THE members provided a superb selection of high quality produce for Meavy Garden Society Summer Show once again, despite the wet weather and local hailstorm in July. More than one hundred and twenty visitors enjoyed exhibits of flowering shrubs, gladioli, flower arrangements, and vegetables. Considerable interest was generated by the flowers of Eucryphia which are often over before the show date; this evergreen multi-stemmed tree can reach a height of thirty feet and forms a spectacular pillar of white. The new class for three types of herbs growing in a container proved popular with seven excellent entries. Most welcome were entries from new members and children. The complex task of collating the votes of the visitors, who select their personal choice for each class, went well with the able help of ?young Tim? and his trusty laptop. The guest of honour Raymond Jukes, a long serving member and strong contender for the vegetable classes for many years, was pleased to have all the trophies in his hands, even if only a short while, as he graciously presented them to the winner of each class, including one to himself. In memory of a past president, The Gordon Cross Trophy is awarded by a points system for the most highly placed exhibits. This year the results were very close with only one point separating the joint seconds from the joint thirds and one more from the overall winner, Brenda Burt. Closing the entertaining afternoon, society chairman Douglas Henderson expressed a long list of thanks including society president Cyril Sparey for running the sale of plants, and providing many of them; show secretary Brenda Burt who ensured everything ran smoothly; Doris Potter for the successful raffle; Joyce Williams and her team for providing the tea and homemade cakes; and all the helpers who had turned to on Friday evening to build the staging and prepare the hall. The next meeting is an afternoon visit to Burnham Orchid Paradise in Newton Abbot on September 5 and the monthly meeting on September 17 will be addressed by Dr Howard Wills talking about Sempervivums and related plants, at 7.30 pm in Meavy Parish Hall, for details call 01822 853255. Show results as follows: Pot plant flowering,Radcliffe Trophy,Miss D Potter; Flowering shrub,Price Cup,Miss C Gibson; Hydrangeas,Beattie Trophy,Mrs P Hodgson;Flower arrangement, Meavy Trophy,Mrs B Burt; Roses,Jimmy Brooks Cup, Mrs K Bolster; Gladioli,Clements Trophy, Mrs M Roper;Dahlias, Chittenden Vase, Mrs D Glinn; Flowers,Tanfield Trophy, Mr C Sparey; Salad vegetables,Committee Cup, Mrs L Wosley;Vegetables, Jukes Cup, Mr R Jukes; Herbs, Miss Reader Trophy, Mrs A Back; Pelargoniums, Peter Chappell Cup, Mrs P Hodgson; Fuchsias, Reid Cup, Rev J Weir; Pot plant foliage, Bill Down Trophy, Miss D Potter; Plant in small pot, Allen Trophy, Mrs A Perry; Mini flower arrangement, John Whitcombe Cup, Mrs B Burt; Most points in show, Gordon Cross Trophy,Mrs B Burt.
