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Close to 200 entries for Spring Flower Show

Spring Flower Show 150519 { seq} ( Photo John Bugeja) organised by the Gib Horticultural Society

This year’s Spring Flower Show has seen an influx of entries with 196 flowers on show at the John Mackintosh Hall.

Spring Flower Show  150519 { seq} ( Photo John Bugeja) organised by the Gib Horticultural Society

Spring Flower Show 150519 { seq} ( Photo John Bugeja) organised by the Gib Horticultural Society

The annual show is judged by Ana Maria Codali, Ricky Taylor and Andrea Donohoe who are looking for quality and creativity when sizing up the plants.

Spring Flower Show  150519 { seq} ( Photo John Bugeja) organised by the Gib Horticultural Society

Spring Flower Show 150519 { seq} ( Photo John Bugeja) organised by the Gib Horticultural Society

Ms Codali and Mr Taylor told the Chronicle the qualities they look for when judging the flowers.

Spring Flower Show  150519 { seq} ( Photo John Bugeja) organised by the Gib Horticultural Society

Spring Flower Show 150519 { seq} ( Photo John Bugeja) organised by the Gib Horticultural Society

“It is very difficult to judge when there are so many and the entries are so good,” Ms Codali said.

Spring Flower Show  150519 { seq} ( Photo John Bugeja) organised by the Gib Horticultural Society

Spring Flower Show 150519 { seq} ( Photo John Bugeja) organised by the Gib Horticultural Society

“I am looking at style and expression.”

Spring Flower Show  150519 { seq} ( Photo John Bugeja) organised by the Gib Horticultural Society

Spring Flower Show 150519 { seq} ( Photo John Bugeja) organised by the Gib Horticultural Society

Mr Taylor is looking closely at the quality, form and presentation of the plants.

Spring Flower Show  150519 { seq} ( Photo John Bugeja) organised by the Gib Horticultural Society

Spring Flower Show 150519 { seq} ( Photo John Bugeja) organised by the Gib Horticultural Society

The increase in entries this year has been encouraging for the judges.

Spring Flower Show  150519 { seq} ( Photo John Bugeja) organised by the Gib Horticultural Society

Spring Flower Show 150519 { seq} ( Photo John Bugeja) organised by the Gib Horticultural Society

“As a society we have provided at least three workshops on flower arranging since the last Spring Flower Show, and two workshops on basics of horticultural skills, so I think it is a reflection of the Society’s hard work,” Mr Taylor said.

“I think it is great. Hopefully the trajectory will keep going upwards and it would be lovely if people could come down and see, and not be scared of exhibiting.”

“Whilst there are some fantastic exhibits in the more complex flower arranging, what I am judging is mainly on quality. So you may not be a fantastic gardener but if you have a fantastic plant then enter the show.”

Local schools have participated in the show as part of the ‘grow your own food’ campaign.

Spring Flower Show  150519 { seq} ( Photo John Bugeja) organised by the Gib Horticultural Society

Spring Flower Show 150519 { seq} ( Photo John Bugeja) organised by the Gib Horticultural Society

The Society has visited schools throughout the campaign and has shown young people how to use limited resources to grow food.

The foods including pots of marmalade are exhibited in the John Mackintosh Hall upper exhibition room.

The competition consists of various categories including pot plants, cut flowers, flower arrangements, outdoor arrangement such as courtyards, patios and balconies, and a junior section.

Spring Flower Show  150519 { seq} ( Photo John Bugeja) organised by the Gib Horticultural Society

Spring Flower Show 150519 { seq} ( Photo John Bugeja) organised by the Gib Horticultural Society

Ms Codali has a love of flowers that stems back to the 1970s when she first joined the Gibraltar Horticultural Society.

Since then she pursued her career and has re-joined the Society.

Ms Codali enjoys how “each flower has its own expression” and how these flowers fit within a composition.

Spring Flower Show  150519 { seq} ( Photo John Bugeja) organised by the Gib Horticultural Society

Spring Flower Show 150519 { seq} ( Photo John Bugeja) organised by the Gib Horticultural Society

Mr Taylor grew his interest in plants from visiting his grandfather’s greenhouse.

“I used to just follow him around the garden, greenhouse and vegetable patch, and that is how I become interesting in plants,” Mr Taylor said.

From there he studied horticulture and worked in the Hillier Gardens in the UK.

Spring Flower Show  150519 { seq} ( Photo John Bugeja) organised by the Gib Horticultural Society

Spring Flower Show 150519 { seq} ( Photo John Bugeja) organised by the Gib Horticultural Society

“There is a huge variety of plants and they are just fascinating,” Mr Taylor said.

Mr Taylor joined the Society a couple years ago and thinks Gibraltar should become “greener”.

“Gibraltar has a unique opportunity to become greener,” Mr Taylor said.

Spring Flower Show  150519 { seq} ( Photo John Bugeja) organised by the Gib Horticultural Society

Spring Flower Show 150519 { seq} ( Photo John Bugeja) organised by the Gib Horticultural Society

“As a Society we just need to get the message out.”

The Spring Flower show is open today for viewing at the John Mackintosh Hall upper and lower exhibition rooms.

The awards presentation will be held today at 6pm.

Pics by Johnny Bugeja

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