Dahlias delight at Yapton autumn show

The Yapton Cottage Gardeners’ Society show attracted 312 entries from 44 participants and the wonderful range of dahlias, in various colours and forms, stood out.

Show secretary David Donovan said: “It was undeniably better supported than the equivalent event of the previous year. There were three first-time exhibitors to Yapton and one new judge, all of whom contributed to the success of the day.

“Certainly, there were some high-quality flowers to be seen on display, particularly dahlias, but also in competition on the show-bench were chrysanthemums, a strongly-supported class for fuchsia florets, more general garden flowers and assorted pot plants.”

Vegetables on show included tomatoes, onions and potatoes, with a varied selection for the ‘any other vegetable’ class. The splendid array of fruits featured mainly apples and pears but there were also figs and quinces in the miscellaneous class.

In the novelty section, the runner bean race, with five long pods laid across the bench, and the largest sunflower head were the best supported classes.

The regular flower arrangers were joined by a newcomer and the handicraft section continues to gain support each year, with the judge commenting favourably on the overall excellence of exhibits.

All classes in the photography section were well subscribed and had many attractive images. In the cookery classes, male competitors eclipsed the ladies in garnering prizes for the results sheet, while the children’s section attracted entries from five members.

Society chairman Roy Phillips presented awards to winners on the day, as well as those for season-long successes over the four shows.

Barry Moore was the most successful competitor in the show, retaining the Edith Godfrey Trophy for most points. He won the National Dahlia Society Bronze Medal, while the Silver Medal went to Alan Humphrey, a noted grower.

Kent Kressner had the best blooms of chrysanthemums and won the Peter Crouch Memorial Trophy, while Malcolm Paradine was awarded the Deegan Shield for the best vegetable exhibit in the show, a fine set of leeks, and the Village Criers Trophy for his year-round successes in the horticultural classes.

The Fruit Challenge Bowl, a new award, went to show secretary David Donovan for his entries over three shows, while Barry Bezants retained the Joan Waddington Memorial Vase for prizes with fuchsias in two shows.

Joan Jackson was presented with the W.R. Trophy as most successful flower arranger of the year, while Eva Pendreich took both the Annual Photography Championship and the Neil Baxter Memorial Trophy for year round excellence in the cookery and handicrafts.

Seven-year-old Cerys Hier accepted the Junior Village Criers Trophy, won over the four shows, but had to share the Junior Autumn Cup with Lacklann Grimwood, seven, and his sister, Eleonore, 13, as all had equal points.

The next season of competition in Yapton begins with the spring flower show on March 19.

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