The flower-show season is getting under way. Gillian Vine visits a gardener who exhibits in Outram and helps behind the flower vases.
The people behind the scenes are what makes any club event work and flower shows are no exception.
For Joy Flockton, helping at the Maungatua Church's annual spring flower show involves ticket-writing and helping with the afternoon teas but she also supports the show in a more obvious way, entering blooms from her attractive Momona garden.
''I usually don't put a lot in,'' Joy says, adding that she tends to go for small flowers like violets and primroses ''and the odd tulip''.
This year, the warm weather has her wondering if she will have enough violets, as her long-stemmed pink beauties were almost over by the beginning of this week and last weekend's frosts hit her camellias and magnolias hard. There were still masses of daffodils but despite winning champion bloom several years ago, Joy tends to leave exhibiting narcissus to those who specialise in them.
''I just grow them for fun,'' she says.
The garden she and her husband, Digby, have established over the past 10 years looks older, partly because of several mature trees in an area originally a paddock and partly because of the skilful use of other trees and shrubs as a framework for bulbs and perennials.
Gardening here is not without its challenges, though.
''We've a plague of rabbits ...oh, how they annoy me,'' Joy says.
They have a particular liking for her young golden conifers, which have to be surrounded by netting until established or they will be eaten to the ground. Rabbits also rip out the little box plants Joy has grown from cuttings to extend her neat little hedges.
Then there is the wind.
''We get a bad wind off the Maungatuas and it's vicious,'' Digby says.
In the early days, that prevailing wind was responsible for the demise of her camellia hedge. Joy bought 14 camellias and ''was not impressed when they nearly all died''.
Shelter is slowly solving that but the record June rainfall added fresh problems. The pond was the remnant of an old water race and the downpours saw water run through the lower part of the garden.
''My goldfish in the pond are somewhere between here and Henley,'' Joy says ruefully. Because the water lay for three weeks, she lost many plants and is waiting to see if her tuberous paeonies have survived.
Above the flooded area, the bearded irises that make a great show in November are thriving, a cream grevillea flowers strongly and despite last week's hard frosts, there are still perfect blooms on the cream camellia, Unique.
Soon, the weeping cherry will be in bloom, competing with the late daffodils for flower power.
But before then comes the spring flower show. It's a friendly affair and Joy urges anyone with blooms to show off to give it a go.
The show
The Maungatua Church spring flower show is being held on Friday, September 13, at the church hall, Holyhead St, Outram. Anyone can exhibit at the show: just take entries to the hall between 7pm and 8pm on Thursday, September 12, or before 10.30am on the morning of the show. The cost is $2 per exhibitor, regardless of the number of entries. Children's entries are free.
The show is open to the public from 2pm to 6pm on Friday. Admission is $2 and afternoon tea is $3. There are raffles and a market table.
For more information, or a copy of the show schedule, phone 486-2635.
