Summer Show ‘very pretty’

Visiting judges Doug Grant and Hayden Foulds with some of the blooms entered in the Poverty Bay Horticultural Society Summer Show. Both travelled from out of town for their judging duties — Mr Grant from Auckland and Mr Foulds, who is the president of the New Zealand Rose Society, from Palmerston North. Pictures by Paul Rickard

Poverty Bay Horticultural Society president Wendy Davies was “very, very happy” with the society’s annual Summer Show last weekend.

She was impressed with the number of entries for the show, which was at the Farmers Air Showgrounds Event Centre. The stream of people the event attracted over the course of the weekend was also good,  she said.

Rose judging duties were shared by Aucklander Doug Grant, an expert on vegetable, fruit and rose growing,  and Hayden Foulds, president of The New Zealand Rose Society, who travelled from Palmerston North.

The feature items of the show are roses and irises, but also in competition were floral art, trees and shrubs, cut flowers, potted plants, fruit and vegetables and African violets.

Trophies were presented to the winners of each section.

Ruth McLennan won the Caughey Cup for champion rose, with her entry the rose  Flamboyance, with its  stunning apricot-coloured shades.

Maggie Asplet won the Iris Group Cup for the champion of champions  iris, as well as the Molly Emms Cup for champion bearded iris and Glanavon Iris Patch Cup for champion beardless iris.

Verlie Shepherd displayed a perfect Iridaceae white flower — a variety that is part of the iris family.

Judges take into account how the flower is staged, standing upright in the vase and facing the judges. They also look at how the whole flower presents.

The floral art category particularly stood out for Mrs Davies with some outstanding entries, including children’s art pieces.

“Overall, the hall was very pretty to view,” said Mrs Davies.