Lillies and fuchsias are not usually planted alongside one another in the garden but they will come together this weekend when the Otago Fuchsia Group stages its show alongside the Otago Lily Society.
"In response to public demand to be able to see the winning flowers on Sunday, we've decided for the first time to go to a two-day show," Otago Lily Society president John Hill says.
"We've talked about it for a while and now are doing it," society secretary Margaret Muir says.
As well as the show exhibits, there will be a display of fuchsias by the Otago Fuchsia Group, lilies from Rozema Gardens, Timaru, and potted lilies for sale.
Ms Muir and Mr Hill are urging people with lilies in their gardens to consider entering the show.
"It's free, and all you have to do is bring your lilies to Forbury Park Raceway tonight between 5 and 8 o'clock, or tomorrow morning from 8am to 10.30am," Mr Hill says.
An entry can be a full stem that has at least three flowers or buds or a single flower (known as a floret), while for those whose talents run to photography, unframed 13cm 18cm prints of lilies can also be entered in the show.
There is no restriction on the number of entries but few would be able to assemble as many as Mr Hill and Ms Muir took to Timaru recently for the South Canterbury Lily Group's show.
"We took roughly 100 exhibits," Mr Hill says.
It paid off, as a stem of their oriental trumpet (OT) lily Leslie Woodriff won the trophy for premier exhibit, something the couple would love to repeat in Dunedin this weekend.
The Otago Lily Society show will be held at Dunedin's Forbury Park Raceway, Victoria Rd, St Kilda, tomorrow from 1pm to 5pm and Sunday from 10am to 4pm.
Entry is $3 and includes afternoon tea.
Star Garden Book author Gillian Vine will be at the show to sell and sign copies of the book.
