entries were disappointing this year with only a couple of entries received. This is a class that in the past has been very well entered and it is assumed that the weather has had a detrimental effect on entries. We therefore hope that some new entrants will join in for 2025!
The wildflower vases were of fine quality and though we had few floral art entries, the quality here too was high.
Preserves and cooking classes were extremely well entered with Jams, bread, mousse, tea bread and Hummus amongst those classes entered.
Our children’s classes were competitive, with a decorated wooden spoon and a jar of wild or cultivated flowers attracting a number of entries.
Finally, the photographic classes have had a resurgence this year, with a number of very high-quality entries received. This year’s themes included; All creatures great and small, A vintage vehicle and a country lane. All of which were very well conceived and interesting interpretations of these were received for all these classes.
Cups, Trophies, medals and the Sweet Pea rosette were won by:
THE BANKSIAN MEDAL - MAVIS LAWRENCE
THE BOVINGDON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY CUP - MIKE LEON
THE NATIONAL VEGETABLE SOCIETY MEDAL - MIKE LEON
THE MOLLIE ARONSON CUP - (jointly) CLAIRE WINTER AND GILLIAN JOHANSSON
THE DARLEY ASH SWEET PEA CUP - DEBBIE OASTLER
THE NATIONAL SWEET PEA SOCIETY ROSETTE - DEBBIE OASTLER
THE CRAWLEY CUP - ANNE TAVENER
THE DOUGLAS KING CUP - LLOYD MOORE
A £15 VOUCHER FOR THE BEST FLORAL ART EXHIBIT - ANN STEPHEN
THE SMALL CHALLENGE CERTIFICATES
- (UNDER 8s) - ZARA JOHANSSON
- (OVER 8s) – SOPHIE
Our next show will be the Autumn Show on Saturday the 14th September.
The entry yearbook can be found on the society website www.bovingdonhortsoc.org.uk with a wide range of classes available to all
Everybody in and around the village can enter and are encouraged to take part in one or as many classes as they wish, with Vegetables, Fruit, Flowers and a large cooking class to choose from.