SUMMER SHOW 2024

What a great show – the colourful hall was a joy to behold!

It was quite amazing to see how very many flowers had not only survived but even flourished in all the wind and rain we’ve had this year. In particular, the hydrangeas with their showy blooms had clearly thrived. My own roses had long-since finished blooming, so I was surprised, and pleased, to see the many wonderful entries in the rose classes – particularly the many bowls of roses.

The glorious floral arrangements belie the time and effort taken to produce these creations. Who knew you could cover a hat in leaves as part of the arrangement? These are the only classes which can use bought flowers and foliage, although many entrants raid their gardens instead. Once again, thanks go to Sue Erler for her novice flower arranging workshops this year which have encouraged many of us to give flower arranging a try – we particularly enjoyed the challenge of producing a design in a fruit or vegetable!

Conspicuous by their absence were tomatoes and runner beans which normally grace the display tables at this time of year … they’ll need more warmth and sunshine to start producing in any great quantity. And fewer slugs…However, there was a wide array of other fruit and vegetable entries, especially in the soft fruit categories.

Despite clashing with The Wimbledon Ladies Final, the show was very well attended especially by the local community who came along to enjoy the displays, buy plants, try their luck with the tombola and to relax over tea and delicious homemade cake. It’s always interesting to see which exhibits had been placed by the judges … no mean feat considering that judging is in accordance with the RHS Horticultural show handbook and the WI rules for home produce!

Many congratulations to the worthy winners of the various awards – especially to Ann Haussauer who won both the RHS Banksian Medal and the coveted ‘Best in Show’.

Finally, many thanks go to the Shows team, supported by the Main Committee, who beaver away behind the scenes to pull together the Shows. The fact that each Show is a huge success masks the considerable amount of work required to stage it: months of planning; a flurry of activity once the entries are in and then a mountain of effort on the day. It sounds exhausting and I am sure it must be! It’s also great fun, so if you’d like to help in any way, please let Pamela, the Shows Co-ordinator know. Without the commitment and dedication of the Shows team there wouldn’t be any Shows. So, our grateful thanks go to them and all the people who support the Show in whatever way … where would we be without the all-important homemade cakes?!

There is still one award to present – the RHS Bronze Medal.  This is awarded to the person who has achieved most points across all classes for both the Spring and Summer Shows.  It’s our highest accolade and is awarded at the AGM – I wonder who it will be this year….

Here is a collection of photos from our Summer Show

Spring Show 2024

WOW! What a Show!

The Spring Show in April was an absolute delight. We were blessed with a fine, mainly sunny day which helped bring out crowds of locals and members to enjoy the afternoon – it was the busiest show since Covid. The weather had been dry for a couple of days in the lead-up to the show, allowing our exhibitors to gather together all their exhibits in top condition.  The Hall was a kaleidoscope of colour, and it was amazing to see how very many delicate-looking tulips and narcissi had survived all the wind and rain that the past several months has thrown at them – and us too!

Without exhibits there simply wouldn’t be a show … so many, many thanks to everyone who entered. There were 227 exhibits spread over the 60 classes. The refreshments team provided a wonderful spread of homemade cakes for visitors to enjoy… the only problem was which slice to choose? They all looked absolutely delicious. Jan’s plant sale was very popular indeed as was the tombola. A great time was had by all.

Organising and staging such a show is no mean feat. However, the smooth running of a show hides the huge amount of work that takes place behind the scenes both in the run-up and also on the day. So, our grateful thanks go to Pamela and the Show Committee for all that they do.

The finale of the show is always the presentation of the cups. Many congratulations to the following: 

And here are some memories from the day:

Shows

We hold two Shows every year, in the Spring and the Summer.  The Spring Show is held on the second Saturday in April (Easter permitting) and the Summer Show is on the second Saturday in July.  Staging of the exhibits takes place from 9 – 10.20am in the Village Hall, with judging following thereafter and viewing for members and the general public is from 2- 4pm.  At 4pm the prizes are awarded.

Members are encouraged to enter flowers, plants, vegetables and produce from their homes.  Non Members can enter any Open classes and the Photography Class.   For those of you who are novices, help is on hand from any Show Committee member who will be happy to offer support and guidance.

Our Shows are a feast for all the senses – the smell of the flowers, the spectacular flower displays, the superb home produce and photography – not to mention the plants for sale and the lovely teas and home-made cakes for refreshment.

Club members will be on hand to chat about the exhibits and the club in general.

Show Rules, Advice, Current Year Schedules and Entry Forms can be found in the Grayshott Gardeners Handbook, or by clicking on the links below.

If you would like further information, please contact Pamela Wright, the Show Coordinator on shows@grayshottgardeners.net

Show Documents – Everything you need to enter one of our Shows

A copy of the Spring Show Schedule 2024 can be found here: SPRING SHOW SCHEDULE 2024

A copy of the Summer Show Schedule 2024 can be found here: SUMMER SHOW SCHEDULE 2024

For Show Rules click here, Advice for Exhibitors: here, Entry form for the Spring Show here, and for the Summer Show here.

Horticultural Classification of Daffodils: click here, Camellia Flower Forms: click here, Tulip guide: click here.

For our Show FAQs please click here

Grayshott Gardeners Spring Show Trophies

Grayshott Gardeners Summer Show Trophies

The RHS Bronze medal is awarded to the exhibitor gaining the highest number of points across Spring and Summer Shows