DESPITE challenging problems with the recent changeable weather, Porlock Village Hall was once again filled with a wonderful display of colour, shapes, and scents for the annual horticultural and craft society spring show on Saturday (March 21), attracting a large and appreciative crowd to one of the area’s most popular events.

Society secretary Anna Toeman said: “The sun shone gloriously all day, which made life much easier for the exhibitors in the morning and encouraged lots of visitors to the show in the afternoon.

“But, the mild wet winter meant an early season for many spring bulbs and lots of our finest plants had already finished flowering by mid-March.

“Then, with the bright sunny weather the week of the show came cold nights which sadly damaged lots of camellias and other flowers.

“Despite all this, the gardeners of Porlock and further afield managed to put on a wonderful display of the glories of spring, showing off an amazing variety of narcissi, tulips, camellias, hellebores, and many other plants.”

Not to be outdone, the area’s bakers, cooks, preservers, picklers, and fermenters had entered a wide variety of breads, cakes, shortbread, scones, jams, pickles, and homemade drinks to challenge the judges and fill the hall with temptation.

The imaginative floral exhibits included an arrangement in a teapot, an arrangement for a dinner table, a film title, and ‘springtime in a basket’.

The children of St Dubricius School produced a creative display of artwork and showed off their talents with daffodil portraits, bird collages, watercolour flora, and mixed media flowers.

There were some imaginative entries in the children’s section which required entrants to make a sock puppet.

The show opened to the public in the afternoon and the hall was busy with visitors admiring the exhibits and talent on display, helped along by homemade refreshments, a raffle, book stall, and plant sales.

Ms Toeman said: “It was a great atmosphere and very sociable.

“The show culminated with a presentation of cups and trophies presented by Malcolm Appleton.

“The committee would like to thank everybody who took part in the show for being so supportive and making it all possible, and also everybody who helped with the setting up and taking down.

“All those extra pairs of hands really do lighten the workload.”

Perpetual challenge cup and trophy winners:

Stroud Cup (most points in sections I and II combined, narcissi and other plants) – Sue Appleton.

Smith Cup (runner-up in sections I and II combined) – Caroline Lister.

Miss A’Brook Cup (most points in section I ,narcissi) – Sue Appleton.

Miniature Cup (best exhibit in sections I and II combined) – Chris Yates.

Lady Peacock Cup (best shrub exhibit in section II, other plants) – Caroline Lister.

de Veulle Cup (most points in section III, decorative classes) – Catherine Greer.

Twyford Cup (best exhibit in section III, decorative classes) – Catherine Greer.

Porlock Children’s Cup (best exhibit in section IV, children’s entries) – Chloe Denton.

Silver Cake Basket (most points in section VI baking and VII preserves) – Christine Miles.