Step Back in Time

For a few years before Ruth was born I used to travel the country exhibiting at Alpine Garden Society Shows, initially with only a little success and then with rather more.  The year before she was born I was awarded my Gold Medal which is achieved for winning 50 first prizes of which at least 25 must be in the Open section for experienced exhibitors, something that had seemed impossible when I first started.   All of this took place over 25 years ago.   Parenthood and work brought my growing for showing down to a minimal level although I remained connected to the show scene through involvement in organising a show local to where I lived in Norfolk.

For the last couple of years I have been able to go to the show at Pershore, not too far from where Ruth lives.  I exhibited two years ago getting a second and a third place in a couple of classes.   No plants went last year but I did win a first prize in the annual photographic competition with a picture that I took there.   Today I brought along three pots of plants to enter, with no great expectations of success so it was a big surprise when all three won their respective classes.   The narcissus in the central pic above being one of them.   

I went along mostly to see the plants and meet up with friends old and new and to help with the running of the show as I used to in Norfolk (link to an old blip above.)   With sunshine often streaming in to light up the benches, it was a joyous day out on many fronts.  An extra pic of one sunlit show bench.   A happy day!