The BHAS Annual Show will be held on Sunday, 11th September 2022 at Hertford Avenue Allotments, open to all.

About the day

A highlight of the allotment year, the Annual Show is a great family day out. It’s a good opportunity to meet your fellow plot holders and enjoy some delicious food. We encourage everyone to participate and enter their plot grown produce. For anyone who hasn’t entered their plot gown fruit, vegetables, flowers or herbs before, please don’t be put off – this isn’t Chelsea Flower Show!

Your entries don’t have to be perfect – just remember:

  • Biggest is not always best.
  • Try to show entries that are pest and disease free.
  • Where an entry comprises several items choose ones that are as near as possible the same size and shape.
  • Give yourself plenty of time, and if you can, prepare at least some of your entries the night before.
  • Read your schedule carefully and when you pick up your show cards on Sunday morning.  Make sure to write your name clearly and put your exhibit in the right place.
  • Finally, and most importantly, HAVE FUN!

Tips for Exhibitors

  • Uniformity of size, shape and colour is important
  • All vegetables should be cleaned and roots washed. No blemishes if possible.
  • Cut beans and similar with scissors and leave stalks attached
  • Root crops should have tops trimmed to about 8cm.
  • Tomatoes and fruit should have the calyx/stalks left on if possible

Event Information

Location: Hertford Avenue allotments (entrance opposite Richmond Park Academy)

10.00 – 11.45am  All exhibits must be brought to the tent, together with an exhibitors card and arranged in the appropriate class. Please bring your own plates if possible.

12.00 Tent is closed for judging

13.15  Bring your own Picnic lunch and tent is open for viewing. Refreshments including tea, cake, squash and savoury snacks are available.

15.00 Prize giving.

15.30 Exhibitors should collect their exhibits.

Food and refreshments
Again this year we are inviting you to bring your own lunch picnic to eat on your plot. We will, however, have tea, coffee, squash, cakes and savoury snacks available in the early afternoon from 13.15. If you would like to contribute cakes or cookies you are welcome to drop them off anytime from 10.00 onwards on the tea table (close to the entrance of Hertford Avenue). All contributions welcome!

Plant Stall
We will also have a plant stall at the show. Please consider planting up a flower pot or two over the next few weeks with any spare perennial plants or maybe some cuttings from fruit bushes ready to donate to the plant stall in September.

Tool sharpening
Adam Bennett will be returning this year offering his tool sharpening services from 10.30am.

Show schedule and categories
Do take a look and start planning what you would like to enter! Exhibitor’s cards can be collected from the Shed on Saturday 10th September between 11.00 – 12.00 or on the day from 10.00 (Sunday 11th September). Exhibits should be brought to the exhibition tent on Sunday morning between 10.00 – 11.45. We ask that exhibitors bring their own white plates.

ANNUAL SHOW SCHEDULE AND CATEGORIES

VEGETABLES

  1. Aubergines x 2
  2. Peppers x 3
  3. Chili peppers x 4
  4. Beetroot x 4 – with 8cm of tops
  5. French Beans x 6 – any colour, any type (keep stalks on)
  6. Runner Bean x 6 (keep stalks on)
  7. Carrot x 4 – with 8cm carrot tops
  8. Courgette x 4
  9. Cucumber x 1
  10. Garlic x 3
  11. Marrow x 1- no longer than 38 cm (15 inches)
  12. Onions x 4 – outer skins only removed (leave 3 inches of stem)
  13. Shallots x 6
  14. Potatoes x 4
  15. Update: Pumpkin x1
  16. Update: Squash x 1
  17. Sweetcorn x 2 (with outer leaves)
  18. Beef tomato x 4 – with stalks
  19. Cherry tomato x 6 – with stalks
  20. Medium tomato x 4 – with stalks
  21. Mixed vegetables – 1 each of 5 kinds (presentation up to you!)
  22. Any vegetable x 1 (this is for any vegetable NOT in the above categories)
  23. Biggest vegetable x 1
  24. Herbs in a jam jar – please write a list of the herbs you display on exhibitor card

FRUIT

25. Apples x 4

26. Top fruit (pears, plums, quinces, etc.) any kind x 4

27. Soft fruit, any kind x 10 (where possible leave stems)

28. Any other fruit x4

FLOWERS

29. Mixed flowers in a vase, arrange as you wish

30. A single variety of flowers in vase

31. Dahlias x 6 stems, same variety

32. Largest diameter Sunflower Head x 1

33. Tallest Sunflower plant inc Head x 1

CHILDREN

34a. Aged up to 10 years. Mini garden on a seed tray – create your own miniature garden.

34b. Aged 11 – 18 years. Mini garden on a seed tray – create your own miniature garden.

35a. Aged up to 10 years. Vegetable monster/pet – decorate and create using vegetables, fruit and/or herbs.

35b. Aged 11 – 18 years. Vegetable monster/pet – decorate and create using vegetables, fruit and/or herbs.

COOKERY

  1. A glass jar of homemade fruit jam, any kind
  2. A Victoria Sponge Cake – your family’s favourite recipe
  3. A glass jar of homemade chutney, any kind

Make us laugh

  1. ‘Make us laugh’ category for the funniest or weirdest shaped Vegetable or Fruit – open to all ages.

BHAS SOCIETY AWARDS

  • Plot of the Year
  • Best Newcomer’s Plot
  • Show Person of the Year (for most points scored in show)

Here are some guidelines from Mary Enache on how the best plots are judged:

“I  judge the allotments by marking out of 100, with approximately 35% for quantity and quality of produce, 35% for overall appearance( design, not too many weeds, tidy paths..) and 30% for  crop protection, care for the environment (ponds, flowers to attract insects, organic gardening)and recycling/composting.”

The above schedule shows all the classes in the Show.

Update: Exhibitors may enter one or more varieties in each class. 

A cup is awarded to the exhibitor with the most points, which are awarded as follows:          First prize 3 points, Second prize 2 points, Third prize 1 point