We are having a hot and dry summer over most of N Z and the show season for gladioli and dahlias is just beginning .
Normanby , South Taranaki , was the venue for a Gladioli Show on Sunday 25 January . Spud Brogden and Wayne Hughes were the main contenders in the open classes ; both showed some superb flowers , mostly of their own raising .They are both master growers and breeders of both Daffodils and Glads . David Luty , another regular daff exhibitor , also showed some fine glads to dominate the amateur section .And , as expected , Joy Brogden and and a very good team of ladies kept the show running smoothly and fed the troops well . Here are few colourful photos to warm you as most are having a cold winter in the north .
Champion Bloom went to Wayne Hughes with his large formal seedling , LAVENDER CHARM . He also had best vase with 3 large informals , seedling BH 32 . Just under 200 stems were exhibited , a mass of bright summer colours .
Matching the colour of the flowers was Joy Brogden , at her summer best .
I was impressed with a Brogden seedling , SOUTHERN COMMAND , , an impressive deep red . Spud also has a nice daff 2Y – R of the same name .
An interesting class is for single florets displayed in small tubes . It certainly shows the large colour range available .
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We had a quick visit to Spuds patch to see the glads growing and the clean daff beds . Spud had almost finished lifting , – just a few seedlings to go .
John, thanks for brightening our winter with photos of NZ friends and such colorful NZ flowers! We don’t have any snow in Nashville but it is a wintry gray day. I only have a few snowdrops in bloom at the moment.