Our annual flower and vegetable show in mid August is a chance for society members and non members alike to show off their growing, baking and gardening skills and a chance for us all to come together to celebrate the gardening year, and the society. Classes include traditional competitions including vegetables and floral arrangements, as well as home baking, preserves and a children’s class which has seen some stiff competition in recent years. We also run a competition for the best kept allotment which our judges thoroughly enjoy invigilating in the sunshine and of course, we have plenty of tea and cake to be enjoyed by visitors on the day, and raffle prizes to be won. Our 2020 and 2021 shows were celebrated virtually due to the Coronavirus pandemic and you can revisit that via the tab above.

Everyone is welcome to take part in the summer show and volunteers are always needed and very appreciated. If you’d like to register your interest to help out, please contact Show Secretary Tim Prior on 01446 794421.

The report for the Llantwit Major Horticultural Society Flower and Vegetable Show held on 15th August 2026.

Tim Prior, Show Secretary

OUR GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY SHOW.

I think you would all agree that this year has been one of mixed weather extremes and not hugely enjoyed if you are a gardener or grower relying on consistency. Again, a long mild winter ending with a wet spring and very dry summer, with numerous heatwaves. Very challenging for all our exhibitors of which we had 48, young and not so young, who stood up to the mark and provided a feast for the eyes.

The Llantwit Major Horticultural Society would like to thank the following for their support: Firstly your committee and society members for help with the setting up the evening before and on the day as stewards, our tea ladies Ros and Dawn, and registrars Sylvia and Liz; also our exhibitors, and our visitors. Our judges Dennis Barry FNVS (Vegetables), Keith Sweetzer FRHS (Flowers), and Jayne Thomas (Home Produce). My personal thanks to Liz Rees for once again providing the judges with lunch, and to her daughter Gwennan Craddock for all the printing and advertising. Finally, I would like to thank Matt Fallows, our photographer. Thank you all, for without you there would not be an event like this in Llantwit Major, it is our show case event. As it was our 50th show I thought it was a good idea to push the boat out with the raffle prizes, of which we had 18 desirable items, top prize was an ‘Ozpig’ BBQ. I will thank all the raffle prize donors later.

There was a total of 243 exhibits, this was a very good effort, with the quality more than making up for quantity, well done to you all for keeping the standards high. The judges were very pleased with all the exhibits on show, an expression that we all felt on walking around the displays. This was a difficult one to judge and there were only minor differences that influenced the final placements. As you walked about all the floral displays you could not help but admire the beautiful colours, and originality of these exhibits. Well, 50 years of our show, so was it a good idea to celebrate with 2 dozen self-minded balloons that started to detonate at will, thank goodness we all seemed to have strong constitutions, and maybe a couple of inches gap below our feet at various time throughout the event. Still, the show did literally go with a bang!

Along the fruit and vegetable tables there were melon, plums, apples and onions, sweetcorn, beetroots, carrots and cucumbers, runner beans and peas, plus many more. You could tell our weather is warming up as we had 2 exhibits of grapes and an unusual 5-foot long Tromboncino squash grown by Steve Martin. We had exhibits for our children's section and from our novice vegetable growers. Well done to all the children who exhibited miniature gardens, animals made from fruit and vegetables and foliage displays and the wonderful selection of anniversary cards. First time exhibitor Eric Sparks did very well to win the novice chalice, but he was given a run for his money by Mike Hall. Unusually this year there were no collections of salad or garden vegetables. Not to worry, I am sure we will have some on display next year.

I really didn’t know how the flowers were going to do this year, what would want to sit out in the garden in this heat every day, and survive. But they did! OK not in great numbers did they grace our show tables but at least they looked vibrant, colourful and really pleasing to the eye, I can only assume that there were a few worried gardeners before the show. I could fill pages with gratitude to our exhibitors about their wonderful produce and what they have achieved, but I will only mention a few. Congratulations to Mary Ponting and her magnificent 18 entries, these enabled her to win the Town Council cup, D T Brown Cup, Keith & Jean Powell shield and the RHS Banksian medal; what an achievement. Also congratulations to Sylvia Comben, attaining 1st place in all the baking classes in the home produce section, and winning the Llantwit Major First Independent councilors cup and the W Deere memorial trophy for the most points in the decorative section. Jannice Simmonite won the Bill Webb shield for the best in show with her flower exhibit, this also won the Society Rose Bowl, it was a beautiful mix of garden flowers of vibrant colours. The best vegetable exhibit really did cause our judge Dennis Barry to stop and think, he had short listed 4 on various merits, ultimately the winner was Liz Rees with a dish of 5 small, fruited tomatoes. This also won her the NVS Silver medal.

And finally to our younger exhibitors and a very well earned round of applause for Thea Nicolle. Thea achieved the best exhibit in children’s classes, taking home the Aberthaw Power station shield, also both the Eddie and Sue Hughes cups for displays of natural foliage and an animal made from fruit. I will note that we had a lovely display of anniversary cards from the children, thank you and well done to you all. At the end of this report you will find a full list of who took home the cups and trophies.

It was just so very nice to note that the age span of our exhibitors was from 2 years to 80 plus years, we hope that this enthusiasm will encourage more flower and vegetable growers to add to our show next year which is planned for the 21st of August. Thank you for your support.

Trophy winners.

Bill Webb Shield – Best exhibit in show – Janice Simminite.

Town Council Cup – Exhibitor with most points – Mary Ponting.

D T Brown Cup – Exhibitor with most entries – Mary Ponting.

E A Lloyd Cup – Class 21, six vegetables – No Entry.

Keith & Jean Powell Shield – Best fruit exhibit in classes 23-28 – Mary Ponting.

Society Rose Bowl – Best flower exhibit – Janice Simmonite.

Society Cup – Best vegetable exhibit – Liz Rees.

W Deere Memorial trophy – Most points in decorative class – Sylvia Comben

Show Secretaries Shield – Best dish of runner beans – Chris Burford.

D T Brown Cup – Best dish of tomatoes – Roy Jones.

Albert & Barbara Payne Cup – Most points for flowers and pot plants – Chris Jones.

RHS Banksian medal – Most money won in classes 1-47 – Mary Ponting.

National Vegetable Society silver medal – Best vegetable exhibit – Liz Rees.

Pamela Bean memorial Trophy – Best exhibit of flowers & foliage – Barbara Payne.

Elenor Lloyd Memorial Trophy – Best kept allotment – Dave Martin.

Llantwit Major first Independent Councilors Cup – Most points in section 7, home baking,

preserves & home brewing – Sylvia Comben.

Top Tray – Three types of vegetables – Mary Ponting.

Top Vase – Vase of mixed flowering stems – Janice Simmonite.

Children's classes.

Aberthaw Power station Shield – Best exhibit in children's classes – Thea Nicolle.

Society Trophy – class 65, Under 16. Any 5 vegetables – No Entry.

Eddie & Sue Hughes Cup No 1 – Winner in classes 66,68 & 69 – Thea Nicolle.

Eddie & Sue Hughes Cup No 2 – Winner in classes 66,68 & 69 – Thea Nicolle.

Mrs. W Stephens Cup No 1 – Winner in class 67 – Louis Rudd.

Mrs. W Stephens Cup No 2 – Winner in class 70 – Renee & Eira Rees.(Tied)

The Society would like to thank the following local and national businesses for their support and generosity by donating prizes for our raffle. This contributed £275 to the running of our show.

• Topstak – Ozpig BBQ.

• Tesco Extra Bridgend – Hamper of lady’s health and beauty products.

• Morrissons Barry – Hamper of prosecco and truffles.

• Hozelock UK Ltd – Hose and attachments.

• Hozelock UK Ltd – Tuffhose, gun and sprayer.

• Blacksmith Arms Llanmaes - £30 dining voucher.

• National Trust – Duffryn Gardens voucher for a family of 6.

• Bloms Bulbs - £20 voucher.

• Rugby Club – Bottle of fortified wine and sweets.

• LMHS member – 2 bottles of wine.

• Filco Llantwit Major– bottle of Gin.

• Filco Llantwit Major – Selection of miniature malt whiskies.

• LMHS member – Hand mixer.

• Dunelm – 5kg stainless steel kitchen scales.

• LMHS member – Garden jigsaw.

• Arthur John & Co - £50 voucher.

• Co-Op Llantwit Major – Bottle of prosecco.

• Asda Bridgend – A large selection of chocolates, toffees and fudge.