Collection

2 more shows over the weekend and one class I was particularly pleased to win was for a small collection at Littleover in Derby. You need a vase of 3 flowers (choose from dahlias/chrysanths/gladioli/annulas etc) and 3 sets of 3 veg (choice from about a dozen different kinds)

I staged 3 Jomanda dahlias, 3 Winston potatoes, 3 Cedrico tomatoes and 3 Purple Speckled french beans, managing to beat the guy who usually wins it by half a point.

The whole show is a credit to those who organise it and is always well supported, the quality of the flowers in particular being above most other shows of it's size. I staged on Friday night and because I didn't get away as early as I wanted it was 8.45pm before I got there. However, the organisers didn't mind waiting for me to finish and it makes the effort all worth while when you are welcomed at a venue like that.

One problem I've been having all summer is 'open centres' on my dahlias and was wondering if it was a cultural problem (i.e. my fault) or to do with the hot summer. I took the opportunity to ask a guy called Paul Harvey who is a top dahlia showman and a bloody nice guy to boot. He said he didn't know why it happened which was good enough for me. If it can happen to him then what chance have I got?