Cold Ash Gardening Club celebrates return of annual Summer Show and Plant Sale

One of the district’s oldest annual summer shows and plant sales returned on Saturday.

When you’re a gardener, you never know what challenges you will face.

Last year, it was the heat. This year, the rain. But that didn’t stop supporters of Cold Ash Gardening Club from putting a varied display.

“Congratulations to everyone who managed to protect their plants from the inclement weather and take part in the show,” said show secretary Kate Miller.

“There were a good range of flowers, including some lovely dahlias and an eye-catching blue delphinium.

“The wetter summer meant there were some good-sized marrows and delicious-looking figs.”

And for the winners, it was a close competition for the heaviest squash category, with only about 300 grams separating the two heaviest entries.

The best horticultural exhibit was some “perfect” runner beans.

The homecraft categories were also popular, with bread plaits, cheese straws, decorated cupcakes and various preserves.

Some of the jars had such good seals that the judges struggled to open them.

The photography was a close competition between Anna Cload and Amy Collins, who both won cups.

The juniors were asked to make Olympic mascots this year, and used their imaginations to produce some oddly shaped fruit and vegetables.

Well done to Albert and Elizabeth Grew in the age five to seven range and to eight children from Cold Ash Pre-School in the under five range.

The full list of cup winners are as follows:

Bryce Hamblin Cup (Vegetable Collections): Grahame Collins

Sir Henry Barclay Cup (Vegetable classes V1-27): Laurence Grew

Attfield Cup (Dahlia classes): Chris Jones

Dawson Cup (Flower Section): Chris Jones

Mann Cup (Vegetable classes V1-27 plus Flower Section): Laurence Grew

Edwin Ettridge Cup (Best Horticultural Exhibit): Chris Jones

Acland Cup (Homecraft section): Amy Collins

Carol Child Cup (Best Horticultural Photograph): Anna Cload

Mrs A M Collins Cup (Photography Section): Amy Collins

Herbert Cup (Whole Show): Laurence Grew

Dorothy Walters Cup (Spring and Summer Shows, excluding Collections): Laurence Grew

And RHS Banksian Medal (Horticultural classes): Laurence Grew

The organisers wish to thank members of the committee, volunteers and judges Roger Butler (flowers and vegetables), Jenny Butler (homecraft) and Paul Sievers (photography) and everyone who took part.

Thanks were also given to those who ran ran the plant stall and to everyone who donated plants.