Horticulture Pavilion would have been a native haven
BY DI SNEDDON
The Horticulture Pavilion at Singleton Show is very much dependent on the weather and according to regular prize winners, Betty and Bruce Knight from Singleton this year’s display would have been absolutely beautiful.
There is a King White Protea and an abundance of grevillias in Betty and Bruce Knight’s garden blooming perfectly in time with what should be Singleton Show. So impressed with the protea, Betty suggests it may have even won the grand champion ribbon. Instead, the bloom will remain on its branch, taking pride of place in the garden with the cancellation of Singleton Show.
This time last year and Betty and Bruce would have already picked their flowers and packed the boot ready to take the 16 or so potted plants and cut flower entries to the horticulture pavilion in what has become a three-day program for Betty.
“I’d spend Thursday in the tea rooms getting that ready for the show, Friday I would be in the horticulture pavilion helping display the entries when people brought their flowers in and on the Saturday I would come back down here to see what we’d won,” Betty said.
“I love the show, it is just lovely to have everyone together and see what everyone has done.”
Betty first got hooked on the show when a good friend and former cookery chief steward Colleen Moxey encouraged her to do some cooking for the show.
“I never thought my cooking would be good enough but that first year my orange cake won first prize,” Betty said.
When she saw the plants on exhibition she thought she had a few at home that were a little more impressive so she has been entering them ever since and enjoyed every moment.
According to Betty, the native display in the horticulture Pavilion would have been quite spectacular this year.
“My grevillias have never looked so amazing, it is the best they have ever been so it is such a shame we can’t have our show.” Betty said.
Like everyone else, She and Bruce are looking forward to 2021.