Claremont Flower Show still popular, but organisers hoping to attract a new generation of exhibitors

  Josef Neuschwanger and Sister Frances McShane prepare their exhibits for the Claremont Spring Flower Show.

Key points:

• The Claremont Flower Show has been running almost continuously since the end of World War II
• There are concerns about the future of flower shows, with exhibitors getting older and gardens getting smaller
• Hobart Horticultural Society president Andrea Gerrard says flower shows are a chance to share flowers with others

When Josef Neuschwanger found himself looking after the garden owned by his then parents-in-law, he thought he had better learn a thing or two about camellias.

"It had 160-odd camellias in it … I didn't know anything about them," Mr Neuschwanger said.

It was the start of a love affair with the flowering shrubs.

Mr Neuschwanger now has 173 camellias in his own garden, and has been a regular exhibitor at the Claremont Flower Show in Hobart's northern suburbs since moving to Tasmania from the Illawarra region in NSW.

"I talk to the people who are looking at the camellias … I see people who are interested and I'll go up and ask them whether they're growing, what they grow, do they have problems," he said.

 "Camellias are my passion."

 

 Some of the prize winning camellias at the Claremont Spring Flower Show.

Mr Neuschwanger is also involved with the Camellia Society.

"Having been involved with the camellias for over 20 years … I've watched as some of the big growers, particularly in the Illawarra got older and could no longer look after the gardens they had," he said.

He said while some younger people were interested in camellias, they were not exhibiting the volume of flowers the larger growers would.

Camellia exhibits being prepared for the Claremont Spring Flower Show.

"You don't have the same gardens that used to be around. They're much smaller."

Claremont Flower Show Group president Neil Harwood has been involved in flower shows since the mid-1980s.

"I am concerned that the community flower shows are going," Mr Harwood said.

"All of the gardening people have become old and they love the shows but they haven't got the capacity to do it."

Neil Harwood has been involved with flower shows since the mid-1980s.

Andrea Gerrard, who started showing flowers about 10 years ago after a neighbour encouraged her to, and is Hobart Horticultural Society president, is passionate about flower shows.

"We desperately need to encourage the young ones to be involved and it's the younger ones who will hopefully keep the shows going," Ms Gerrard said.

She also said gardeners of all abilities should not be daunted by showing flowers.

"It's just something that you've grown in your garden and you're proud of and you want to share with everybody else," she said.

Andrea Gerrard started showing flowers after a neighbour encouraged her to.

Sister Frances McShane has been showing at the Claremont shows for about six years.

"I've even won some prizes which surprised me no end … I've often said I'm not a gardener, but I have a garden," Sr McShane said.

"It's just fascinating to see the huge variety of flowers and the trouble that people go to."

                           

 Emily Palmer, 7, with her entry for the Claremont Spring Flower Show.

 

The Claremont Flower show started after World War II.

Mr Harwood said it had a brief recess in the late 1950s, but was brought back to life by world-renowned daffodil grower Rod Barwick, and has continued to be a much-loved community event.

"A lot of it is that we all grew up with our mothers and grandmothers growing flowers, and a lot of [the flowers] are old, like the daffodils — they've been around forever — so it brings back memories of family life and better times, well slower times," Mr Harwood said.

"Sometimes I'll stand up on the stage and have a look [at the hall] and you'll see people talking to each other, having a smile and talking about why their plant … at home is better than the one we've got here.

"If I hear them say it [I say], 'well, bring it next year and you'll be the champ'."

Claremont Flower Show Group president Neil Harwood says old-fashioned flowers like daffodils bring back memories of days gone by.

 

 

 Powered by

@Anandewangan