A few words from the President……

2008 has started with all sorts of weather records – vicious frosts that killed several of the plants in my garden, record rainfall, howling winds; I wonder if this year will be as erratic as last with a hot start then a cold summer that resulted in no entries for most of the dahlia classes, no contestants for the biggest pumpkin and, for the first time in 30 years, blight on my potatoes.

Despite this, visitors were treated to a wonderful show, the fruit and vegetable sections counterbalancing a spectacular floral art section. Again, in floral art there is space for even more entries – the competitors have a wonderful time working, often helping each other, on the Friday night before the show. 

Once again it is time to start getting things planted in the garden, some, with any luck, will be good enough for the show! If only there were two marrows of a similar size I could have won that class last year but not in my garden; were there any in yours?

You will notice that we have been reorganizing the vegetable section this year. The days of the big house with its team of professional gardeners has long gone so, with few exceptions, every one is an amateur now. Some, one has to admit, seem regularly to grow better or bigger vegetables and or flowers than others but the rest of us do what we can given the time, space, and facilities that we have As it happens there was not as much overlap as we thought so if there was a class for something last year there will be this. The numbers required in each class have been reviewed and we hope that they are reasonable. In the past I have dug up a whole row to get enough matching vegetables for a dish, the schedule committee realizes that most of you grow enough for the pot so that may not be the ideal option! . The thing about the Denbigh Show is that there is a place for everyone whether you have acres or a few pots in the back yard.

 A ramble around the streets of Denbigh and lanes in the district reveals wonderful displays that would compete with those of our exhibitors who win prizes at the big shows such as Southport and Shrewsbury. Please come and join in the fun. For those not quite sure of themselves or with only a few classes to enter we have instituted a “Novices” class. Anyone not having previously won a cup can enter.

Unfortunately we clash with the Southport Show so may loose some competitors but we have had these clashes before and Denbigh and other North Wales gardeners turned up trumps and the show has maintained its three star, (vaut le voyage/ worth the trip) rating.

I hope that the children’s sections are fun to enter – the standard of entries last year made me proud of our young people I hope that it does again. With these and all the other classes we welcome suggestions for future competitions, write it in the suggestions book, speak to one of the committee or send an e-mail to the secretary.

I look forward to seeing you and your exhibits at the show. Please note the cut off day for entries, now later but, unfortunately, because of organizational concerns, strictly enforced.

DR Timothy B Webb, President

And a few from the Secretary…….

Sadly, this will be the fist Show, really since it’s inception, that my Father Emrys Williams will not be involved with the Show in some way.  His father was one of the founder members of the organization back in 1942 and Emrys served as Assistant Secretary from 1957 to 1959, as Secretary for 40 years from 1960 to 2000 and then again as Assistant Secretary from when I took over in 2001. He was also heavily involved with the Denbigh Entertainments and Sports Association (DESA) who made it possible for the Show to buy their own field in the 1960’s .

My Dad was always very supportive of me in my role with the Show.  The Committee put their trust in me as Assistant Secretary back in 1987 when I was just sixteen, but, just like my Dad, I had grown up with the Show in the family and had been watching, helping and learning for many years.  Also, Dad supported the changes we have made recently, as he started to step back and it was fitting that his last Show was a great success, with good weather and a very good crowd - it was as if he knew that truly the Show could go on into the future, without him.  I have to say though, I don’t think he ever figured how I could run the Show by ‘computers and emails’ any more than I could imagine how he could write out 1,500 individual exhibitor’s cards!

When I think back of the great people, Committee members and exhibitors who have long since departed and have shaped the Show into what it is today, it was hard to believe that we lost so many friends as well as my Dad, in the space of a month.  Hesketh Lewis Jones had been long associated with the Show as both an exhibitor and a Judge; Ivor Aled Jones of Henllan, a long time exhibitor, even with failing health in latter years and Huw Williams a former Field Manager, Committee Member and Life Member.  I remember whispering to the Chairman as we went into Huw’s funeral, ‘we’ll have a good delegation upstairs this year to sort out the weather’!  Let’s hope that’s true, that the sun shines and our Committees, both in Heaven and on earth, can continue to put on a Show for Denbigh to be proud of.

Stephen Williams, Hon Secretary.

Cup Winners - Sixty-fourth  Denbigh Flower Show, Saturday  26^th August 2006

Denbigh Abbey Laundry Cup

Lynton Vickers Cup

Jack Roberts Memorial Cup

Pentre Mawr School Cup

The Arnold Smith Memorial Cup

Emlyn Davies Memorial Cup

The Royal Mail Shield

Edgar Evans Memorial Challenge Cup

Mrs H Barker Memorial Cup

Mrs E Pearson Trophy

Silver Salva (Mrs M Brookes)

Elizabeth Ann Kitchens Cup

Just Right Special Prize

Denbigh Floral Art Club Cup

Trevor Joyce Perpetual Cup

Mrs Charles Batters Bowl

West Bromwich Building Soc. Shield

The Joyce Montgomery Memorial Cup

Denbigh Rotary Club Cup

Evan Jones & Son Cup

The Barton Cup

George Blunsum Cup

Ronald Morrison Horton Trophy

Denbigh Master Gardener (M Davies)

N H Wight Cup

Stephen Davies Memorial Cup

Denbigh Borough Council Cup

The Emrys Owen Memorial Cup

H H Wincup Memorial Cup

Bob Richards Memorial Cup

R E Williams Memorial Cup

A Ellis Rose Bowl

Dr Barker Memorial Cup

The Keepfer Memorial Cup

J O Burton Cup

Aberconway Cup

Brookes Dairy Cup

Evan Williams Memorial Trophy

Leo & Elsa Frischer Perpetual Cup

Emyr Lloyd Perpetual Shield

ZYL Cup

W H Jones Cup

A J Montgomery  Cup (Child U7)

A J Montgomery  Cup( 7 - 11)

G E Humphries Cup

Garn Challenge Cup

The W I Shield

W H Jones Memorial Cup for the Denbigh Flower Show People’s Award

Mr Neil Evans, Rhuddlan

Mr J G Evans, Llangollen

Mr Neil Evans, Rhuddlan

Mrs Carole Bright, Flint

Mr Neil Evans, Rhuddlan

Mr R T Davies, Manchester

Mr Neil Evans, Rhuddlan

Mr Neil Evans, Rhuddlan

Mrs Betty Parker, Trefnant

Mrs Carole Leah, Trefnant

                                 -

Mrs Betty Parker, Trefnant

Mrs Betty Parker, Trefnant

Mrs Doris Roberts, Denbigh

Mrs Beti Smilovici, Denbigh

Mrs Nest Wynne Houghton, Denbigh

Mrs Eileen Thomas, Flint

Mrs Laura Owen, Llanelwy

Dr Christine Hoyle, Tremerchion

Mr Allan Williams, Ffynnongroew

                                 -

Mr Neil Evans, Rhuddlan

Mr Neil Evans, Rhuddlan

Mr Allan Williams,Ffynnongroew

Mrs Carole Bright, Flint

Mr Michael Andrews, Dennbigh

Mrs Carole Bright, Flint

Mrs Carole Bright, Flint

Mr Reginald Shone, Trefnant

Mr Neil Evans, Rhuddlann

Mrs Carole Bright, Flint

Mr R T Davies, Manchester

Mr R T Davies, Manchester

Mr Michael Andrews, Denbigh

Mr Allan Williams, Ffynnongroew

Mr Michael Andrews, Denbigh

Mr Allan Williams, Ffynnongroew

Mr Peter Davies, Denbigh

Mrs Nerys Davies, Denbigh

Miss Lara Jane Pritchard, Denbigh

Miss Abby Ringer, Denbigh

Tomos Daniel Davies, Denbigh

Jack Alun Davies, Denbigh

Mrs Haf Williams, Denbigh

Mrs Beti Jones, Brookhouse

Henllan WI

Mrs Doris Roberts, Denbigh