Last Saturday and Sunday, green-fingered gardeners and outdoor enthusiasts packed St. Albert’s traditional end-of-summer garden show.
The lobby of St. Albert Place was transformed into a beautifully scented oasis of calm as 47 exhibitors displayed their most successful summer harvest at the St. Albert & District Garden Club’s 29th annual Flower and Produce Show.
The 683 exhibits were a delectable mix of stunning single blooms, spectacular floral displays, crunchy vegetables, various culinary delights and picturesque photographs.
“We were very happy with the results. We had entries in just about every category. We had a variety of entrants and, with all the people coming through, it was very exciting,” said club secretary Lucy Krisco.
The club gave away $960 in prize money and 17 trophies that winners display at their home for one year.
First-time entrant Ceres Yurkiw scooped up the John Beedle Trophy for the highest number of points as a novice. Yurkiw candidly admitted that she was quite surprised when her name was called. “I thought I didn’t have enough points.”
“But I’m really so happy,” said the long-time St. Albert resident, who entered in categories for beets, beans, peas, tomatoes, potatoes, rhubarb, snapdragons and a hanging fuchsia container.
While winning a trophy is an exceptional accolade from her peers, Yurkiw feels the experience of planting a garden and entering a show far outweighs the hardware. “It was a fantastic experience. I was so excited and now I have an idea of what I would like to do for next year’s show.”
This year, in celebration of St. Albert’s 150th anniversary, the club gave away heritage seeds. Unfortunately there was only a scant 36 entries of heritage flowers and vegetables submitted.
“The plants seemed to grow well. But we are not sure we will continue it next year unless people express an interest in having it,” Krisco said.
Below is a list of trophy winners:
• Moriganagh McNalley – Judy and Doug Shedden Trophy for outstanding design arrangement
• Derrick Harrison – Ed Sherman Trophy for best tomato
• Lorraine Bodnaryk – Olga Matvichuk Trophy for best dahlia
• Derrick Harrison – Amyotte Engraving Trophy for best gladiolus
• Richard Plain – St. Albert Garden Club Trophy for best hybrid tea rose
• Derrick Harrison – Derrick Harrison Trophy for best flower of the year
• Carol George – City of St. Albert Trophy for best flower of the city
• Lorraine Bodnaryk – Ron Hodgson Trophy for the champion bloom
• Dianne Taylor – Harry Cracknell Trophy for largest marrow
• Derrick Harrison – Pat Curtis Trophy for best photography
• Dianne Taylor – Lois Hole Memorial Trophy for highest number of points in vegetables, herbs, fruit and berries
• Dianne Taylor – Hole’s Greenhouses & Gardens Trophy for highest points in cut flowers
• Lucy Krisco – Patricia Bell Trophy for highest points in house and container
• Madeline Huising – Children’s Junior Trophy for highest number of points
• Olga Matvichuk – St. Albert Garden Club Trophy for culinary
• Ceres Yurkiw – John Beedle Trophy for highest points in novice category
• Dianne Taylor – Lucy Krisco Trophy for A.H.A. rosette
