RGS Show Report - Autumn 2025

The Autumn Show was held on Saturday 30 August at St Margaret’s, inside the church. After the very hot summer, we began to wonder if there were any crops left to show but we needn’t have worried as lots of plot holders had plenty of things to enter - don’t mention tomatoes - and many visitors came to see the show. It's always nice to see new

people.

Our judge, Mark, a colleague from Earlsfield allotments, was very complimentary about the standard of entries, and the teas and cakes were as popular as ever, as was the auction at the end of the show.

Section A: Flowers

1. Vase of 1 giant or large dahlia of any variety

First – Vince Cottam

2. Vase of mixed dahlias, not more than 7 blooms

First – Mariangela Renshaw

3. Vase of decorative dahlias, not more than 5 blooms

First – Helen Finch

4. Vase of pompon dahlias, not more than 7 blooms, not to exceed 5 cm

No entries

5. Vase of cactus dahlias (approx. 10 cm), not more than 5 blooms

First – Helen Finch

6. Vase of ball flowered dahlias (larger than 5cms), not more than 5 blooms

First – Sally Harvey

7. A vase of mixed perennial flowers (foliage allowed)

No entries

8. Vase of cut flowers, 4 or more varieties, any foliage, arranged for all-round effect

First – Mariangela Renshaw – Best Flowers in Show. They sold for £35 in the auction.

9. Vase of 3 or more annuals (can be mixed)

First – Vivien Fowler

10. Vase of orange &/or yellow flowers, foliage allowed

First – Vivien Fowler

11. Vase of stems of a flowering shrub, eg fuchsia, not more than 5 stems, can be mixed

First – Vivien Fowler

12. Vase of HT roses, no more than 4

No entries

13. Vase containing 1 HT rose

First – Helen Finch

14. Vase of multiflora roses, not more than 3 stems

First – Carol Martinez

15. A table decoration, maximum length 25 cm

First – Mariangela Renshaw

15. Vase of 3 gladioli stems

First – Helen Finch

Section B: Flowers and Vegetables mixed

17. An exhibit of 2 each of 2 different vegetables or fruits, can be mixed

First – Vivien Fowler - Two Desiree potatoes and 2 pears

The smiley face came second (Jackie Savage)

18. Any 1 specimen each of 1 kind of vegetable and 1 kind of flower

First – Penny Baker

Special Entry

19. Harvest Collection – a display of home-grown vegetables, fruits and flowers

First – Carol Martinez

Section C: Vegetables

20. 2 aubergines

First – Raj Patel with his very large and very shiny aubergines

21. 9 French beans

First – Robert Linton

22. 9 runner beans

First – Sally Harvey

23. 9 of any other beans

First – Siop Cooper

24. 3 beetroots, round or oval, with 10 cm tops

First – Sally Harvey

25. 1 green cabbage, with at least 5 cm stalk

First – Mariangela Renshaw, Joint Best Vegetable in Show

26. 1 red cabbage, with at least 5 cm stalk

First – Simon Hill

27. 3 carrots, any one variety, with 10 cm tops

First – Georgina O’Reilly

28. A winter vegetable such as kale, cauliflower, leek, parsnip, sprouts

First – Raj Patel, Romanesco Cauliflower

29.

a) 2 cucumbers – grown under protection

First – Sally Harvey

b) 2 cucumbers – grown outdoors

First – Gill Tamsett

30. 1 Celeriac

No entries

31. 3 garlic bulbs

First - Carol Martinez

32. 4 different herbs, in small bunches (not more than 25 cms)

First – Shan Karwatowska

33. A pot of one type of home-grown annual herb, growing

First – Ruth Tigne

34. 1 marrow, (less than 35cms in length) any variety, any colour

No entries

35. 4 onions, dressed for presentation

First – Carol Martinez

36.

a) *5 peppers, chilli

First – Raj Patel

b) A pot of growing chillies

First – Raj Patel

37.

a) 3 peppers, sweet (capsicum)

First – Vince Cottam

b) A pot of growing capsicums

First – Raj Patel

38. 5 potatoes, white, any one variety

First – Vivien Fowler

39. 5 potatoes, coloured, any one variety

First – Raj Patel

40. 6 radishes, with tops and roots

No entries

41. a) 9 shallots, pickling, (under 30mm)

No entries

b) 9 shallots, exhibition

No entries

42. 1 pumpkin, any variety

First – Carol Martinez

43. 1 squash (winter or summer), any one variety

First – Cameron de Buck, butternut squash

44. 2 sweetcorn

First – Helen Finch

45. 3 tomatoes, large- fruited (“Beefsteak”), with calyx, min. diam. 7.5 cm

First – Shan Karwatowska

46. 6 tomatoes, medium- fruited, with calyx

First – Helen Finch

47. 9 tomatoes, any colour, small fruited (cherry-type), with calyx, not exceeding 3.5 cm diam

First – Robert Linton

48. 6 Tomatoes, plum type, with calyx

First – Mariangela Renshaw

49. 1 truss tomatoes, ripe or unripe

First – Vivien Fowler

50. 2 courgettes, any colour or variety

First – Sally Harvey

51. 6 stalks of leaf vegetables – e.g., spinach, leaf beat, chard

First – Maria Sforza

52.

a) 1 lettuce, any variety, with roots

First – Bob Wilkinson

b) A display of 3 different seasonal vegetables that you like in a salad

First – Carol Martinez

53. Any 1 vegetable not in Section C above

First – Laura Lin-Wilkes with daughter and mother Evelyn who grew the Bitter Gourds

Joint Best Vegetable in Show

54.*Collection of vegetables and / or fruits of 5 different kinds, in a box or tray

First – Vivien Fowler

55. Collection of vegetables of 3 different kinds, frontage space not to exceed 60 cm

First – Maria Sforza

A veg too far...

56. The biggest marrow

First – Declan O’Regan

57. The longest runner bean

First – Sally Harvey

58. The heaviest pumpkin

First – Laura Lin-Wilkes

59. The largest diameter sunflower

No entries

59 (a) An ugly or funny shaped fruit or vegetable

First – Robert Linton

Section D: Fruit

60. 3 cooking apples, with stalks, any one variety

No entries

61. 3 dessert apples, with stalks, any one variety

First – Mariangela Renshaw

62. 12 blackberries, with calyx

First – Robert Linton

63. 1 bunch of grapes

First – Bill Pencharz

64. 3 pears, with stalks, any one variety

First – Bob Wilkinson

65. 12 raspberries, with calyx

First – Robert Linton

66. 12 of any hybrid berries, with calyx (eg boysenberry, loganberry, tayberry)

First – Julie Hadingham

67. Exhibit of any other edible fruit excluding those above

First – Shan Karwatowska - Melon

Section F: Children (under 14)

73. Funny animal or person made of anything grown

First – Oonagh Kelly

74. Colour picture of a vegetable or fruit (Any medium – ie paint, crayon)

No entries

75. A collage made from pictures in a seed catalogue

No entries

Section G: Cookery

76. A seasonal dip

Second – Theo Kelly

77. A seasonal pastry based savoury dish

First – Ali Linton, cherry tomato and basil puff pastry tart, yes please

78. A savoury vegan dish

First – Georgina O’Reilly, Caponata

79. Plain, wholemeal or speciality bread (any size/shape) Present on a board

First – Vivien Fowler

80. Glass jar of chutney

First – Ruth Tigue

81. Glass jar of pickled vegetables

First – Georgina O’Reilly

82.

a) Glass jar of jam (soft fruit)

First – Ruth Tigue

b) Glass jar of jam (stone fruit)

First – Vivien Fowler

83.

a) Glass jar of jelly (fruit)

First – Ali Linton

b) Glass jar of jelly (herb)

No entries

84. A glass jar of marmalade

First – Shan Karwatowska

85. A cake made from a seasonal vegetable, eg beetroot, pumpkin

First – Ruth Kelly

86. Any other cake

First - Ali Linton

87. 6 fruit scones

No entries

88. Your favourite dessert

First – Vivien Fowler – rice pudding

89. A plate of 6 biscuits, any type

First – Vivien Fowler

90. My favourite tea time treat – can be sweet or savoury, present on a small plate

First – Shan Karwatowska, sultana loaf

90. Homemade fruit cordial

First – Carol Martinez, Blackcurrant

The produce stall was manned by Georgina, Vivine and Mariangela. Thank you to everyone who donated plants and surplus crops plus cakes for the refreshments.

Competition Winners

Adult photograph – Georgina O’Reilly and Geoff Waterhouse, Joint First

Child photograph – Theo Kelly

Flower arrangement in a teapot – Jane Powell

Christmas Cake Raffle

Raffle tickets for a Christmas cake were sold, the winner will be drawn at the AGM on 20 November 2025. The cake will once again be made by Laura Davis, and will be ready in early December. Tickets, at £1 each, will be on sale in the Store on Site 2 until Sunday 16 November, the Sunday before the AGM.

Report written by Carol Martinez, Show Chair