Despite the unpredictable turns of summer weather, local green thumbs brought their best to the 62nd annual Flower, Fruit and Vegetable Show at the Oddfellows Hall last Saturday.
Hosted by the South Interlake Garden Club, the event drew 28 entrants — 10 of them newcomers — who submitted an impressive 283 entries for official judging and critique.
Visitors sipped refreshments while admiring the colourful displays, tried their luck at a variety auction and picked up fresh produce at the Farmers Market.
Chairperson Tanya Daher said she was pleased to see numbers climb this year.
“Our hard-working Garden Club members worked their magic again,” she said. “They put on another Flower, Fruit and Vegetable Show that shines with the beautiful entries and the smiles they bring. We had an exceptional variety auction with many generous donations and an awesome Farmers Market thanks to the generosity of Rock Lake Colony.”
Jo-Anne Procter earned the Grand Aggregate title for her standout collection of flowers, fruits and vegetables. Nicole Kapusta was named Reserve Aggregate champion, collecting most of her points through her creative floral arrangements.
In Class 1 – Garden Flowers, Procter also claimed most points and took home the Viewer’s Choice Award, a new addition this year that allowed visitors to select their favourite flower in the category. Special awards in Class 1 went to Nancy Lawrence for Best Dahlia and Best Gladiolus, Emma Hogg for Best Begonia and Kapusta for Best Collection of Zinnias.
In Class 2 – Outdoor Containers, Judy Nichol’s lush flowering container was named Best Outdoor Container. Kapusta earned judges’ choice awards in Class 3 – Houseplants, Class 4 – Specialty Arrangements and Class 5 – Unique Arrangements.
In Class 6 – Vegetables, Graeme Matheson had the Best Peppers, while Nichol picked up most points and the award for Best Display of Vegetables. In Class 7 – Fruits, Cecilia Turner’s grapes were judged Best Fruit.
The children’s section saw Claire MacMillan, 6 and under, following in the footsteps of her great-grandmother Jean deLaroque, claim most points for her entries. In the 7–9 age group, Emilia Booth impressed judges with her creativity.
Kathy Simard topped the Senior Citizen’s category, while Marni Langrell won Best Photography in the amateur photography class.
The Garden Club’s next event will be its annual general meeting in October, open to all. The evening will feature a potluck dinner and a garden-themed speaker.
For more information, contact chairperson Tanya Daher at daherstone@shaw.ca or follow the South Interlake Garden Club on Facebook.
