Melksham’s best gardeners awarded at annual show

THE annual Melksham Gardeners’ Society Flower and Produce Show was held on 8th September at the Assembly Hall, where trophies were awarded to the winners by Mayor Tom Price.

A range of flowers, fruits and vegetables were exhibited at the show alongside cakes, jams and preserves, all of which were entered in the various class competitions.

A member of the Gardeners’ Society, Mike Goodhew, said, “In a year that has seen unusual weather patterns, including a very wet spring, a cold snap in June, and prolonged dry spells, gardening has not been easy. Despite this, there were some excellent displays of flowers, fruit and vegetables at the show. The onions exhibited were some of the best we have ever seen, and there were some absolutely monster marrows on display. The floral classes had suffered from a week of very wet weather leading up to the show, but the benches still looked an absolute picture with vases of fragrant blooms. The baking and preserves classes were, as usual, full of mouth-watering cakes, jams, and preserves. The stout fruit cake class attracted a large number of entries and gave a beautiful aroma to that section of the hall. The handicrafts section of the show displayed the many and varied talents of the local residents, including hand-knitted items, pottery, tapestry and a stunning painted jacket.”

This year’s photography competition attracted a high volume of entries, with the competitors’ interpretations of topics including skylines, textures and patterns in nature.

“The young exhibitor classes showed off the talent of our younger competitors and never fail to bring a smile to the face,” said Mike.

The winners of each section were: flower class, Mike Goodhew; vegetable class, James Kenyon; fruit class, Rita Sangster; young exhibitor (3 to 6 years), Tilly Newman; young exhibitor (7 to 12 years), Ellie Short; floral art, David Gray; preserves, Virginie Djaileb; baking, Fiona Dey; handicrafts, Stephanie Mitchell; photography, Mandy Humphreys; closed class, Karen Johnson; Banksian Medal, Mike Goodhew; Chairman’s Cup, Stephanie Mitchell; most points in show, Mike Goodhew.

“We would like to thank all of the exhibitors for taking the time to make the show a success,” Mike added. “Also, a big thank you to all of the judges and helpers on the day — without them, it would not be possible to run the show.”

For more information visit www.melkshamgardenerssociety.co.uk.