A BITTERLY cold and biting north wind did nothing to deter a booming attendance as the gates opened for the Malvern Autumn Show.

Nor did pouring rain at mid-day dampen enthusiasms, taking the bite out of the wind as the rain soon cleared for a dry afternoon.

The second day brought warm sunshine.

The recent drier weather has brought relief to both farmers and gardeners, with potatoes being harvested and progress at last being made in sowing oilseed rape and winter wheat.

Abundant grass growth demands frequent lawn mowing and some third cuts of hay and silage.

The Malvern Autumn Garden and Country Show, first put on 10 years ago, attracts people from further afield each year.

They have ample scope to indulge our national obsessions of gardening and shopping.

The full involvement of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) with the Three Counties Agricultural Society ensures the very highest standards on a par with those at Chelsea.

Where Malvern scores is its easy road access and ample adjacent car parks and its spacious layout with showground avenues transformed into shopping malls offering tempting bargains on everything from frying pans to garden furniture, hot tubs, cars and garden machinery, clothing and binoculars.

The best of local produce was on offer and cookery demonstrations were well attended in the food hall, while advice on autumn work in the garden promoted the choice varieties of plants on offer.

No less than 80 varieties of apples were displayed by the Royal Horticultural Society.

Their stand was surely of gold medal standard, but as organisers they could not compete.

Their experts from Wisley were kept busy identifying varieties and advising on growers' problems. They maintain 750 apple varieties at Wisley.

The Apple and Pear Show, with 14 classes featuring trays of dessert varieties and also a culinary section, assembled perfectly matched entries from leading orchards.

Mary Jo Dunsby, of Cotswold Orchard, near Broadway, entered in seven classes, winning seven firsts, a remarkable success, including the Best in Show Cup for her tray of Gala apples.

"We have had a good fruit year," she said.

"The apple crops are light, but of good quality. Our apples are all sold direct to Morrisons."

Stephen Bennett, RHS shows director, was well satisfied with the standard of entries for the Best Exhibit in the RHS Flower Show.

"We had a good crop of Golds," he said.

"In fact, no less than 18 out of 58 were awarded Gold."

The successful 18 came from 15 different counties across England, Scotland and Wales.

Owens Bros of Bevere Nurseries, Worcester, were judged Best in Show.

They have a remarkable record, having won the award four times, with their dwarf and ornamental conifers.

Their stand looked like part of a garden that had not been disturbed for years, with gnarled, long dead branches and tree stumps and seemingly long-established plants clinging around them.

Could it really be part of a transient show display?

Mrs Owen was quick to praise Graham Taylor's efforts in assembling the stand.

"I still have the eye, but don't scramble about these days," she said.

"Graham came when he was 14 and has been with us 40 years."

A remarkable display of 314 different potato varieties earned Dave Chappell of Coldcut, Monmouth, a well-deserved Gold.

"I have over 400 varieties at home," he said.

"I have an awful lot of shoe boxes of tubers before they chit in trays before planting."

The Harvest Pavilion gave scope for amateur gardeners to show their prowess in entries of vegetables, fruit and flowers.

There is always a special appeal in the fragrant roses.

Competitions for biggest and longest vegetables produce bizarre sights.

Longest carrot and parsnip, both grown through tubes, and over 11ft, were shown by peter Glazebrook of Nottingham.

A pumpkin weighing 210.5kg came from J Hallam, of Lincolnshire.

Livestock at the show included many types of poultry and waterfowl, rabbits and cavies.

There were rare breeds of farm livestock and ponies. Owls and falcons were there too. Gundogs were put through their paces in a team challenge.

In the main arena there were parades of sheep and goats and musical rides of native ponies.

The ever-popular Heart of England Jazz Band quickened the spirits, both of dedicated gardeners and people of all ages out to enjoy their day.