St. Albert and District Garden Club members call their annual produce and flower show Summer Splendour for good reason. It provides an opportunity for local gardeners to showcase the best of the best and the result – the display of all those prize-winning vegetables and fruits – is simply splendid.
This is the 30th anniversary for Summer Splendour and, as usual, the show will be held in the foyer of St. Albert Place the weekend of Aug. 18 and 19.
The public is welcome to come and see the displays on Saturday from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. and again on Sunday from noon until 3:30 p.m. when the prizes will be presented.
There's more than just bragging rights up for grabs at this event. There's also a nominal amount of cash available, with prizes of $3 for first, $2 for second and $1 for third place finishes in most categories. The competition is open to everyone and there are special awards for children.
For long-time exhibitor and garden-club member Lucy Krisco, it's the pride of showing her garden produce, photographs and flowers that keeps her coming back year after year to Summer Splendour.
In her own garden, this year she has Evans cherries and several varieties of tomatoes which she believes may be in the running for the prizes.
Anyone with a tree filled with bright-red Evans or Nanking cherries could consider entering them in the competition to give Krisco a run for her money.
“You must have 12 cherries. Just pick them, wipe them off, and then check them to see if they look nice and that they are similar in shape. Put them on a saucer and enter them,” Krisco said.
“Make sure you leave about a half-inch stem on your vegetables. They should be clean and in good condition, and you'd be surprised at how many may win,” Krisco said.
She also has a bright-pink strawflower that she's eyeing as a possible entry because strawflowers are the flowers of the year for 2012.
There are several categories in the culinary section as well, with prizes awarded for the best preserves and pickles. Bakers may wish to whip up a batch of fudge or brownies for a chance at a prize.
If you have a garden oddity, such as a potato shaped like a clown or a huge zucchini, it might be your ticket to fame in the biggest, best and most unusual category. There's also a prize for the most fragrant rose.
Judges will look for uniformity of shape and colour, but they will not taste the fruits or vegetables.
Krisco explained that she usually picks her entries the night before, wraps them in a moist towel to keep them fresh and then puts them in the fridge.
“Always pick a few extra,” she advised.
Gardeners do not need to know the specific variety of flowers to enter them.
“There are no points for knowing the correct name,” Krisco said.
Pre-registration is available by phoning Lucy Krisco at 780-458-7219 but exhibitors may also simply bring their entries on Saturday, Aug. 18 between 7:30 and 11 a.m.
“Bring them down and there will be garden club members there to help you with how to display your entries,” said Krisco.
For more information about Summer Splendour visit www.stalbertgardenclub.info.
