Gib’s Flower Show, keeping with tradition

Displays ranging from scarecrows wearing hula skirts to the traditional Japanese pressed plant and flower art, Oshibana, fill up a flower-scented room in John Mackintosh Hall this week as part of this year’s Gibraltar Flower Show. The displays opened to the public yesterday afternoon following the judging and continue today all day.
The winners of each category will be awarded their prizes by at a ceremony held on site tonight.
There are over 80 entries in the various categories. A good number of entries, considering the significant decline in entries in recent times, with an increase in the school participating with displays from a good number of schools and children enjoying being part of the long established event. The schools section is non-competitive.
Tasked with judging the displays was Andrew Gdaniec, curator at the Gibraltar Botanical Gardens who worked previously at Kew Gardens in London. Mr Gdaniec was looking for plants or flowers that had been “taken care of, fed well and had nice green leaves”. With a trained eye for flora he can tell if a plant has been loved at home or recently bought in a shop.
As a result Mr Gdaniec is not easily impressed and this year some categories did not have a first or second prize winner, only third.