Flower show highlights summer season

‘Dahlia in a Dish’ by Marie Papple was a first-place winner at the Simcoe & District Horticultural Society Flower Show. 

Chris Abbott

Editor

The beauty of local gardens was on display Saturday at the Simcoe & District Horticultural Society’s annual Flower Show.

Judged by certified judge Dianne Elliott, following the Ontario Judging & Exhibition Standards, the top entries received ribbons. Exhibitors (members of the Simcoe & District Horticultural Society) may place up to three entries per class, and there are 89 classes in Annuals, Perennials, Roses, Foliage, Floral Design, Photography, Fruits and Vegetables, and Potted Plants.

The ‘On the Trail’ category, one of the largest in the show, encourages creative arrangements for roadside flowers, foliage and stems.

“It’s just whatever you can pick up,” said Helen Uren, president of the Simcoe and District Horticultural Society, noting it’s one of her favourites.

Twelve or more members participated in this year’s show, said Uren, who had entries in about 20 categories, and the show was open to public viewing Saturday, August 8th from 1-3 p.m.

Marie Papple, from the Renton area, had about 30 entries.

“This is only my second year, and I entered about the same amount last year,” said Papple. “I entered every class that I could… some specimens I don’t have. I pretty much grow what I like, then I go in the garden and see what I can enter.

“I do have an extensive garden because I like a lot of things,” she smiled. “My husband says I am addicted to plants,” she added with a laugh.

“It’s a lot of time in the spring, then after spring it’s not so bad. Then of course in the fall, all the cleanup.”

Papple said she enjoys the ‘process of gardening,’ and annually tries to improve it.

“Everything is a learning experience in gardening. You can never know everything, and sometimes you learn by trial and error. You might say ‘OK, next year I’m not going to grow that…’ Like things that the bugs annihilate, I’m not going to grow those next year. It also depends on your property – some things grow better than others.

“This year I got into dahlias, I think they’re going to be my favourite. And I like zinnias, and I enjoy floral designs.”

In addition to the annual flower show, mini flower shows are held in April, May and November.

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Simcoe & District is one of 21 horticultural societies in A Carolinian District. There are 19 districts in Ontario, all belonging to the Ontario Horticultural Association, which was established in 1906.

Simcoe & District meetings are held the second Wednesday of the month, 7:30 p.m. in the Junior Farmers Building (No. 1) at the Norfolk County Fairgrounds in Simcoe (172 South Drive). There are typically a half dozen meetings every year, and events are held monthly.

The next meeting, 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 9, features Cheryl Peck, with a presentation on ‘Making the World’s Best Apple Cider.’

On Oct. 22, Simcoe & District is hosting a trip to the Hamilton Fall Garden & Mum Show, which includes stops at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum and Carluke Orchards.

You can contact the horticultural society by email (simcoehorticultural@gmail.com), Facebook or Instagram. The website is gardenontario.org/site.php/Simcoe.

Three other horticultural societies operate in Norfolk County – Delhi (second Monday of the month at the Delhi Friendship Centre), Port Dover & Woodhouse (third Thursday of the month at Grace United Church), and Waterford (first Wednesday of the month, Waterford United Church).