Nailbourne Horticultural Society – Summer Show 2023 Report

The Nailbourne Horticultural Society held its Summer Show on Saturday 22 July in Bridge Village Hall and despite, as always, the vagaries of the weather, it attracted an impressive 31 exhibitors and 173 exhibits, up on last year in, and boosted by the large number of entries for the Chairman’s Challenge, 25 pots of trailing Fuchsia in different shapes and sizes! The many visitors to the hall certainly had an impressive array of colourful flowers to greet them as they came in.

The prizes were presented by John Hill, President of the Society, with Peter and Linda Ellis taking part again this year after a year’s absence and winning the majority of the trophies. Peter won the Champion Cottage Gardeners Cup for most points in the vegetable classes, the Tankard for his collection of three vegetables, as well as the Blee Cup for most points in show. He and Linda were awarded the Household Duo cup for most points as a couple whilst Linda herself won the Silver Rose Trophy for most points in the flower classes. The Sarah Louise Prestige Cup for most points in the floral art classes was shared between Julia Cooper and Rajini Dasan and the latter also was awarded the Handicraft Plate. The Fremlins Challenge Cup for most points in the cookery classes also had joint winners in Raj Dasan and Jill Gillanders. Margaret Falconer fought off keen competition to win the Whitten Spencer Cup for her splendid Fuchsia in the Chairman’s Challenge and the trophy for Best Photograph in Show was awarded to Jackie Thackray. The three garden classes were judged a little earlier this year in June. Both the Pewter Tankard for the Best Kept Vegetable Garden and the Silver Rose Bowl for the Most Picturesque Garden were presented to Linda and Peter Ellis and the Plate for the Prettiest Small Garden was won by Ann Poole, all worthy winners of these trophies.

Our judges for the majority of the classes this year were Peter and Jan Aplin. Thanks must also go to John Newell who judged the photography classes and to the team of Pam Dobson, Sue Walton and Helen Groves who gave up their time to judge the garden classes.

This report is never complete without showing appreciation and giving thanks to everyone who contributed to making the show a success in so many different ways: to the committee and their other halves who got roped in, to all those who entered and to our visitors and supporters on the day.

Source: bridgevillage.org.uk