Fantastic flowers

Admiring his prize-winning chrysanthemum "Ralph Lambert" is Michael Coulter (left), of Christchurch, and Dunedin Horticultural Show president Dave Young at the national chrysanthemum show at Forbury Park at the weekend.

There were 250 entries from Christchurch to Invercargill alongside 300 horticultural exhibits (vegetables and flowers) in the annual autumn show, Mr Young said.

Mr Coulter said growing chrysanthemums, the "most fantastic flower", was a "life-long passion".

He had been carefully cultivating the winning bloom for about nine months but planned to give it away at the end of the show as he had "plenty more at home".