Horticultural Summer Show winners

For gardeners, if one form of pestilence does not do the damage, the English "Summer" will.

Show manager Malcolm Moss summed up 2002.

"I looked at my sweet peas. I thought 'They could do some damage at the show...'

"Luckily, I cut the best and put them in the fridge on Wednesday.

"On Wednesday night the wind and rain cut the rest to pieces."

Putting the best blooms in the cool to hold them back for judging is an old trick in the cut-throat friendly rivalry of the flower show world.

Competitors need a clever dodge or two up their sleeves if they are to prevail against unkind fate.

How else would the society have filled the entire High School hall with scent and colour and delight on Saturday afternoon?

Thirty five competitors contrived to put 243 entries on display.

Among the toughest tasks was Sylvia Patten who judged a closely-contested floral art class in which Kay Hyde won both the Margaret van Draat decorative plate for best in class and the cash prize for highest points.

Micky Harris judged a vegetable class dominated by John Pitman who took the Geekie Shield for best exhibit and the cash prize for most points.

Honours were evenly spread in the flower class, judged by Dennis Price. Derek Parks gained the NSPS Medal for best vase, Sandy Harding the Harry Lovejoy Cup for most points, Stuart Wood the Royal National Rose Society's bronze medal for best exhibit and Brian Croft the cash prize for most points in Division III and the cash prize for most points in the members-only class.

Caroline Saunders judged the domestic division in which Joanne Maggs took the Dora Lovejoy Cup for most points.

The Bexhill Horticultural Society Certificate of Merit for the best exhibit in the handicraft class went to Diane Godbolt.

Society chairman Margaret Tate said: "Considering the weather, it is a good show. We have certainly had a lot more people than usual here this afternoon and we have gained quite a few new members as well."

Among new exhibitors were Ruth and Mick Gregory - both winners.

Mick said: "I wasn't going to enter. Then I went down the garden and there was this nice cabbage. So I put it in."

Ruth's vase of mixed cut flowers was also a winner, as was her damson jam and her photograph of a country garden.

Class winners were:

Division One (Open) Floral Art: Class 1, Mr K. Hyde; 2, Mrs L. Fuller; 3, Mrs K. Hyde; 4, Mrs S. Smallwood; 5, Mrs L. Fuller; 6, Mrs K. Hyde; 7, Mrs J. Johnson.

Division Two (Open) Vegetable: Class 8, J. Pitman; 9, I. Luck; 10; D. Parks; 12, J. Pitman; 13, J.Pitman; 15, D. Williams; 16, J. Pitman; 17, J. Pitman; 18, I. Luck; 19, J. Pitman; 20, J. Pitman; 23, J. Pitman; 24, B. Croft; 25, J. Pitman.

Division Three (Open), Flowers: Class 26, P. Stafford; 27, J.S. Wood; 29, I. Luck; 30, D. Parks; 31, D. Parks; 32, S. Harding; 34, S. Harding; 35, S.Harding; 36, S., Harding; 37, S. Harding; 40, I. Luck; 41, I. Luck; 43, M. J. Moss; 45, B.Croft; 46, B. Croft; 47, M.J. Moss; 48, R. Wells; 49, I. Luck; 50, Mrs E. Damen; 51, E.W. Card; 52, A.G. Gilby; 53, B. Croft; 54, E. W. Card; 55, Mrs D. Eatten; 56. A. G.Gilby; 57, B. Croft; 58, R. Wells.

Division Four (Members Only): Class 59, B. Croft; 60, P. Stafford; 61, R. Wells; 62, M.J. Moss; 64, Mrs. R. Gregory; 65, E.W. Card; 66, B. Croft; 67, M. Gregory; 68, E. W. Card; 69, B. Croft; 70, I. Luck.

Division Five, Domestic: 71, Mrs J. Moss; 72, Mrs J. Maggs; 73, Mrs R. Gregory; 74, Mrs J. Moss; 75, B. Croft; 76, Mrs J. Maggs.

Division Six, Amateur Photography: Class 77, Mrs S. Stafford; 78, Mrs D. Godbolt; 79, Mrs R. Gregory; 80, Mrs D. Godbolt.

Division Eight (Open) Handicraft: Class 88, Mrs B. L. Ford; 91, Mrs D. Godbolt; 92, (joint), Mrs D. Godbolt/Mrs E. Damen.