Hi Daffnetters
Becky has set me thinking about young exhibitors and Mikayla’s interest is developing each year.
Several years ago her mother contacted me as a Regional Rep mentioned in the then new NDSNZ website, to ask how to plant bulbs in a pot in a suburban section. Several Emails later, I realised that the family lived half a mile from me (as happens in New Zealand) so they came Mum, a very active toddler and a shy young lass to watch me plant bulbs and taking home some extras for themselves. Meanwhile Trevor Rollinson added an extra section on our Website ‘How to plant bulbs in Containers’.
Come the National Show in Lower Hutt, and several blooms were tentatively entered in the new Non- Members class. The second and third places were greeted with amazement but more so was the open enthusiasm and friendliness of the visiting National Members. Bulbs were offered, planting conditions were discussed with a number of Kiwi members, and a mysterious box arrived in the autumn ready to be planted.
Last year Mikayla pressured her busy working Mum to enter in Titahi Bay – they won a class. This year Mum was packing to go to do a month’s volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity in Africa, but Mikayla focussed on moving the containers of bulbs into the car shed to protect them from the storms. She encouraged Mum to enter and then staged most of the miniature blooms herself leaving several late Open exhibitors wondering where all the miniature vases had gone.
Sharing in winning the point’s prize for the Novice was a real delight for her – and younger sister enjoyed the ‘colouring in’ table. So next year we are going to resurrect the Children’s daffodil classes so that Mother and daughter can each enter an appropriate class.
All of us working together have encouraged a keen new youngster.
Margaret Seconi