My 12 entries in the Cheltenham Horticultural Society Summer Flower & Craft Show this year only produced modest results compared to last year but a second and three third places was more than a lot of people achieved so I suppose I should be pleased. That’s the trouble with having a competitive nature though, only winning will do!

I was amazed that my ‘provided by the Society’ fuchsia came third considering the size of the class so this is definitely a thumbs up for comfrey feed and regular pinching-out.       My Eucomis bicolour which has grown splendidly this year only managed second place again but I hope it will be third time lucky next year by which time it should have produced several flower spikes like the one which won!

The vase of flowers representing Fire & Brimstone was placed third and is still going strong in the dining room at home! I like classes like this where you can use your imagination and raid the garden for exciting colour combinations.

My clever wife, however, won two first prizes and two third places! Her knitted top beat several other beautiful garments including her baby jacket which came third.

And in the cookery section her redcurrant jam won first prize, a major achievement considering it was a last minute decision to enter, she had never made it before, we had not tasted it and she was up against seasoned jam-makers! Doubly satisfying because we grew the redcurrants as well.

Our shows are always held in the beautiful surroundings of the Pittville Pump Room which, as the name suggests, was built as one of several spas in the mid 1800’s for wealthy Victorians to ‘take the waters’. If you have never tasted spa water you haven’t missed a thing; it is foul-tasting brownish salty water which looks disgusting and leaves a horrible after-taste.

There are always plenty of plants for sale from local nurseries and our own member’s stall so no-one goes home empty handed. 

The Deputy Mayor and his wife handed out the prizes and trophies and another great show came to a close.