I am enjoying the first flowers from the northern hemisphere as we are having a warm but very wet December in the center of N Z .It would be great to have Daffs for Christmas , perhaps a white Christmas , – but no chance of that here . .Please keep them coming .
Finally have my computer problems sorted and have a few interesting flowers and show results to post . At most shows on our circuit we have a class for a vase of 7 – it may be one variety or mixed . Frequently we use this class to try and get public involvement in the show – we give them a chance to vote for their favourite .Rongotea do this very well and even this season with limited public attendance at the show , almost a hundred votes were cast . I always have to many flowers at this popular midweeker , so as I was finally staging the last exhibition flowers , our amazing team of helpers swooped in and soon had 6 vases ready for the table by the entrance door .A big thanks all , – your help is appreciated and the results always interesting .I did not stay to see the votes (( a token in the small jar in front of each vase )) but was not surprised at the winner . I think it was staged by show judge Wayne , killing time before the judging started .
Six times seven from Rongotea .
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT THEY ARE – –
A split corona , ” Boscoppa ” a consistent Ron Scamp Split , good size but never tall .
Debs Jewel , a very attractive Colin Crotty flower .
An unknown , my memory , all yellow large cup , – big flowers .
A very well staged mixed vase , with some seedling doubles prominent .
Valley Dream – very bright red pink , another Colin Crotty flower , I enjoy this red/pink colour .
Another mixed vase with Kahurangi , a NZ tazetta at the top , and another tazetta also . . Count the flowers – yes , – more than seven but to encourage variety , the entry is specific ” SEVEN STEMS ”
And the winner was this very tidy mixed vase – well done Judge Wayne , your staging and dressing skills are probably the winning difference again .
And at the our C D G late show , held in Palmerston North , we again had this class – with only two entries .
The winner was this stunner from John Hollever . Every bloom deserved to be a single show entry , 7 big , bright , quality blooms .that would be hard to match anywhere .
A good entry from Spud . Very attractive , large bright flowers , a Brogden seedling . Spud and I like his style of flower but the show Quality blooms , although mixed , stood out .
We have often discussed the judging criterea for this class , – what the balance should be between the quality of the individual blooms , in strict show standards , or the ” impact ” that the overall view has .. If it is a public vote , – it would probably swing towards inpact , if a show juge descision , more towards individual flower quality . Better to just enjoy the flowers ., and the opening score to the movie , an absolute classic by Elmer Bernstein .