This Saturday was the 50th Doulting annual Handicrafts and Produce Show.
I think it's a great show given the size of the village and there are entries from the village and the wider area. I thought there were fewer children's entries this year but on the whole it was well supported and there was lots to see. Some classes only had one or two exhibits but as there are 130 classes, including the children's, that's a lot of choice.
I managed to get some entries in this year and here are a few:
First is my vase - 'An arrangement of at least 4 herbs' First out of 2!
I was pleased to find so much to put in and there is so much colour, not just green- purple sage, feverfew, flowering mints, parsley, basil, nepeta, pinapple sage, marjoram, rosemary and lemon verbena.
'Corsage'. I dared to enter the Floral Art category and was staggered to win with this corsage. I thought it was way too un-traditional.
Panicum 'Frosted Explosion', Jacobea maritima, Nigella seed head, Achillea ptarmica, Zinnia flower, purple sage, white Sedum, Argeratum and tiny Ammi head. Only the Zinnia was wired and I'm happy to say it still looks ok after 48 hours!
'A vase of cottage garden flowers and foliage' No comment but guess which one was mine?
There were amazing vegetables which I wished were mine, but weren't:
The beetroot and potatoes here are normal size.
And amazing flowers and arrangements (again not mine):
Of course there were also cooking and baking, knitting and photographs, etc, etc. Lot's of fun though hard work for those staging it. Some people take the growing very seriously and the classes are hotly contested.
This morning I was out very early to beat the soaring temperatures due again. Lots of cutting back is necessary not and planning for next year. It's too dry to move and plant just now but I can plan.
Join in with In a Vase on Monday with Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.
As Noelle has mentioned, we opened our gates this weekend as part of Flower Farmers' Big Weekend. We had no idea what to expect and I was certainly worried about it last week.
Of course, it turned out fine. We had plenty of visitors who were interested in all aspects of the garden and flower farm and they all ate lots of cake and raised £150 for our local hospice, Dorothy House.
Will I do it again? I'm not sure, we'll see.
Here is my vase:
This is a quick snap with my phone and now looks a bit grey. I definitely have no energy for fiddling with cameras.
The aster at the front is Blue Ice which I like very much.
Also included are other Asters, Dahlia 'Karma Naomi', Phlox 'Sugar Stars', peachy Limonium which I will take out and dry, Argeratum and Limonium suworowii which is heading out of the picture.
In fact, I may dry a lot of this. I'm trying all sorts as dried flowers are having a resurgence. Look out for dried flower/foliage wreaths on here soon!
Join in with Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for In a Vase on Monday.
