Yeo Valley Organic, based in Blagdon, won a gold award for their show garden at the Royal Bath and West Show, writes Rosie Sage.

The gardening team planned the garden over two months. As you looked at the garden, not only was the planting a revelation in the use of plants familiar to most of our own gardens, but there was also a fascinating mix of recycled items. Such as an old, galvanised dustbin as a water butt and an enamel bowl as a water bath for birds. 

The garden was tiny but felt large due to the wonderful planting scheme.

The Whistley herd of British Blondes based in West Harptree won the breed championship and reserve with Whistly Tipitaka and Whistley Undercover respectively.  The herd also won best exhibitor bred, champion and reserve female best pair of blonde cattle together with many other awards.

Another truly remarkable story was that of the Sheeted Somerset cattle, an old local breed which had become extinct and has been revived by Andrew Tanner, of Winford. The genetics have come from Belted Galloway, not the traditional black and white but red. Andrew showed some of his herd in the dual purpose breeds and won champion with Tanglenold Florence and Tanglenold Helga.  He was also the exhibitor of the best exhibitor bred and also champion and reserve female. 

Hannah Payne, from Priddy, was showing her own Continental steer to a first prize and her own cross bred continental heifer to a second prize. The Wear family, from Butcombe, were exhibiting Ryeland sheep and won the championship for best female.

In the Texelsm the flock of Priddy Texels won first and second in the ram class for two shear and upwards. In the any other native breed classes Katherine Allard, from Stanton Drew, won a third for her ewe in the class of two shear and upwards

In the floral art classes Janet Warden, from Bishop Sutton, won a first prize in the class Pastoral Landscapes and a second in Coastal Charm.

In the heavy horse classes Colin Horler, of Radford, won a third in the two or three old filly, colt or gelding with Radford Cilla. 

In the vintage and steam section of the show Alan Sparkes, of Stanton Drew, exhibited Delilah, an 1898 Fowler road locomotive which Alan bought in 1986. 

The engine was repatriated from Australia in 1984.  It took Alan many hours over seven years to restore this wonderful machine.