Purbrook Horticultural Society's Summer Show

Will we have anything at all to organise at the Purbrook Horticultural Society Summer Show? Mother Nature has not been kind this year, with so much rain [yes! remember when we had that wet stuff?] in the first few months of the year making for hard work planting and keeping plants free of rot and then came five recordbreaking heatwaves.

So, with August fast approaching and the committee monitoring levels in water butts and noticing the colour of grass turn to straw and then dust, we seriously considered the viability of staging a show.

Then, came August 22 and the start of the procession of exhibitors carrying all kinds of contraptions to deliver their precious cargo of exhibits -phew! By Sunday mid-morning when the Hall at Crookhorn College closed for judging we knew we had a show even though many exhibitors had replaced flowers up to the last minute as the originals had drooped or died overnight.

While judging took place behind closed doors volunteers started to slice the multitude of delicious donated homemade cakes to sell and set up sales tables before the official 2pm opening. Suddenly the college filled with light [we keep lights low to preserve blooms] and laughter as well as gasps of admiration when spotting the exhibits meaning visitors had arrived.

This year we invited the New Blendworth Centre; Don, a local woodturner and Scott, also local who uses the artistry of decoupage to decorate items which proved a popular move.

Despite the challenging conditions, our lovely dedicated members managed to produce enough quality exhibits to produce a great show with beautiful floral artistry; giant vegetables and colourful blooms of every kind to admire before a welcome break sharing Tea and Cake with friends old and new. In fact visitors enjoyed the cakes so much that despite having so many donated we thought we had over stocked they dimished so quickly we considering reintroducing rationing!

After the ceremony of awarding multiple Trophies orchestrated by the society president, Wendy Wright, the clear up began and we wearily made tracks home to rest before final preparations for the Spring Show which is scheduled to take place on Sunday, March 21, 2027 at Deverell Hall Purbrook!

For further details on the benefit of the £5 per annum per household membership fee pop along to visit us at the Trading Store on London Road Purbrook adjacent to the allotments [no need for an allotment or even garden to join] which opens Saturday mornings 9.30am to 11.30am or the web site www.purbrookhorticulturalsociety.org.uk

Charles Rose Memorial Cup - Best Vegetable Collection won by Peter Rogers
Borrow Cup - Best Potato Exhibit won by Peter Rogers
Cornelius Cup - Best Vegetable Exhibit excluding Collections won by Alice McKerrow
Ted Miles Trophy - Most Points for Vegetables won by Alice McKerrow
Juniper Cup - Most Points for a Novice won by Paul Chapman
Rowena Cup - Most Points for Fruit won by Alice McKerrow
Dring Cup - Most Points for Roses won by Lynda Piddington
Healey Cup - Most Points for Flowers won by Alice McKerrow
George Broom Memorial Bowl - Most Points for Pot Plants won by Peter Rogers
Dring Chrysanthemum Cup - Most Points for Chrysanthemums won by Jim Osman
Norman Cup - Most Points for Dahlias won by Graham Badrick
Rosemary Trophy - Most Points for Floral Art won by Helena Berriman
Ava Trophy - Most Points for Jams and Preserves won by Garry White
Charlwood Cup - Most Points in all Classes [Ladies] won by Alice McKerrow
Napier Cup - Most Points in all Classes [Gentlemen] won by Peter Rogers
Enid Gauntlett Cup - Most Points in Handicrafts won by Clare Waskett
Society Shield - Most Points at Monthly Show Table won by Frances Leppard
Janet Bendell Cup - Best Pot Plant won by Peter Rogers
Chairman's Cup - Best Floral Exhibit won by Monica Bone
Havant Borough Council Cup - Best Cookery Exhibit won by Shirley Grove
Jim Mew Cup - Best Onion Exhibit won by Alice McKerrow
Gauntlett Cup - Local Dahlia Championship won by Peter Rogers
Smith Cup - Best Exhibit Under 5's Section won by Finley Poole
Borrow Young peoples Cup - Best Exhibit 8-10 years won by Rose Morris
Tony Ireson Green Toe Cup - Best Novelty Exhibit won by Anne Watson
The National Dahlia Society Silver Medal won by Peter Rogers
The National Dahlia Society Bronze Medal won by Peter Rogers
The National Vegetable Society Silver Medal won by Alice McKerrow
The Banksian Medal - Highest Prize Money won by Alice McKerrow