Linda Cross emerged as the gardener with the greenest fingers at a hugely-successful 3Hs Gardening Club flower and vegetable show last Saturday.
Because of the pandemic, it was the first time the club had held the show – usually the highlight of their horticultural year – since 2019. But members really pulled out all the stops and producer a magnificent display of fruit, flowers, vegetable and cookery. Despite the driest and hottest summer on record, only a handful of classes did not attract any entries and some were hotly contested.
Linda won the flower cup and was joint winner of the flower arranging salver. She also won the President’s Cup for the best exhibit in the show – for three pom pom dahlias – and was delighted to accept the shield for the exhibitor with the largest number of points.
Here are the full results…
Section 1 – Vegetables, judged by David Pollard of Hornton: CLASS 1 (6 runner beans) – Bill Jeffs;2 (4 potatoes) – Ann Hemmings;3 (4 onions, dressed) – B. Jeffs;4 (4 onions, as grown) – Lynn Corke;5 (6 shallots, dressed) – Bill Jeffs;6 (4 tomatoes) – Emma Hamer;7 (6 tomatoes – Gardener’s Delight or similar) – Catherine Vint;8 (4 carrots, less foliage) – E. Hamer;9 (3 beetroot, with foliage) – E. Hamer;10 (5 pods of peas) – Bill Jeffs;11 (pair of lettuce) – Malcolm Cross;12 (pair of courgettes) – L. Corke;13 (single cucumber) – Bill Jeffs;14 (cabbage of your choice) – M. Cross;15 (heaviest marrow) – M. Cross;16 (the longest bean) – L. Corke;17 (collection of vegetables)– no entry;18 (3 cooking apples) – Isabelle Harris;19 (3 dessert apples) – I. Harris;20 (4 different varieties of herbs) – Jan Hall.
Winner of the Vegetable Cup – B.Jeffs. Winner of the Reserve Vegetable Cup – M. Cross.
Section 2 – Flowers, judged by Ros Ely of Horley: CLASS 21 (3 antirrhinum spikes) – Linda Cross;22 (3 spray chrysanthemum) – no entry;23 (6 annual sweet peas) – L. Cross;24 (6 pansies or violas) – Sarah Walther;25 (3 dahlias) – J. Hall ;26 (3 pom pom dahlias under 2″) – L. Cross;27 (3 asters, single) – no entry;28 (3 asters, double) – L. Cross;29 (3 stems Penstemon) – Cath Bellamy; 30 (1 spike gladiolus) – C. Vint;31 (a single rose) – C. Bellamy;32 (a container of 5 roses) L. Cross;33 (3 clematis heads) – J. Hall;34 (3 perennials) – L. Corke;35 (mixed annuals in a container of your choice) – E. Hamer;36 (1 stem flowering shrub) – L. Jeffs.
Pot plants and flower arranging, judged by Ros Ely of Horley: 37 (flowering pot plant) – Pat Aris;38 (foliage or succulent pot plant) – L. Cross;39 (a foliage arrangement) – L. Cross;40 (an arrangement celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee) – L. Jeffs;41 (arrangement in container of your choice) – I. Harris.
Winner of the Eileen Lewis Silver Salver for Flower Arranging – I. Harris and L. Cross. Winner of the Flower Cup – L. Cross. Winner of the Reserve Flower Cup – J. Hall.
Section 3 – Cooking, judged by Barbara Shepherd of Oxhill: CLASS 42 (jar of jelly) – J. Hall;43 (jar of jam) – J. Hall;44 (jar of marmalade) – C. Vint;45 (jar of chutney) – S. Walther;46 (iced ginger cake) – Julie Stanley;47 (round of shortbread) – E. Hamer;48 (3 cheese and onion tartlets) – E. Hamer;49 (3 pieces of coconut ice) – L. Jeffs.
Winner of the Cooking Cup – S. Walther. Winner of the Reserve Cooking Cup – J. Hall, E. Hamer and I. Harris.
Winner of the President’s Cup for the best plant exhibit – L. Cross.
Winner of the Shield for the exhibitor with most points – L, Cross.
View photos from the 3Hs Gardening Club flower and vegetable show.