The Central Daffodil Group opened our season 2020 with a small bench show in the Manakau Community Hall . Tuesday 8 August should be early season for our area but with an early season, we had a very good number of blooms exhibited . Judge Andrew Jenkins had 33 vases of 3 and 72 singles to assess , along with a very good collection of daffs in containers . 17 exhibitors and good support crew made for a busy staging session and we soon had a long bench of blooms set out on the flat top tables , – more American style than the usual N Z tiered staging .
After an enjoyable lunch , we had our A G M , postponed from May due to the covid lockdown . Then another hour enjoying the flowers and the company before an early finish .
Only a few Premiers this year but a host of quality but not exceptional flowers . We were pleased to welcome Graham and Bronyn Phillips down from the Waikato ; – their flowers were well sized compared to the locals. They had had more recent rainfall and most locals felt we needed a good , heavy fall , not the few showers we had been getting .
However , the winner came from the Whanganui region , grower David Luty is a farm manager 26 kilometers up the long Turakina river valley .He reported it was the earliest season for many years and , with few frosts , the growth was very good but rain was needed .He produced a very good Terminator 2Y – O to take the Champion Bloom .Terminator frequently matches a quality perianth with a very uneven cup but this beauty had an exceptional , even , round , well coloured cup . A fine , winning bloom .
Champion Bloom – TERMINATOR , 2Y – O , – David Luty .
Premier Largecup – PIRONGIA DAWN , 2yw – w , – Graham Phillips . Good size , very smooth ,
Premier Smallcup – GP G – 7 – 5 , – 3Y – YO , – Graham Phillips . Another genuine smallcop , tall , good size , from Grahams Ramar line of breeding .
Premier Double – BALLISTIC , 4y – o , – Graham Phillips . The best of a good range of bright doubles .
Premier Div 6 – TRENA , 6w – y , LUCIE BEATTIE . a good example of this popular cyclamineus .
Premier Tazetta – AVALEX – 8w – O , John Mclennan ,Top flower in this vase . A good display of tazettas , bred by Wilfred Hall , were on display .
It is so good to see such beuatiful daffodils in bloom while there is a great heat and drought with us – thank you for sharing the pictures!
Thanks for posting, John!