BOWLED OVER BY NATURE

For many years I was involved in the organizing of the Horticultural Society’s Annual Flower Shows, so I know how much planning and hard work it takes to stage a successful one.

The 2007 Show at the St. John‘s Ambulance Hall two weekends ago was a successful one.  It was one of the best Flower shows in recent years.

From the time I entered the show hall, I was bowled over by nature as it was depicted in the many wonderful horticultural displays.

At the center of the hall was the Society’s stunning display, designed and mounted by Joan Wilson, the acclaimed floral designer who has won many awards for Trinidad and Tobago at prestigious international shows.

She said that it followed the show’s theme, “Bowled Over by Nature.” and was designed to encourage people to use their land productively and to conserve the environment.

Incorporated in the display were some of nature’s gifts such as fruits and vegetables, herbs and seasonings, cacti and succulents, flowers and foliage, water features and even fish. 

There were wonderful things to behold throughout the show hall.  I strolled along leisurely admiring exotic orchids, majestic bonsai trees, bountiful fruits, vegetables, herbs and beautiful plants and flowers.

Outside were educational and commercial displays, and many booths with plants on sale.  There were also demonstrations on mossing and grafting, potting of plants and basic flower arranging going on in this area.

In the fruit and vegetable section, the big exhibitors were Egbert Awai, who brought in fruits such as coconuts, Julie mangos and sapodillas, while Lloyd Saunders brought in his many exhibits all the way from Castara, Tobago.  Proud of having won prizes for his yams and plantains, Saunders, 87, told me that he had not missed a flower Show in over 30 years.

A lot of talent was in evidence in the large Flower Arrangement section organized by Enid Lashley and her nineteen year old Flower Arranging Group, which was recently inducted into the World Association of Flower Arrangers.  Copping the award for the best arrangement in the Show was Valerie Ferreira for her interpretation of ‘Morning has Broken’. 

The top exhibitor in the Show, however, was Sandy Gibson, who won three trophies in the Orchid section plus a gold medal for the best orchid, a Dendrobium aggregatum.

Sister societies came out in full support of the Show by mounting some grand displays.  Gold medals were awarded to the Bonsai Society and Foliage Design; Silver to the Orchid Society, Garden Club and the Horticultural Society of San Fernando; and Bronze to the visiting Surinamese group, the Field Naturalists’ club, the Horticultural Services of the Ministry of the Environment, the Forestry Division of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Caribbean Forest Conservation Association (CFCA).

Sundar Narinesingh, the President of the Society said that he was satisfied with the way the show turned out, but felt that the Society could do much more if it had greater financial resources and there were more individual exhibitors.

Perhaps, next year, some of you happy gardeners out there will lend your support to this, the longest running annual event in Trinidad and Tobago, by exhibiting produce from your garden.  You might win a prize and maybe even a medal.

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If you have any gardening news or tips you would like to share, or if you are having a problem in your garden, e-mail me at thehappygardner@tstt.net.tt

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