The Yorkton and District Horticultural Society鈥檚 annual Fruit, Flower and Vegetable Show is going virtual this year.
Faced with the decision to cancel the show due to COVID-19, taking the event online by people sharing photos of the best flowers and plants was seen as a way to keep up interest in the show.
The show will allow members to present some of the entries that they would have taken to the show, and give virtual guests an idea of what is being grown this year.
鈥淪everal years ago, the Society opted to go with a 鈥渄isplay鈥� show, that is, the entries would not be judged,鈥� explained Society member Debbie Hayward. 鈥淭his decision was made for a variety of reasons: the cost of a judged show can be quite high, and there is also the element of anxiety members have about having their garden entries judged. While some people thrive on that kind of excitement, some find the prospect of a judge looking at their horticultural entries very daunting, and may decide not to enter anything rather than go through the judging process.鈥�
However, with a display show, entrants choose the best of what they have in their gardens, and there is no worry about the minute details and rules that judging takes into account, said Hayward.聽
鈥淏y going with a display show, the number of entries and people taking part increased dramatically, and everyone was able to just relax and enjoy seeing what their fellow gardeners had in their gardens,鈥� she said.
So, entries will not be judged, but the Society鈥檚 first virtual show will follow roughly the same categories that we have in our display show book: flowers, houseplants, outdoor containers and dish gardens, succulents, vegetables and fruit, and floral art and flower arrangements, among others.
One advantage of a virtual show is that entrants don鈥檛 have to cut flower entries to take to the show, they may appear in the garden rather than cut and in a vase.
Entry deadline is July 31, but only society members can enter. 聽
The show will be available online at wwwyorktonhort.ca starting Aug. 5. Guests can check the website for full details.
