The show seems to have passed by so quickly and how pleased we were to get a gold medal this year. Planning for our stand started 12 months ago when we returned home from last years show and found our bog garden at the nursery in full bloom. It seemed a good idea to try and recreate the planting and layout with the adjacent hut.
We propagated lots of Primulas and Ligularia species along with other plants that would hopefully be used. What we had planned to use and what actually ended up on the display was slightly different. After the hard winter of 2009/2010 and then the subsequent dry spring the plants were rather slow in appearing from their winter dormancy. We have tried forcing in the past but have found this doesn’t always work.
As the show approached the lack of flowers on the Primula plants for the display was apparent, so drastic measures were employed. Large clumps of Candelabra Primulas and other bog plants were lifted from our own bog garden. These were loaded with flower buds and looking great. We bagged them up and they were carefully transported along with all the other show plants to the showground on the Tuesday before the show.
Those of you who saw the display will remember the old boat which was borrowed for the display. The boat was a genuine old rowing boat from the Bude canal (date unknown), although only half of the original size, this feature made the centrepiece of our display and drew much attention. Happily now the boat has been given to us and has a new home on the edge of our large pond, where we hope it will provide interest for years to come.
Building the display took me and my wife Sue three days to complete and all had to be ready for judging on the Thursday morning.
Thanks for all the lovely comments, it is always good to have your views.
On the Saturday evening we spent three hours draining water and shovelling out the sloppy wet mud, finally got home late in the evening.
Finally as for next year we are already planning a display garden to support the Precious Lives Appeal which will also feature water!!