In celebration of Lincolnshire’s daffodil bulb and flower growing heritage, the Lincolnshire Daffodil Society is holding its 106th daffodil competition and spring flower show this weekend.
The show takes place at Springfields Events & Conference Centre, Spalding, and includes competitions for daffodil enthusiasts, schools and other groups, as well as classes for digital photo and painting entries in a range of competition classes.
In addition, for those with an artistic flair, there will be “fun” competitions for pallet gardens, veggie sculptures and veggie mosaics.
Other exhibits and displays will include a landscaped show garden entered by the gardening team from Springfields Festival Gardens, and a display of bowls of daffodils from Chelsea gold winners Walkers Bulbs.
Visitors will be able to buy a range of items including plants, flowers and gardening sundries.
Chain Bridge Forge volunteers will also be demonstrating their blacksmithing skills with a mobile forge located in the Patio Garden.
The Carlo Naef Trophy for 2015 will be presented to Lady Sally Bruce-Gardyne, president of the Lincolnshire Daffodil Society, at 1.30pm on Saturday.
A lifetime admirer of daffodils and supporter of both the Lincolnshire daffodil growers and the county’s amateur daffodil competition enthusiasts, Sally inherited her love of gardening from her mother.
She was brought up at Harrington – the garden of Tennyson’s “Maud”. She loved the garden passionately.
Sally was president of the Lincolnshire Daffodil Society in 1989. The Society was founded in 1902 and held an annual show in Spilsby, except during the war years, until in 2012 the show was invited by Springfields Horticultural Society to move to the Society’s Events Centre in Spalding.
Later she became Chairman of the Lincolnshire Gardens Trust, assistant to the National Gardens Scheme for Lincolnshire and member of the Hardy Plant Society and South Lincolnshire Garden Society.
Her greatest honour was to have a daffodil named after her. Lincolnshire Lady, a lovely white daffodil, was grown by Ron Scamp, himself a former winner of the Carl Naef trophy.
The show is open from 10am to 4pm on both days and entry is £1 for adults (accompanied under 16s free).
Springfields Patio Café will be serving breakfasts, lunches and snacks and parking in the Events Centre arena area is free.
