2023 Pilning Flower Show Escapes the Rain

The 2023 show on 26th August once again proved to be a great success, with the outdoor auction of produce and grand raffle draw just concluding as the heavens opened. Visitors to the show had dug deep raising a record amount for the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity who were represented on the day by Alyson Kennea.

Competitors and entries were up by 10% from the previous year with fruit, preserves, baking, photography and crafts being particularly well supported. Wildlife photography (17), cherry tomatoes (15) and jam (12) topped out of the 429 entries.

Remarkably, 90-year-old show stalwart Edward England won best in show for his spectacular ‘King Charles III’ flower arrangement. Edward also took home trophies for most points in the show and in flowers, and the cup for tomatoes. Youth also prevailed with 9-year-old Ollie Roper winning the Harry Cox Cup for best spring sown onions and 13-year-old Beccy Latham Roberts sharing the cup for most points in fruit. Other trophy winner included Mervyn Reeves – specimen rose and most points in horticultural classes, Diane Lloyd most points in cakes, Helen & Jon Oates most points in flower arranging and Lizzie Latham Roberts most points children 14 and under.

The new Ian Kemp Memorial Cup was a first for the show in its 127-year history, as it was made by donor Duncan Kemp using 3D printing. This distinctive trophy was awarded for most points in photography and was won by Steven Wharram. A full set of results and award winners can be found on this website together with lots of photos from the day.

The main hall and grounds of St Peter’s School were full of visitors in the afternoon, who enjoyed the wonderful displays and the homemade refreshments. Show organisers were very pleased with the response and the compliments received for how things ran.  They were particularly delighted by the generosity of local businesses and organisations featured in the programme and on this website who all donated money or items to be auctioned or included in the raffle. These are paramount to the continued success of the show and the funds raised for charity. Thank you everyone for your support. The show date for 2024 will be Saturday 24th August.

2023 Winners

Award Presented For

Best exhibit in show by any exhibitor (Pilning Flower Show Shield) - Edward England - Class 61

Best exhibit in show by a Parish resident (The Creene Cup) - Edward England - Class 61

Parish resident highest points in show (The PFS Rose Bowl) - Edward England - Points 34

Highest points in Section 1 - Vegetables (The Massey Cup) - Bob Roper - Points 18

Highest points in Potatoes (Percy Cosham Wilcox Cup) - Sue Gillard & Helen Maddison - Points 3         

Class 3 - Onions spring sown (The Harry Cox Cup) - Ollie Roper                    

Winner of Class 11 - Tomatoes (Hugh Jackson Memorial Bowl) - Edward England                       

Highest points in Section 2 - Flowers  (Park Garden Centre Cup) - Edward England - Points 17                     

Winner of Class 21 - Specimen Rose (The David England Rose Cup) - Mervyn Reeves                     

Class 28 - Rudbeckia (The Vera Wilcox Cup) - Richard Edwards                       

Highest points in Section 3 - Fruit (The Joseph Hicks Cup) - Julia Edwards & Beccy Latham Roberts Pts 4                    

Most points in the horticultural classes (The RHS Banksian Medal) - Mervyn Reeves - Points 17          

Awarded for the best pickled produce (The James Gillespie Memorial Cup) - Susan Edwardes            

Best tasting jam (The Roy Edwards Cup) - Jessica Sleigh                     

Highest points in Section 5 - Baking (The Hollytrees Cup) - Diane Lloyd - Points 10                  

Best entry in Section 7 - Photography   (The Redwick Cup) - Yvonne Gaulton - Class 56            

Best entry in Section 7 - Photography   (The Redwick Cup) - Yvonne Gaulton - Class 56            

Most points in Photography  (The Ian Kemp Memorial Cup) - Steven Wharram – Points 11         

Most points in Flower Arranging (The Dorothy Cannard Cup) - Helen & Jon Oates - Points 7         

Best Exhibit in Section 9 - Children’s (The Elaine Hodge Junior Cup) - Ivy Reeves - Class 63             

Most points Section 10 - Children’s (The Trevor Fry Junior Cup) - Lizzie Latham-Roberts - Points 10 

Best entry Section 11 - Adult Crafts  (Flower Show President’s Award) - Anne Bradbury - Class 73      

Tallest Sunflower (P&SB Gardeners’ Club Cup) - Richard Edwards – 3.17m 10’ 5”                

Best Kept Allotment - Pilning (Parish Council Centenary Cup) - Norman Pearce               

Best Kept Allotment - S. Beach (Parish Council Centenary Cup) - Tim Dark             

Householder Best Kept Front Garden (Parish Council Cup - Pilning) - Julie Burbage, Dove Cottage, Northwick Rd       

Householder Best Kept Front Garden  (Parish Council Cup - S. Beach) - Shirley Fletcher, 34, Salthouse Farm        

Best Frontage (Commercial) (Frances Barr Cup) - Central Pook, Northwick Rd, Hazel Gwilym

2023 Best Gardens and Commercial Frontage Results

All the gardens and commercial properties in the Parish were judged by the Flower Show organisers back in July. There are certainly a lot of splendid gardens, and congratulations to those that won or got into the top tens below. Cups and shields were awarded at the Flower Show on 26th August, but although it’s now September, it’s not too late to go on a walk and see the gardens for yourself.

Pilning Winner of Best Garden:

Dove Cottage, Northwick Road

A lovely, traditional cottage garden full of plants. Borders, shrubs, trees, perennials, and colourful pots on a gravel drive. The roadside planting is a pleasant addition. Congratulations to Julie Burbage.

The following gardens were all highly commended:

31, Cross Hands Road - Mature garden with roses and perennial shrubs in borders very well kept.

55, Cross Hands Road - Good lawn, mix of planters, shrubs and well-kept attractive hedges

2, Green Cottage, New Passage - Stunningly colourful, neat lawn, perennials, annuals, shrubs and climbers. Shady area, good use of pots and hard landscaping. 2019 winner.

Saefern, New Passage Road - Very colourful borders neat lawns and shrubs. 2020 winner.

24, Redwick Road - A natural garden for wildlife, re-using materials, a lot in a small space.

75, Redwick Road - Very neat and well-maintained. Effective use of pots with roses around front entrance and tidy border. Verge planted too. Bridge View, Severn Way - Lawns, trimmed shrubs, veranda with patio pots.

16, The Glebe - Well-kept lawn colourful baskets and containers all around.

31, Wainbridge Crescent - Well-maintained colourful display of bedding plants. 2021 winner.

Severn Beach Winner of Best Garden:

34, Salthouse Farm

A good variety of plants and colour, well-kept with immaculate lawn. A consistently good garden, last winning back in 2004. Congratulations to Shirley Fletcher.

The following gardens were all highly commended:

21, Ableton Lane - Stunningly colourful begonias planted in wall and in baskets along wooden fence.

114/116, Beach Road - Attractive planting of perennials & annuals especially along footpath plus hanging baskets and planters at the front. Both gardens tended by 116.

Plotland, Church Road - Good variety of kerbside planting all in flower and colourful. Won 2022.

102, Gorse Cover - Neat planting against house wall providing colour.

7, Rustic Park - Huge begonias, very colourful display, great variety of pot grown plants.

11, Rustic Park - Lovely mix of plants surrounding dwelling, e.g. sunflowers, gladioli and vegetables in growbags.

53, Salthouse Farm - Slate base, colourful, variety of plants, shrubs & flowers.

42, Station Road - Lots of lilies and colour in a small space.

15, Victoria Crescent - Busy colourful garden using containers with bedding plants.

Best Commercial Frontage:

Central Pook, Northwick Road, Pilning

An array of large wooden planters filled with assortments of colourful flowers around the café and outdoor seating area, which is kept clean and tidy sa. Congratulations to Hazel Gwilym.

2022 Winners

Award Presented For

Best exhibit in show by any exhibitor (Pilning Flower Show Shield) - Catherine Fish 73

Best exhibit in show by a Parish resident (The Creene Cup) - Beccy Latham-Roberts - Class 71

Parish resident highest points in show (The PFS Rose Bowl) - Edward England - Points 36

Highest points in Section 1 - Vegetables (The Massey Cup) - Bob Roper & Richard Edwards - Points 13

Highest points in Potatoes (Percy Cosham Wilcox Cup) - Helen Madison & David England - Points 3                  

Class 3 - Onions spring sown (The Harry Cox Cup) - Graham Hawkins                     

Winner of Class 11 - Tomatoes (Hugh Jackson Memorial Bowl) - Edward England                       

Highest points in Section 2 - Flowers  (Park Garden Centre Cup) - Edward England - Points 21                     

Winner of Class 21 - Specimen Rose (The David England Rose Cup) - Heather Rickards                      

Class 28 - Rudbeckia (The Vera Wilcox Cup) - Edward England                       

Highest points in Section 3 - Fruit (The Joseph Hicks Cup) - Bywater family - Points 6                      

Most points in the horticultural classes (The RHS Banksian Medal) - Edward England Points 35                      

Awarded for the best pickled produce (The James Gillespie Memorial Cup) - Helen & Jon Oates                      

Best tasting jam (The Roy Edwards Cup) - Caroline Newton                     

Highest points in Section 5 - Baking (The Hollytrees Cup) - Susan Edwards - Points 14                   

Best entry in Section 7 - Photography   (The Redwick Cup) - Sophie Andrews - Class 56                

Highest points in Flower Arranging  (The Dorothy Cannard Cup) - Rosemarie Roper - Points 8                

Best Exhibit in Section 9 - Children’s (The Elaine Hodge Junior Cup) - Ivy Reeves - Class 62                 

Most points Section 10 - Children’s (The Trevor Fry Junior Cup) - Beccy Latham-Roberts - Points 10                 

Best entry Section 11 - Adult Crafts  (Flower Show President’s Award) - Catherine Fish - Class 73              

Tallest Sunflower (P&SB Gardeners’ Club Cup) - Sue King - 3.3m                

Best Kept Allotment - Pilning (Parish Council Centenary Cup) - Brenda & Cliff Coleman               

Best Kept Allotment - S. Beach (Parish Council Centenary Cup) - Rosemary Crane             

Householder Best Kept Front Garden (Parish Council Cup - Pilning) - Patricia and Don Nunn, 3 Cross Hands Rd            

Householder Best Kept Front Garden  (Parish Council Cup - S. Beach) - Donna Coller, Plotland, Church Road        

Best Frontage (Commercial) (Frances Barr Cup) - The Old Piggery, Severn Road, Lorna Fussel     

2021 Winners

Award Presented For

Best exhibit in show by any exhibitor (Pilning Flower Show Shield) - Diane Lloyed - Class 43

Best exhibit in show by a Parish resident (The Creene Cup) - Diane Lloyd - Class 43

Parish resident highest points in show (The PFS Rose Bowl) - Bob Roper - Points 25

Highest points in Section 1 - Vegetables (The Massey Cup) - Bob Roper - Points 25

Highest points in Potatoes (Percy Cosham Wilcox Cup) - Graham Hawkins & David England - Points 3               

Class 3 - Onions spring sown (The Harry Cox Cup) - Bob Roper                    

Winner of Class 11 - Tomatoes (Hugh Jackson Memorial Bowl) - David l-Anson                      

Highest points in Section 2 - Flowers  (Park Garden Centre Cup) - Edward England - Points 19                     

Winner of Class 21 - Specimen Rose (The David England Rose Cup) - Rosemarie Roper                     

Class 28 - Rudbeckia (The Vera Wilcox Cup) - Helen & Jon Oates                     

Highest points in Section 3 - Fruit (The Joseph Hicks Cup) - Bob Roper - Points 25                   

Most points in the horticultural classes (The RHS Banksian Medal) - Edward England - Points 35                      

Awarded for the best pickled produce (The James Gillespie Memorial Cup) - Helen & Jon Oates                    

Best tasting jam (The Roy Edwards Cup) - Jo Batt                    

Highest points in Section 5 - Baking (The Hollytrees Cup) - Catherine Fish - Points 11                

Best entry in Section 7 - Photography   (The Redwick Cup) - Steven Wharram - Class 54               

Highest points in Flower Arranging  (The Dorothy Cannard Cup) - Pat Edwards, Helen &  Jon Oates and Rosemarie Roper - Points 4          

Best Exhibit in Section 9 - Children’s (The Elaine Hodge Junior Cup) - Ollie Roper - Class 63                 

Most points Section 10 - Children’s (The Trevor Fry Junior Cup) - Lizzie Latham-Roberts - Points 12               

Best entry Section 11 - Adult Crafts  (Flower Show President’s Award) - Catherine Fish - Class 73              

Tallest Sunflower (P&SB Gardeners’ Club Cup) - Alfie Roper - 2.64 m                

Best Kept Allotment - Pilning (Parish Council Centenary Cup) - Norman Pearce            

Best Kept Allotment - S. Beach (Parish Council Centenary Cup) - Tim Dark           

Householder Best Kept Front Garden (Parish Council Cup - Pilning) - Brenda & Cliff Coleman, 31 Wainbridge Cres           

Householder Best Kept Front Garden  (Parish Council Cup - S. Beach) - Gillian Cox, Oregon, Ableton Lane       

Best Frontage (Commercial) (Frances Barr Cup) - Just As You Are Tea Cottage, Danny and Ester Bamfield