Caterham’s local garden show entrants showed their best blooms, rhubarb and asparagus in the Caterham & District Horticultural Society Spring Show on Saturday 22th April. Over 100 exhibits at Hillcroft School, Caterham, delighted the three judges and 50 visitors.

Marion Neden, who judged the homemade marmalade cakes, said that all the exhibits were very good examples. Dr Christina Curtis, who judged the floral arrangements, said there was an excellent standard. Dr Curtis is a national demonstrator for the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies or NAFAS. She deemed Jean Burns-Thomas the overall show winner for her floral arrangement entitled ‘Swirl into spring’. Jean also won a bouquet for a dinner table arrangement judged by public ballot on the day. Sylvia Pocock, who judged the flowers and vegetables, deemed a begonia grown by Ray Brohier the best horticultural exhibit in show. She was also delighted by a table exhibit made by 9th Caterham Guides.

With a theme of ‘Fabulous beasts in myths and legends’, the young people’s table exhibit included a craft Loch Ness Monster circled by mermaids. Living moss and heather, and miniature signs pointing to ‘Nessie’ in a shimmering crepe paper loch, completed the six foot entry. Cllr Jenny Gaffney, Chairman of Caterham Valley Parish Council, presented the 9th Caterham Guides’ leader Janette Ralph with a cash prize for the amazing exhibit. It also scooped a shield, which will be engraved with the name of the pack.

13 year old Tabitha Wren took away a trophy for the most prizes in children’s classes. A highlight was her handwriting of a modern poem on St George and the Dragon by Brian Patten. Nine year old Alice F Barrow won a trophy sponsored by Tesco Caterham with her colourful picture of vegetables. New young entrant Caden Evans, aged 7, showed a lot of promise. He took away three rosettes for winning first prizes in his age category.

The cup winners in the Spring Show were as follows:

1. Jean Burns-Thomas won the Johnston Cup for best floral arrangement.

2. Ray Brohier won the Spring Cup for the best horticultural exhibit.

3. Peter Daniels won the Rudd Cup for showing three varieties of daffodils.

4. 9 th Caterham Guides won the Woolwich Building Society Shield for their table exhibit on a theme of ‘Fabulous beasts in myths and legends’.

5. Tabitha Wren won the Woolwich Building Society Cup for the most first prizes in children’s classes.

6. Alice F Barrow won the Tesco Caterham Farm to Fork Cup for a picture of vegetables.

Show Secretary Janet Manning ran the show for the first time. She said there were 126 entries in total. This was fewer than last year, due to the warm spring, which made daffodils bloom earlier. However, there were seven more entrants than last year. They made sure there was at least one entry in nearly all the 49 classes.

The Society is now looking forward to its annual plant stall at the Caterham Carnival on 10th June and the Summer Show on Saturday 8th July.