It was a fantastic show this year, with more visitors than before and a wonderful number of exhibits in the flower marquee. Some people think that this show is all about flowers, but they are mistaken.

Certainly, Clutton Horticultural Society is very proud of the exhibits which turn up every year, but they are only one part of the show. There is always entertainment all afternoon.

This year, there was a samba band, a falconry flying display, a parade of classic cars, tractors and commercial vehicles, and a dog agility display. Also booked was a horse jumping competition, which was cancelled due to the hard ground.

A fun dog competition was well-supported as always, and there were over fifty stalls, some with animals – goats, snakes and donkeys – some selling food. The vehicles (cars and tractors) made a large display before parading. The Mendip Brass Band played throughout the afternoon.

LollyLollypop performed her magic shows and walked the ground modelling balloons. The licensed bar was as popular as ever and the tea tent had a huge queue all afternoon.

The show was opened by our own MP, Jacob Rees-Mogg, and by Mary Payne, a gardening guru regularly at Chelsea, and who lives locally. They were both shown around the exhibition marquee after judging finished and were very complimentary about the standard of entries.

They then both made speeches, announcing the marquee was open to visitors and welcoming everyone to the show. Afterwards, they stayed on to chat with visitors. Mary and Marina of Gogglebox fame were present and met many fans, being photographed everywhere they went.

Clutton Horticultural Society was very fortunate this year in having sponsorship from Whitehall Garden Centre of Whitchurch and Lacock, from Curo and from Clutton Parish Council. Whitehall donated plants to sell for Greenfingers children’s hospice charity.

Debbie Fortune also supported the show by bringing a vintage Austin car filled with balloons, which visitors were challenged to count; the winner was awarded a Kindle.

The marquee itself was always full of visitors, stopping to smell the roses, admire the floral art, wonder at the immaculate onions and enormous carrots, gaze at the artwork and the crafts, gasp at the Great Clutton Bake Off entry (unfortunately only one this year), enjoy the children’s entries and wish their sponges rose like the exhibitors’!

The bonsai judge was thrilled with the number and standard of entries this year, and the flower and vegetable judges left expressing amazement at the quantity and quality of those entries after such a difficult growing season.

Photographs of the show may be viewed on Facebook: @CluttonFlowerShow, or on the CHS website: www.cluttongardening.org

The whole show was a great success, with a record number of visitors, marginally spoilt by rain late in the afternoon, which meant the falcons could not repeat the flying display, but the birds stayed on in the rain, enjoying the cooler weather and a chance to wash their feathers.

The tea tent and bar became even more crowded, and in the exhibition marquee, people squashed together, but had a chance to view the exhibits one more time and meet more friends for a chat. As the show closed, local group, Sedaka, entertained the remaining crowds enjoying a drink inside the marquee.

The next date is Clutton’s Autumn show on Sunday, 23rd September in Clutton Village Hall. Entrants come from areas surrounding Clutton, not just the village, and entries should be made on the day from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. The summer schedule includes the autumn one, but copies are available online and on Facebook, or from show secretary, Roger Snary: 01761 453063.

Pat Williams