Woodville flower show stalwart Ralph Mountford at last year's show with his winning dahlia.
Woodville flower show stalwart Ralph Mountford at last year's show with his winning dahlia.
Despite the drought conditions affecting Tararua, organisers of the Woodville flower show are hoping it will be the success it always is.
The 136th Woodville Horticultural and Industrial Society Annual Show is to held at the Woodville Community Centre-Sports Stadium, Ross St, on Saturday, February 29.
The show is ahuge event and attracts growers from around the district and beyond.
President Kevin Eades says the show attracts entries from Feilding, Palmerston North, Upper Hutt, Masterton, Pahiatua and Dannevirke.
He has been a member of the flower show committee for 12 years and president for eight, but his family connection to the show goes back about 35 years. His brother, father and grandfather have all held the role of president.
The show is more than just a flower show - although that section is huge - there are several sections including a popular children's competition.
Anyone wanting to enter exhibits in the show has a wide variety of sections to choose from. For example in the dahlia section there are open and amateur classes.
In the cut flowers section there is everything from asters to zinnias and all flower types in between. There is a rose section, gladioli and pot plants and for artistic people there is a floral art with novice, intermediate and open sections, each with its own theme, with an overall theme of Innovation.
Vegetable growers have their own section along with fruits such as apples, plums, lemons, grapes, tomatoes and grapefruit.
The home industries has competitions for cakes, muffins, scones, jams, marmalade, chutney, pikelets, jelly, bottled fruit and more.
Then there is also the handwork section which covers a child's garment, tea cosy, crochet, knitted articles, tapestry, toys, quilts and more.
The children's vegetable sculptures caught the attention of this young flower show visitor.
The children's section covers ages up to 7 years, 8 to 10 years and 11 to 13 years with categories. These include vegetable and/or fruit models, vase of flowers, creation from recycled materials (on a square 300mm base) and a cake made by a child 13 years and under.
The children's prize money is $10 first place, $8 second place and $5 for third.
The Woodville Horticultural and Industrial Society publishes a schedule for exhibitors providing instructions and exhibit items for each category. These can be obtained from secretary Shirley Hale, phone (06) 376 5262.
For those who wish to exhibit, entries are accepted from 8am until 11am. The hall is then cleared and judging begins.
First-timers will be met at the door and shown where and how to exhibit. Vases for flowers will be provided.
The presentation of prizes is at 2.15pm. Raffles are drawn at the end of prizegiving.
Eades says the raffles are the life blood of the club and help to keep it running.
