Growers put family first as show defies weather and hosepipe ban

GROWERS who took the top prizes at this year’s Chiltern Edge Horticultural Society autumn show paid tribute to their parents for showing them the ropes.

More than 200 people visited the annual event held at the village hall in Sonning Common on September 6.

Displays included flowers, fruit and vegetables, photography, art and domestic entries, including Swiss rolls and jam.

Growers had to contend with the hottest summer on record and also a hosepipe ban ahead of the contest.

Martin Hedges, 54, an accountant from Emmer Green, took home six trophies and placed first, second or third in 26 categories.

He placed first in 16 categories, second in nine categories and third in one.

Mr Hedges grew three parsnips, which measured about 3ft, a pair of cucumbers, which measured around 40cm, and four carrots, which measured 30cm.

He said: “I have been gardening for 20 years and I like it because it’s nice to be outside and it’s different to being in an office.

“I’m fascinated by growing things from a tiny seed to what it ends up as, the whole process is really nice.”

He learnt to grow fruit and vegetables on a plot of land in his parents’ garden and later progressed to having his own allotment.

He said: “My mum and dad have been gardening for around 30 years and they got me into it. I have always grown vegetables because I had a plot in the back of my mum and dad’s garden, so I just carried on after that in allotments.

“I think it rubbed off on me because my dad was a landscape gardener who was always outside doing trees or growing things.”

Mr Hedges uses a special technique to ensure his vegetables grow straight. He said: “They have to be grown in a big tub, like an oil drum size with a hole cut out of the bottom, which is filled with sand, and you make a hole filled with soil so that it can grow straight.

“You can’t just put it straight in the ground because if it hits a stone, it will fork off. The carrots are the same but the trick with cucumbers is to not let them touch the leaves because they mark and scratch really easily, so you have to make sure they hang straight.”

Anita Unwin, from Oxford, learnt from her mum, Maureen Stevens, 91, who lives in Sonning Common and has entered for more than 20 years.

She placed in 10 categories coming first in five, taking home the Len Holloway Memorial Trophy for the most points in the pot plant categories, which she will share with Colin Mather.

“I feel like I’ve won the lottery”, she said. “This is the second year I have entered the show and I am happy as it has been quite a demanding year.”

Ms Unwin also won first place in the open category for photos for her image of a brown hairstreak butterfly, which was captured while she was out blackberry picking.

She said: “It’s very rare because it only puts its eggs on young shoots of blackthorn shrubs.

“The blackberry was near this thorn, and they were intertwined, and as I was picking my blackberries it landed. I knew how rare it was and I had my phone in my pocket, so I took a photo of it. I was very excited to see it.”

Jessica Philbrick, 61, a part-time gardener who lives in Baskerville Road, Sonning Common, took home the Sullivan Rose Trophy and the Sid Harper Trophy.

She placed in 10 categories, winning four and came second in two and third in three.

Ms Philbrick entered roses, dahlias, a vase of perennial flowers, compost and gingerbread. She overcame the hosepipe ban by using a watering system in her garden, which uses rainwater from the roof of her home.

She said: “We found the outdoor storage tank next to the house and it had been there since the 1900s. We refurbished it and re-waterproofed it and it can store up to 10,000 litres.

“I didn’t expect to win because the judges are really specific in what they’re looking for, so you never quite know, but I was pleased to have won.”

Colin Mather, publicity officer, placed first for his indoor foliage plant in a pot, third for his succulent in a pot and second for his small painting. He painted mountains, trees and a lake in a night setting.

He said: “I’ve been coming to the society for around 20 years and have won first in photography a couple of times, but I don’t normally put paintings in. I was quite surprised to get placed.

“I have always liked doing arts and crafts, so I thought I would go along and it was lovely.”