Flower Show Day is always a very busy, hectic day for all the committee members of the Horticultural Society. The Hall is open from 8 o'clock
in the morning so that the people who are entering exhibits can come along and bring their produce, flowers, cookery, handicrafts, etc. So,
from a very early hour, the Hall is abuzz with people arranging their flowers for the flower arranging classes, their soft fruit, their pot
plants, etc, etc, etc.

Then at 10 o'clock the different judges arrive and the hall is empty, apart from the judges and the stewards who go round with them. Jean
Cook and Steve Coe, the Show Secretary and the Horticultural Society Treasurer await the judges marks, so that they can collate the marks for the prize monies and for the many cups which the Society have. The next two or three hours are a very busy time for Jean and Steve and thanks to them on behalf of the Society for the excellent job that they do.The judges normally finish their various jobs around 12 o'clock, hoping that they have not upset too many people by their decisions!!

The Stewards then usually have an hour to have a quick look around the field, or get something to eat, or put their feet up for a short time,
before the Hall opens for the public at 2 o'clock. That is the time that the public can come in and see if their exhibits are prizewinners,
or indeed if they have not put anything into the Show to have a look at all the things on display - the splendid cookery, the wonderful
handicrafts as well as all the gardining exhibits. Also, well worth a look, is the children from Wickhambrook School's exhibits. They always
provide a super array of items and pictures that they have made in the classroom, and this was really brilliant this year. So, thank you,
school children (and teachers) for providing this display.

The Flower Arrangements were, once again, beautiful - as someone whose "flower arranging" usually involves plonking flowers in a vase, I just
do not know how you make them look so impressive and in keeping with the title of the particular exhibit. So, thanks to the ladies who did these exhibits. In fact, many thanks for all our exhibitors, we had approximately 50 this year. As I have said frequently before, we cannot
put on a Flower Show, without people bringing along their exhibits, so thanks to all you people out there who made an entry or entries.

During the afternoon there are raffle tickets to be sold to help meet the expenses of the day and this is always a very busy job. But it is
nice to see people that you have not seen for ages and to have a little chat with them, before you go on to the next raffle buying customer!!

Then at 5 o'clock it is time for the prizes to be presented and this year our President, Lady Diana Rowland from Giffords Hall, was able to
come and present the many cups, ably assisted by our Carnival Queen, Laura Hayes. Then the raffle is drawn, people start collecting their
exhibits and suddenly the Hall is empty, apart from the tables, etc. which need to be cleared away. And so we come to the end of the Flower
Show Day for another year. All the helpers exhausted, relieved that everything went well and more than ready for a lovely cup of tea and to
take their shoes off.

Hope that you have enjoyed reading a bit about the background of Wickhambrook Flower Show Day. If you enjoyed looking around and would
like to come along and join us, please come along to one of our meetings. Apart from our coach trip to Sandringham Flower Show on Wednesday 26th July, we do not have another meeting now until Monday 18th September, but you will be more than welcome if you come along to that. The talk is on "Chrysanthemums and Dahlias for exhibition and cut flowers" by Dennis Gifford and, as usual, begins at 7.30 p.m. in the W.I. Hall.

Our Treasurer, Steve Coe, is resigning in November at our A.G.M. and up to now we have been unable to replace him. Is there anyone out there who could possibly act as our Treasurer? I am sure that Steve would be more than willing to show anyone the ropes and to help whoever comes along to get to know the job. Please, please do consider this.

WICKHAMBROOK AND DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

SUMMER SHOW 2006 - CUP AND TROPHY WINNERS

Banksian Medal - A  Day

(most prize money in horticultural classes).

Badmondisfield Cup - A Wilkinson

(highest number of points in fruit and veg classes)

Bailey Sweet pea Cup - R and R Smart

(best collection)

Genesis Green Cup - A Wilkinson

Crystal Fruit Bowl - A Day

(most points in fruit classes)

Flewitt Rose Bowl - Mrs Angela Cross

(most points in floral arrangement classes)

Elizabeth Rolfe Cup - Mrs Angela Cross       

(best floral arrangement)

William Aitken Cup - M Carpenter / C Boot

(most points in cookery and crafts classes)

Mapey Rose Bowl - Lady Rowland

(resident with most points)

The Family Cup - The Jolland Family

(family with most points)

Ivy Hicks Trophy - Brandon Jolland

(most points for under 14 years of age)                                 

Helen Long Trophy -  Lady Rowland /  R. and R. Smart.

(lady gaining most points in horticultural classes)

Giffords Cup -  A Day

W. I. Shield - Cindy Boot

(best cookery exhibit)

Flower Garden William and Nancy King Cup -  Mrs Daphne Bates

(best kept flower garden)

Clopton Cup -  J Fieldsend

(best four rose blooms)

Trophy - Daphne Bates

(best exhibit handicraft section)

Victory Cup - Daniel Jolland

(best exhibit children’s section)

Diplomas of excellence awarded by the Worshipful Company of Gardeners       

Horticultural - A Wilkinson and R and R Smart

Floral Art -  Mrs Angela Cross

Jackie Fieldsend