AKS Annual Garden Club Fuddle and Competition

Twenty-seven members and guests gathered at Peachcroft, Kelham for the annual Garden Club Fuddle and Competition judging. It was lovely to see everyone, especially as the last planned meeting – garden visits – had to be cancelled due to the bad weather we had in August. Due to the pandemic the last time the competitions had been run was 2019, so it was also fantastic to be able to hold them again.

John and Janet Clifton, who moved into Peachcroft only about a year ago, have done a wonderful job improving their garden and were welcoming hosts for this Annual Event. Thank you both.

For those who are not familiar with the competitions: in Spring each club member is given:

• a seed potato from a single batch and a bucket (or they use the bucket they’ve been given in previous years)
• a dahlia tuber, also from a single batch
• three runner bean seeds from a single batch

The winners are the ones who produces the heaviest crop of potatoes, the most attractive flower, and the longest runner bean.

The weather this year has not been kind so there were fewer than usual runner bean entries due to low cropping and blackfly. The dahlias had suffered less badly though many had flowered too early so again there were fewer entries than usual, but there were 16 potato buckets entered.

As everyone arrives and during the judging, Pimms, soft drinks and tea and coffee were ably dispensed by Steve Emeny and the delicious food that everyone had contributed to was much enjoyed. Finally, as darkness fell, the prizes were awarded.

The Ian Justice Trophy for the heaviest crop of potatoes was won by Anne Speir whose bucket weighed-in at 4lbs 10oz, second was John Clifton with 4lbs 4oz and Lee Whetton with 4lbs 3oz.

Janet Emeny won the Maureen Lawrence Trophy for best Dahlia and Lee won the Maureen Justice Trophy for longest Bean which measured 16½ inches.

It is all friendly competition and a lot of fun, so if you think you’d like to give it a try next year, come along to the Club meetings to find out more.

The next meeting will be on 25 October at 7pm at the Robin Hood Theatre when Stuart Dixon will be giving a talk In Safe Hands. Stuart is a local Horticultural lecturer, writer and broadcaster, currently featuring on BBC Radio Nottingham for the gardening show, so it’s sure to be a good evening.

The November meeting will be the AGM and there will be a Christmas meal in December.