ROPLEY Horticultural Society held its annual Summer show on Saturday August 17 in the Parish Hall.

It was a lovely social village event with members and non-members enjoying a colourful display of fruit, vegetables, flowers, cookery, crafts and photography, refreshments and a raffle.

There was a good number of entries in most classes; 91 classes had entries with a total of 245 entries all together. Most popular adult class was the ‘Summer challenge’ where members were given a plug pelargonium in March and grew it on to produce flowering plants in August. Other popular classes included ‘a specimen rose’, ‘a Jar of any fruit jam or jelly, ‘runner beans’, a petite flower arrangement entitled ‘last of the summer wine’ and a photography class entitled "A Walk on the Wild Side".

At the end of the afternoon chairman Jill Shakespeare presented cups to the following people.

Jeremy Carruthers for the Society Produce Plate for most points in Vegetable classes, the Summer Challenge Cup For the best plant raised from a plug given to members in March, the Supreme Challenge Cup for most points in Sections 1 & 2: Vegetables & Fruit and Flowers and the Henderson Cup for most points in selected classes of vegetables, fruit and flowers in both the Spring and Summer Shows.

Jill Shakespeare for the Cooper Rose Bowl for most points in rose classes, the Floral Challenge Cup for most overall points in flower and rose classes and the Hampshire Chronicle Cup for most points in Section 3: Floral Art.

Sue Thomas won the Timms Egg Cup for the best egg exhibit, Stella Kenny won the Doris Pile cup for the most points in the cookery classes, Tim Higgs won the Photography Shield for most points in the open photography classes, Julia Morgan won the Crystal Trophy for the Best in show in Floral Art, Heidi Richardson was awarded the Best in Show Rosette for a wonderful flowering begonia and the Stan & Betty Potter Children’s Cup was awarded to Isabelle Davies for a collage of a sunflower. A new cup, the Craft Cup, was awarded to Christine Hodge for her wonderful, embroidered picture depicting flowers. This cup, especially commissioned by the society, was turned in wood by Dave Brown.

Jill thanked everybody for making it a wonderful afternoon; for the team who worked to prepare show, setting it up and supporting the judges, for the entrants who produced so many wonderful exhibits and for the villagers and friends who came to support the event and make it so successful.