OTHER COMPETITIONS
Flower of the Month
At each of our monthly meetings we have a Flower of the Month competion in which members bring along a single bloom in a vase and are awarded points out of ten for their entry. There is no entry fee and there is a cup for the winner, awarded at the AGM.The winner is determined by taking the total of their four highest points scores. Blooms have to be from a plant grown in their garden or greenhouse for at least six months.
Sweet Pea Competition
At our July meeting we hold a Sweet Pea competition for the best three Sweet Pea stems of any variety. The stems have to be from a plant
or plants grown in the member's garden. There is no entry fee and there is a small prize for the winner in addition to the cup which will be awarded to the winner at the Summer Show.
Background
When the Society reformed in 1983, after a near 20-year gap, three annual flower shows were arranged, the Spring and Summer show and a mid-season Rose and Sweet Pea show. The latter was held mid/late June when both of these plants are at their very best. This mid-season show was discontinued in 2004 and the Sweet Pea Cup stored away.
In 2016 the Show Secretary, who is a keen sweet pea grower, decided to resurrect the competition as an adjunct to the monthly members meeting nearest to the month of June.
This invariably was at the end of July which is not ideal for sweet peas which are beginning to decline in vigour etc. However growing conditions are the same for all potential competitors and results to date have not been unreasonable.
Initially no distinction was made between annual and everlasting sweet peas. However it was decided that, because of the personal effort involved in growing them, only annual sweet peas would be acceptable for judging.
Fred Archer won the cup that first year with just a single bloom being required. This was increased to the best of 3 blooms from 2017 which is where the competition is today.