The green and rolling countryside of Worcestershire, England, is home to the cider apple orchards which surround the gardens of Pear Tree Cottage. They enjoy a sunny south westerly aspect with sweeping views across to Martley Hillside, Woodbury and Abberley clock tower. The Teme Valley lies just over the hill and, not far away, is the Herefordshire border. Although our climate is temperate, our seasons are often uncertain and always a challenge to a gardener! This began in 2010 & follows the weekly ups and downs of garden work chronicling both successes and failures but, above all, demonstrates the fun enjoyed by three people who regularly garden in all weathers

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26 September 2011

SUCCESSES at STOKE BLISS!

Competing at Stoke Bliss Agricultural Improvement Society Annual Competitions this year turned out to be surprisingly successful!  Successes included -
Prize Cards
  • Best Foliage Plant                                          1ST
  • Saucer of 4 hens eggs                                   2nd
  • Picture in any medium                                    2nd
  • Agricultural Photography                                3rd
  • Meadow Hay                                                   3rd
  • Jar of Wild Crab Apple & Scilly Mint Jelly       Highly commended
  • Sporting Photography (GRB)                        Highly Commended

Our very own prize winning hay!

Of course the very best prize was a 3rd in Meadow Hay!!!  I bet no one ever guessed that I didn't have a rick full of baled hay and that the truth is I don't even have enough to bale at all!  What a buzz!  It was noticed that the 2nd prize winner failed to exhibit the correct and stipulated weight of 5 kgs of hay and some of us wondered why this failure to follow competition rules hadn't meant disqualification but hey! (pun intended) I was too thrilled to win a prize at all!  Thanks to Maureen who supplied the perfectly sized bag!
The next (and almost as exciting) was a 2nd for the eggs!  That really was a nice surprise after all the work put in on chickens!  The Begonia which had spent a year under the greenhouse staging scooped a first and although is quite a good specimen it had received no attention whatsoever - unlike the chickens!!  Greg has to take credit for the Highly Commended sporting photography shot as I was struggling for any material at all for this category.  I was pleased with 2nd in the Picture in any medium as I loved the shot so much.  It was a frosty/misty naked oak tree printed on canvas

Oak tree printed on canvas

Greg's 3 Legged Race!












Winning Eggs Before..

...Winning Eggs after!


Watching the skill of the older competing ploughmen in the vintage classes is always a joy and we met Keith Willimas who farms in Kings Caple all around the Hehirs boathouse!!! As always after watching the ploughing competitions, it was into the barn for an excellent and hearty roast pork lunch.  
Begonia grown from a cutting

Ploughing a straight furrow!


More ploughing photos can be seen at:

1 comment:

Paul B said...

Great result which I can verify to all the doubters.
I also won a prize, mine was a nice bodywarmer and scarf!
Paul B

27 September 2011 at 01:36

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