WELCOMING visitors to the Inkberrow and District Horticultural Society's Annual Show, held at Inkberrow Village Hall on September 4, Chairman Tom Hodgkinson admitted that gardeners, like farmers, had a reputation for always complaining about the weather.

However, he felt that this year their complaints were justified, not least following the stormiest and wettest August on record.

That said, the exhibits did justice to the hard work of members, and main show judge Duncan Coombes of Pershore College, made particular mention of the very high standard of the blooms in the dahlia classes.

The chairman congratulated everyone who had taken part in the show and remarked on the quality of the work from some skilled new artists in the painting and photograph sections.

He was also delighted to announce that the number of exhibitors had risen from 19 last year to 28 for this show.

Finally, he thanked everyone who had worked to make the show a success, both front and backstage, and made special mention of the contribution of show secretaries Rosemary and Margaret.

Members manned a very popular plant stall and the raffle and refreshments were well patronised. Cups were presented by Mrs Jane Mowbray. Judges were as follows: mains show judge, Mr Duncan Coombes; flower arrangements, Mrs Alwyn Stanley; photos/art, Mr John Harris; cookery/handicrafts, Mrs Anne Derbyshire; and children's classes, Miss Hilary Bainbridge.

Fred Hunt won the Society Challenge Cup for highest number of points in the flower section, the Dormston Challenge Cup for roses, the Society Challenge Cup for vegetables, the Barnes Challenge Cup for highest number of points in show and the Top Tray Award.

Anthony Hopkins won the Society Cup for pot plants and the Worrall Memorial Trophy for best in show for his superb cabbages. Peter May won the Community Cup for fruit and Liz and John Sibbitt were winners of the W Ganderton Cup for preserves cookery and handicrafts and also of the Banksian Medal.

The Worrall Challenge Cup for flower arranging was not awarded this year, as the winning exhibitor was not a Society member.

Class winners were as follows: Class 1 - container of mixed annuals, Peter May; Class 2 - container mixed perennials, Margaret Jones; Class 3 - decorative dahlias one variety, F Hunt; Class 4 - five decorative dahlias mixed, F Hunt; Class 5 - three cactus dahlias one variety, F Hunt; Class 6 - five cactus dahlias mixed, F Hunt; Class 7 - three spikes gladioli one variety, F Hunt; Class 8 - five blooms geranium, David Perkins.

Class 9 - container of HT roses, Joyce Richardson; Class 10 - one spray floribunda, F Hunt; Class 11 - specimen HT, F Hunt; Class 12 - three sprays of shrub rose, F Hunt.

Class 13 - grown for foliage, L & J Sibbitt; Class 14 - grown for flowers, D Perkins; Class 15 - fuchsia, A Hopkins; Class 16 - miniature garden cacti/succulents, A Hopkins; Class 17 - specimen cactus or succulent, A Hopkins; Class 18 - begonia-double tuberous, D Perkins; Class 19 - gloxinia, A Hopkins; Class 20 - specimen bonsai, A Hopkins.

Class 21 - five cooking apples one variety, A Hopkins; Class 22 - five pears, A Hopkins; Class 23 - ten plums one variety, M Jones; Class 24 - five dessert apples one variety, P May; Class 25 - dish of any other fruit, P May.

Class 26 - six pods runner beans, F Hunt; Class 27 - one cucumber grown indoors, L & J Sibbitt; Class 28 - six pods French beans, F Hunt; Class 31 - five onions from seed, Colin Willis; Class 32 - three beetroot round, L & J Sibbitt; Class 33 - two cabbage one variety, A Hopkins (best in show).

Class 34 - five onions from sets, F Hunt; Class 35 - three carrots one variety, A Hopkins; Class 36 - three parsnips one variety, A Hopkins; Class 37 - eight cherry tomatoes, H Betteridge; Class 38 - ten shallots pickling, A Hopkins; Class 39 - five tomatoes not cherry, Patrick Perkins; Class 40 - ten shallots culinary, F Hunt.

Class 41 - five white potatoes, F Hunt; Class 42 - three leeks, A Hopkins; Class 43 - five coloured potatoes, F Hunt; Class 44 - unusually shaped naturally grown vegetable, F Hunt; Class 45 - two sticks celery, A Hopkins; Class 46 - collection of culinary herbs, E Hodgkinson; Class 47 - longest runner bean, F Hunt.

Class 48 - three courgettes, F Hunt; Class 50 - three peppers one colour, T Richardson; Class 51 - any other vegetable, A Hopkins; Class 52 - two marrows, F Hunt; Class 53 - heaviest pumpkin, P May; Class 54 - top tray, F Hunt.

Flower Arrangements: Class 55 - September Song, Wynn Betteridge; Class 56 - Autumn Jewels petite, C Underhill; Class 57 - Harvest Home, W Betteridge.

Class 58 - Jar any soft fruit jam, J Mowbray; Class 59 - jar chutney, L & J Sibbitt; Class 61 - jar pickle, L & J Sibbitt; Class 62 - jar jelly, E Hodgkinson; Class 63 - bottle wine sweet flower or fruit, Mike Mills; Class 64 bottle wine sweet any other base, m Mills; Class 65 - bottle wine dry flower or fruit, M Mills.

Cookery: Class 67 - Housekeeper's cake to given recipe, P Atkin; Class 68 - Victoria Sponge using two eggs, M Jones; Class 69 - baked egg custard tart, P Atkin.

Handicrafts: Class 71 - piece of embroidery, W Betteridge; Class 72 - hand knitted item, Edith Hunt; Class 73 - example of canvas work, J Bateman; Class 75 - any other craft item, L & J Sibbitt; Class 76 - picture painting or drawing, Joan Wheeler; Class 77 - postcard size photo print "Horizon", L & J Sibbitt.

Children's Section: Class 79 - miniature garden in tray, Aaron Smith; Class 80 - pattern flower heads in sand on plate, P Tredwell, Mollie Higginson, Lucy Tredwell; Class 81 hand written copy of favourite poem: Beth Stringer, Elliot Dean, Joshua Grant, Michael Marley; Carys McCullogh, Megan Williams, Amy Haines, Alice Cresswell, Codie Walker, William Smith; Laura Madden, Hayley, William Hartley, Lauren Forbes.

Class 82 - animal made from vegetables, Aaron Smith.