NINETY years ago the first flower show was held in the summer at Cheriton Fitzpaine by the newly-formed garden club.

That first show was held in the Vicarage garden. For many years it included animals , more like a country show.

It flourished and grew beyond the annual show and is surely among the oldest garden clubs in Devon today.

On Saturday, June 18 members and friends were joined by people from other Devon garden clubs including Witheridge, Crediton, Upton Pyne and Copplestone, for a big birthday bash with television presenter and gardener, Toby Buckland.

Held in Cheriton Fitzpaine Parish Hall, things were going on outside as well as inside all day and all free - thanks mostly to a Big Lottery Fund grant.

Chairman, Paula Mossman, said the day had taken 18 months to plan, including applying for Lottery funding.

“Thanks go to the Awards for All lottery fund grant of £4,500 which paid about 85 per cent of the costs.

“The rest was raised by a 50/50 auction we held last October. It took more than 50 volunteers to bring the day together and we could not have done it without every single one of their contributions,” she said.

Mrs Mossman added: “The day was rounded off by a hugely successful evening when the Woodmen and Electric Spank, both bands from Crediton, played to a packed hall of partygoers.

“The atmosphere was amazing and it was lovely to see children mixing with the adults and having a great time on a thankfully dry evening, almost Continental.

“Our aim was to provide a day that had something for every age group in the village and I think we achieved that.

“More than 350 people attended the day time section of the party and the hall was packed in the evening,” she added.

She thanked past members, making presentations to vice chairman Andrew Dean, treasurer David Nunn, committee members Mary Nunn, Ann Nixon and Liz Rogers.

A Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to 90 years old Mrs Nora Bulled who has been a member of the Garden Club since 1955 and made an enormous contribution as well as being show secretary for a long time. Last year her floral arrangement won the outstanding exhibit award at the spring show.

A large cake decorated as a garden with rows of vegetables, a path, trees, shrubs and even a deck chair was cut by Mrs Bulled with Toby Buckland, horticulturist, writer and television presenter. The cake had been made by Hils Fry of Crediton.

Born in Exeter, Toby now lives at Dawlish. Copies of his latest book were for sale which he signed as well as pots of his special rooting powder.

Toby had given a talk in the morning on “Colour in Your Garden”, followed by a slide presentation of garden club events.

After the presentations and cake cutting in the afternoon, members of Cheriton Fitzpaine Primary School band played and sang.

The band was formed last July and has already won one major award. More than two-thirds of the school play an instrument and many are in the full band.

This was followed by Jan Hadley and Mary Nunn who gave a demonstration of simple and effective flower arrangements for your home.

Later music was by Denis Brinicombe on the keyboard. Denis lives in Cheriton.

President Sarah Trick thanked the club chairman, Paula Mossman, for her work and saying the day had been Paula’s idea.

Activities outside the parish hall included a multi-coloured discodrome, Alison Stoyle’s mobile baked potato stand, Vikky Anderson’s mobile ice cream cart, Icycle Tricycle, the fifth year of her business. Her son was with another Icycle Tricycle at Crediton Food Festival on the same day.

People could stick their head through a big Minion for the wet sponge throwing, among the other games, as well as using the breeze to make huge bubbles.

Someone was playing tricks the day before, if Facebook was anything to go by.

The club had encouraged people to make scarecrows. One, a Minion, was reported kidnapped, after which lots of postings appeared on Facebook.

Mrs Mossman added that the club now has more than 60 members and it was good to see so many younger members because they were the future of the garden club.

Sue Read