Eynsford Gardeners' Club

Guidance Notes and Tips

Read the schedule concerning the class you want to enter carefully. Six items will not do if five are called for! If in doubt about staging, feel free to seek advice from one of the stewards who will be on duty on the day of the show. When you come to stage your entries, the Show Secretary will give you an exhibitor’s card for each of your entries. This must be placed just in front of the exhibit with the side with your name face down, with only the class number and your exhibitor’s number showing.

Vegetable & Fruit Classes 

Quality is always paramount. Try to find samples that are young but fully developed, clean, fresh colour, free from blemish. Good medium-sized samples will usually be preferred to blemished big ones. Evenness always scores highly. Straightness of beans, carrots, parsnips will catch the judge’s eye. A few props are permitted: onions can be stood on rings, shallots on a dish of sand, soft fruit on attractive leaves. Root vegetables should be washed in water using a soft cloth to remove soil. Do not shine fruit and handle as little as possible to retain the waxy bloom. Judges like to be sure that the entry is home-grown. Leaving stalks on fruit and vegetables is a sign of freshness too. Short lengths of clean leaf can be left on carrots, parsnips and beetroots. Plums, apples, pears, beans, tomatoes, soft fruit should be picked carefully so that the stalk is left whole. Onions and shallots should be ripe, have the foliage cut off and the cut end tied over. Class V1 allows you to display at least 5 different fruit and vegetables in a trug or basket (provided by you). This class is judged with quality, variety and presentation in mind. 

Flowers and Plants 

Pot plants should be well furnished with flower and/or foliage and in a clean pot. Flowers are best cut the night before the show and stood in water over night. Clean foliage on the stem of the flower sets off an exhibit well. Use oasis in a vase (whether your own or the ones provided) rather than newspaper and try to arrange symmetrically with the flowers facing the front. Class A3 and A4 can involve bought flowers and foliage. 

Cookery 

Exhibits will be judged on external appearance (colour, shape, uniformity); internal condition (depth of crust, texture, distribution of ingredients); flavour and aroma. Class C5 gives you the chance to make a speciality bread such as a festive, flavoured or sweet bread and could show off your dough shaping techniques.

Preserves

The first thing the judge will look at is the seal – try not to be tempted to test the seal before entering because you could destroy it! Labels should be plain, straight, neat, and state contents and date of making.

Crafts

Judges are looking at design and use of colour, suitability of materials, techniques and workmanship, finish and presentation. For examples of items included in classes, please see below. 

Art & Photography

Consideration will be given to eye appeal (focal point), colour, perspective, balance and composition, tonal value, and use of materials (including presentation).

Children

The miniature garden (exhibits A, E & I) is a fun way to be creative and have a go at gardening...in a small way! Build a tiny garden by picking, growing or building your fantasy garden in a container of your choice, but no bigger than 20x20 cm.  The RHS website has some tips on how to make a miniature garden.

Finally.....

- If you want to get really serious, it is suggested that you get a copy of the Horticultural Show Handbook published by the Royal Horticultural Society – the Show Secretary has a copy, which you can always peruse (but not borrow!) 

- All Entry Forms to be submitted by 8pm on Thursday 9 September, late Entry Forms will only be accepted at the discretion of the Show Secretary and a 50p fee will be charged. See Entry Form for more details. 

- All fruit, flowers and vegetables in classes V1 to V29, N1 to N6 and FR1 to FR6 must have been grown in the exhibitor’s own ground. Pot plants must have been in the possession of the exhibitor for at least 3 months and all entries must not have been previously exhibited. 

- Only one exhibit per class may be entered by any one competitor.

- Staging of the exhibits must be carried out between 09:00am and 10:45am on the day of the Show. After 11:00 am all persons except Show Judges and Officials will leave the area. 

- Any exhibit not according to the Schedule will be disqualified.

- All Classes shown with an * must use the vases provided.

- Eynsford Gardeners' Club does not accept responsibility for any loss or damage to any exhibit.

- No exhibits to be withdrawn before 3:30pm. All exhibits left after prize-giving will be sold or auctioned for EGC funds.

- All cups and trophies must be returned one month before the next show, with the exception of the children’s cups.

- Any protests must be handed to the Committee by 3:30pm on the day of the show, together with a fee of £5, returnable if the protest is upheld.

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