Gillian Johansson
Gillian Johansson
3 April, 2025
News

Record entries at Bovingdon Gardeners Spring Show

On Saturday 29th March 2025, exhibitors filled Bovingdon’s Memorial Hall with a wonderful array of daffodils, other spring flowers, pot plants, handicrafts, paintings and lego. Gillian Johansson, Spring Show Secretary, had wondered whether there would be any daffodils for the Show only 10 days previously due to the cold, grey days and the frosty nights, but she need not have worried, there were 164 vases of daffodils and 23 vases of other flowers including forsythia and camellia. Fifty one exhibitors brought along a fantastic 250 entries!

Trophy winners

A very varied range of handicrafts, of a very high standard, including knitted and needlecraft articles, metalwork and woodwork, paper cutting and “an article using repurposed/upcycled materials” were exhibited.Interestingly, 10 year old Vincent Tustin-Dodd and 4 year old Zara Johansson entered in adult handicraft classes and Vincent gained 3rd prize for his metalwork box and Zara won 1st prize with her repurposed/upcycled plant pot lady (Isabelle).

Twelve talented artists exhibited 18 high quality paintings in three classes “A Country Lane”, “In the Shadows” and “A Ruin”. Dave Billington won the Novice Class and was awarded a selection of artists materials donated by Clive Duff-Gordon, the judge for the section.

There were 23 exhibits in the Children’s Section including 15 entries in the new Lego class. The Junior Prize for the Lego class was awarded to Freddie of the Bovingdon Library Lego Club and the Junior Prize for 5 daffodils in a pot was awarded to Olie Simpson of the Bovingdon Garden and Nature Club.

Other awards included The Langley Leisure Cup (most points in Other Flowers) to Dave Billington, The Woodlands Cup (most points in Plants – Pot Grown) to Sue Baxter, The Challenge Cup (best exhibit in Handicrafts) to Claire Shepherd, the Pendley Estates Trophy (best exhibit in Paintings/Art) to Marion Perkins, The Wildacre Cup (most points) to Gillian Johansson and The Daffodil Society Medal (best daffodil exhibit) also to Gillian Johansson.

Our next event on 23 April 2025 at 7.30pm in the Baptist Church, 26 High Street, Bovingdon will be a talk entitled “The Value and Use of Herbs and Weeds” by Lucy Blunden, a herbalist, who will be bringing along herbal teas to taste and will also be selling products. Tickets £5 (members) and £7 (non-members).

Our annual Plant Sale returns this year on Saturday 10th May from 9.30 - 11.30 am in Bovingdon Memorial Hall. Why not come along! It’s the place to find locally grown plants and seedlings to stock your garden and greenhouse. Annuals, perennials, vegetable plants and herbs grown by local members/growers. Don’t forget to note the date in your diary!