Clouds, winds from the mountains and a temperature hovering around a cool 17 degrees meant the Monument was the perfect venue for the 2014 Grahamstown Flower Festival today.
Clouds, winds from the mountains and a temperature hovering around a cool 17 degrees meant the Monument was the perfect venue for the 2014 Grahamstown Flower Festival today.
The entrance and ground floor were abuzz with craft, produce and plant stalls. The Fountain Court where the flower competition entries were displayed was a mass of colour. And outside the Graeme College Steel Band struck up a lively sound that got toes tapping.
A mother’s union from St Philips church in Fingo village won first place in the community gardens section of the competition.
Nolitha Mize and Vuyelwa Mthimkhulu told Grocott’s Mail they had been inspired by a speaker at a Rhodes University conference a year ago.
"Go back and plant vegetables," was the message there.
And they did.
“We are feeding the community with this project and also raise funds to keep us going,” Mthimkhulu said.
She said instead of flowers, they were growing food for the less fortunate.
Children created a variety of props and decorations for arrangements on imaginative themes.
In past years arrangements resembled rainbows, rustic gardens, South African flags and a walk along a garden path.
This year there were toys, farm trucks and wheelbarrows to illustrate themes such as ‘Teddybear’s Picnic’ and ‘Night Garden’.
Judging for the children's and adult sections took place on Saturday morning. The full results will be announced tomorrow, Flower Festival convener Heather Surridge told Grocott's Mail.
The various category winners were announced via coloured stickers on their entry cards, and proud parents and grandparents were given the opportunity to view the entries.
Visitors travelled from surrounding areas to attend today’s workshops on orchids, essential oils and aquaponics and enjoy the atmosphere.
Excited children gathered for a treasure hunt and the Fynbos restaurant was open for teas and light lunches.
Tomorrow’s workshops are on succulents, bonsai and JoJo water tanks.
The Grahamstown Flower Festival, organised by the Albany Horticultural and Lilium Society, was previously held in the Makana Botanical Gardens.
Because of the higher risk of rain at this time of the year, it was resolved to move it indoors this year. The festival started on November 1 and will carry on until Sunday November 2.
Prizegiving for the competition is at 2pm and the show closes on Sunday 2 November at 3.30pm.
