The South Interlake Garden Club welcomed visitors to its 61st annual Flower, Fruit, and Vegetable Show at Oddfellows Hall in Stonewall last Saturday.
The Show this year was a reflection of the South Interlake Garden Club, small but mighty.
With blooms bursting and a delightful array of vegetables on display, this year’s event may have had fewer entries than in years past, but the quality exhibited a true passion for horticulture.
Judy Nichol earned the coveted Grand Aggregate prize. Her collection of 66 points showcased her skills across various classes. Just behind her with 60 points was Jo-Anne Procter, who claimed the Reserve Aggregate title for her entries.
Class 1 showcased some stunning garden flowers, with Procter racking up the most points, including awards for the best dahlia and rose collection. Joy Leschasin won an award for the best gladiola, and Nicole Kapusta won an award for the best begonia.
In Class 2, Kathy Simard received the award for best outdoor container. Marni Langrell’s house plant in Class 3 caught the judges’ eye, earning her top honours.
In Class 4, Procter was successful with the best specialty arrangement, while Kapusta had the best in Class 5 with her unique kitchen creation.
The vegetable entries were just as noteworthy. Nichol secured top points and recognition for her splendid display of veggies. Leschasin earned first place for showcasing three exceptional tomatoes. Joan Hunter captured the Judge’s Choice Award in Class 7 for best fruit.
Simard demonstrated her seasoned expertise in the senior category, collecting the most points.
In the youth category, Charolette Matheson captivated everyone with her contributions in the six-year and under category. Elizabeth Matheson showcased remarkable skills for someone aged 7-9. Her creativity and unique designs caught the judges’ eyes.
Robert Daher made his mark through his imaginative approach in the 10-16 years category.
Owen Shymko captured the spotlight with his stunning photograph of a sunset. The vibrant hues and stunning composition earned him the prestigious Judge’s Choice Award for photography.
This year, attendees had an opportunity to vote for their favourite photograph, which added an engaging twist to the event. The viewer’s choice ended in a tie with Shymko’s sunset photograph and Simard’s enchanting photograph of tree frogs resting on a plant leaf.
Club president Tanya Daher said the club is looking forward to the show next year, as the categories will be revamped to make it less intimidating to enter.
“We will simplify the themes to something with less barriers,” she told the Tribune. “It will be more fun and easy to enter, so no one feels like they couldn’t possibly enter anything good enough. The kids love it and they can enter every category (except the Seniors), not just the children’s section,” she explained. “The look on their faces when they get a prize is so worth it.”
The next public event is the AGM potluck at the Parochial Hall in Stonewall on Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. A guest speaker will present on foraging in Manitoba.
