Minchinhampton Gardening Club committee have decided that the show in the school hall will be cancelled this year. However, after all the time we’ve had to grow flowers and vegetables this spring and summer, an alternative means to display your produce is proposed.
The Minchinhampton Alternative Gardening Show (MAGS) will take the form of a summary of photographs of exhibits of produce, photos, allotments, and gardens provided by the exhibitors and compiled into a digital document. There will be no judging, prizes or entry fee – just a way of showing your produce and seeing how others have managed. The domestic science section has been replaced with gardens and allotments, and for the heaviest marrow, let me know the weight, preferably with a photo of it on a set of scales, and the grower of the heaviest will win bragging rights.
The ‘event’ is open to residents of Minchinhampton and members of the Gardening Club. Please submit just one photo for each class you are entering, (except the photography section, where 2 photos per class may be submitted), together with a note of that class, and take a little time and thought with the photos of your exhibits, with respect to lighting and background, and send digital versions to me at: peter@lyonspace.co.uk
Photos of your produce need to be submitted by 8th September but earlier ones would be very welcome, so take the photo when the garden or produce is at its best. The MAGS Summary should be published on 12th September.
Details of the categories can be found below:
VEGETABLES SECTION
- 5 medium tomatoes (approx 2.4in (60mm) dia)
- 10 small tomatoes (less than 1.4in (35mm) dia)
- Pair of courgettes (not more than 6” / 15cm long)
- 1 lettuce (any variety)
- 4 potatoes (one variety) white
- 4 potatoes (one variety) other than white
- 5 carrots (one variety)
- Collection of salad vegetables, 5 different kinds, on a plate max diameter 12in (30cm)
- 5 onions (from sets), should not be skinned
- 3 onions (from seed), should not be skinned
- 9 culinary shallots
- 1 cabbage (any variety) with stalk
- 6 runner beans
- 3 beetroot (4”/10cm tops allowed)
- This season’s Longest Runner Bean (alongside a scale)
- Pair of marrows for quality (12 – 15in, (30 – 38cm) long)
- 1 marrow – heaviest specimen – Prize: Bragging rights only this year!
- A collection of 4 kinds of vegetables as listed in schedule, quantities as in single classes in schedule, on a board (max space is 24x24in, 61x61cm)
- Vegetable of exhibitors own choice (3 of one kind not included in vegetable classes)
- 6 pods of peas
- 4 kinds of herbs for culinary use, fresh cut and displayed, without flowers
FRUIT SECTION
- 3 apples, dessert, one variety
- 3 apples, cooking, one variety
- 3 pears, one variety
- 5 plums, one variety
- Dish of fruit (any kind)
- Collection of fruit (3 kinds)
FLOWER SECTION
- 1 foliage plant (in a pot 8in (20cm) max dia)
- A vase of annuals mixed or same – 5 stems only
- 1 container of mixed garden flowers
- 1 container of 3 stems H.T. roses (any variety or varieties)
- 3 stems Floribunda (cluster) roses (any variety or colour)
- 1 specimen H.T. rose bloom
- 1 container of 5 dahlias up to 5in (15cm) diameter (any type or colour)
- 1 container of 3 dahlias over 5in (15cm) diameter (any type or colour)
- 1 container of 3 chrysanthemums (any variety except spray chrysanthemums)
- 1 container of 5 stems of spray chrysanthemums (any variety or varieties)
- 1 container of gladioli (3 spikes, any colour or colours)
- A floral arrangement using only material from the garden to illustrate ‘The Green Planet’ (maximum size 24 x 24in, 61 x 61cm, height unlimited
- A gentleman’s buttonhole
- A lady’s corsage
- A fragrant posy for the partially sighted, using fresh plant material only – size up to 9in (23cm) maximum diameter
- 1 fuchsia plant (in a pot up to 8in (20cm) max internal diameter
- 1 geranium plant (in a pot up to 8in (20cm) max internal diameter
- Arrangement of foliage – no flowers or seed heads, but can include berries, maximum size 18 x 18in, (46 x 46cm) height unlimited
- 1 flowering plant other than fuchsia or geranium (in a pot up to 8in, 20cm maximum internal diameter)
- Display in a vase of 5 stems taken from any flowering plant, or plants, to be judged on quality of the blooms. No chrysanthemums or dahlias and no added foliage
- A floral arrangement to illustrate ‘bumblebee heaven’ – max size 24 x 24in (61 x 61cm) height unlimited
DOMESTIC SCIENCE SECTION – REPLACED WITH GARDENS AND ALLOTMENTS
- 1 photo showing a general view of your garden during the summer
- Set of 3 photos showing progress of a single flower bed during the growing season
- Roses – 1 photo of a rose, rose bush or climbing rose
- Photo of a potted plant
- Photo of a garden feature
- Photo of your allotment/greenhouse or both
- Invitation to relax in your garden
- Your satisfyingly productive allotment
- Your garden or allotment – best bit
PHOTOGRAPHY SECTION
General
These are strange and difficult times. I’d like you to think OUTSIDE the box! Let your imagination run riot!
Below are a series of links which will help you with your Photographs. Take time to browse and you may well look further as you come across interesting links – there is so much information available on the internet.
How to Compose a Photograph
Light in Photography
Subjects for 2020
- Visitors to your Garden/ Allotment – anything other than Humans!
- A Garden or Allotment Shed with Garden tools. Can you make it as moody and atmospheric as possible? Perhaps at dawn or dusk – light and shadows are the key!
- The Dunkirk Spirit – Feed the Nation or Yourselves. A collection of, seeds, vegetables or combination? I’m looking for an artistic display.
- Abstract, this can be either Garden or plant related, or anything in your house or anywhere!
- The best thing I’ve seen on my Daily walk. Absolutely anything goes – as long as you’ve seen it on a walk!
Abstract Photography – definitions;
Limit of 2 entries per class per entrant. All photographs must be exhibitor’s own work and must not have been exhibited in this show before.
Software editing of the photo is allowed.
CHILDREN’S SECTION (Exhibitors in this section do not have to be resident)
UP TO 5 YEARS OLD
- A fruit or vegetable animal
- A painting, any subject, up to A4 size
6 – 10 YEARS OLD
- A single or set of decorated rocks, painted, polished, covered with sand, shells or sparkles, use your imagination, but arrangement limited to 8” diameter (20cm).
- A garden on a dinner plate
- A painting or drawing of a plant or flower, max 10” x 10” (25 x 25cm)
- An interesting photograph, max 8”x8” (20x20cm) not in a frame
11 – 16 YEARS OLD
- Write a poem – any subject
- A group of egg heads, with painted faces and grass or cress hair
- An interesting photograph, max 8”x8” (20x20cm) not in a frame
- A painting of a canal, max 10”x10” (25 x 25cm)
The Minchinhampton in Bloom event will go ahead, so tend those hanging baskets:
MURRAY OF MINCHINHAMPTON CUP – donated by Mr J Murray to business premises with best shop front floral display.
THE GROVER CUP – donated by Mr P Grover and awarded to a resident living within the conservation area of the town exhibiting the best floral display at the front of the property.
Garden vouchers (MINCHINHAMPTON IN BLOOM) will be given as prizes: 1st £20, 2nd £15, 3rd £10, and three £5 vouchers to those who are classed as highly commended.
Peter Smith
Show Secretary
28 Besbury Park, Minchinhampton
Tel: 01453 883611