Sutherland Show 2012

After receiving an SOS message from John Ross, the convenor of the Flower Show at the above County Show, I entered three exhibits in the floral section of the above show. I have never exhibited in the floral section of a show before although we are growing our cordon sweet peas with a view to exhibiting them this year.
Anyway, Friday night found me up at the garden with secateurs in one hand and a florist's bucket in the other. Half and hour later and I had a goodly bunch of mixed garden flowers,  and two groups of 7 sweet pea stems. These sweet peas were not from the cordon grown ones as they did not have sufficient blooms but were instead selected from the border wigwams.
Anyway, after throwing together an arrangement in the bucket, it was ff to the show, where I staged the sweet peas in two bikini vases (thankfully supplied by John) and went for a wander awaiting the judges decision.
To say I was surprised would be an understatement !!
Second for my bucket of flowers.....

and a second and third for the two sweet pea exhibits, one of which is pictured below..

As I mentioned, the sweet pea blooms were taken from the wigwams in the borders so no variety names were known, as it sold as an Arrangers mix. I do not know the name of the blooms above, but I was reliably informed that the other vase was Gwendoline, which is a top exhibition sweet pea up in this neck of the woods, so no prizes for guessing one of the varieties for next season. I was also advised that I would be better starting the seed off in the Autumn as this would give the plants a head start and give us more blooms earlier in the season.
Anyway, a day of success for the novice floral exhibitor with blooms from a garden under construction - happy days !!