Summer show's bumper crop

From liliums to legumes, gladioli to geraniums, everything will be blooming marvellous at the Wanganui Horticultural Society's annual summer show.

The event will be staged in 39 Taupo Quay on Saturday.

Judging takes place throughout Saturday morning and the doors open to the public from midday until 5pm.

Growers will show off a variety of blooms, all of them chasing the honour of having their name etched on some of the many trophies up for grabs.

Gladioli and dahlias are dominant features of the show but other sections are open to the keen vegetable growers. If you can grow it in the garden, there's a category being judged, including the best six pods of peas, three long radishes or three tomatoes.

Local grower and shower Wayne Hughes is one of the organisers of the annual summer event.

Mr Hughes has been involved in the game for more than 40 years and said this season had been particularly difficult for serious growers: "We had five slight frosts on end in November. They weren't big frosts but they were enough to set things back a bit."

Despite that hiccup, he said, they were expecting some of the best blooms on show in the city on Saturday for judging, provided by growers and enthusiasts from New Plymouth down to Wellington.

"We're expecting some great dahlias and gladioli, especially. Wanganui is noted as one of the best gladiolus-growing areas in the country," Mr Hughes said.