Bovingdon Gardeners Spring Show shows what Picasso meant when he said 'no-one has to explain a daffodil'

Picasso once said that “no one has to explain a daffodil” as he pointed out that good design is understandable to virtually everybody. You never have to ask why.

If you attended to view the daffodils at Bovingdon Gardener’s Spring Show earlier this month, on entering the Memorial Hall you were greeted by the cheery sight of the flowers of many colours, shapes and sizes, whilst the perfume from the jonquils pervaded the air.

There were 114 entries in the Daffodils classes including a vase of Six split corona daffodils, for which Gillian Johansson won the best daffodil exhibit in Show and the Daffodil Society Medal. Gillian also won the Wildacre Cup for the most points in Daffodils, Other Flowers and Pot Grown Plants.

In addition to daffodils, there were 38 wonderful exhibits of tulips, muscari, polyanthus, hyacinths, camellias, snake’s head fritillaries and forsythia. There were also 10 exhibits of pot grown plants of various sizes containing bulbs, foliage, cactus and flowering plants.

There were 10 entries in the Handicrafts classes including knitting, needlework, quilting and fused glass exhibits, which showed the many skills of the exhibitors. The judge awarded first prize and The Challenge Cup to Sylvia Simmonds.

Thirty beautiful paintings were exhibited by local artists in three classes “A Portrait”, “A Rural Scene” and "A Beautiful Garden”. The judge remarked that there were some talented artists. The winning painting in the Paintings/Art Section was Liz Hobson’s “A Beautiful Garden” for which she was awarded the Pendley Estates Trophy.

Nine children exhibited in the Children’s Section - eight of them from the Bovingdon Academy Garden and Nature Club as well as Zara Johansson. Harry Povey (age 10) was awarded a Junior Prize Certificate for his entry of Three Daffodils in a Vase and Zara Johansson (aged just two) received a Junior Prize certificate for her entry, Design Gardening Gloves.

Show Secretary, Gillian Johansson, thanked everyone for all their wonderful exhibits. In all, 211 quality exhibits were produced by 36 exhibitors. Gillian said that they hoped to see many exhibitors at their Summer Show on Saturday 24 June 2023 when vegetables, fruit, flowers, floral art, photographs and preserves and cooking will be on display.

If you would like to exhibit at the Show, visit the website. Entries are open to non-members.