PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - The darling buds of Plett and their neighbours from Knysna walked away with equal honours on Saturday 26 October at the Knysna & Plett Garden Route Rose Society's annual show, held at Checkers forecourt in Plettenberg Bay.
Entries from Plettenberg Bay won the Queen of the Show and Overall Novice – but it was chairlady Joanne Johnstone's First Princess and Alet Kaplan's Second Princess showings that kept Knysna's flag flying.
Stefanie Seydack, Rose SA judge, past president and international and South African rose judge said there were "very good quality" blooms "and lovely spring roses" on display this year from 32 exhibitors with 190 entries.
Joy Taylor, from Glen Eden Village in Plettenberg Bay, was declared Queen of the Show with her display of "Magaliesberg Rose". It was the second year in a row that Taylor has won first prize. Johnstone was declared First Princess with "Forever Friends" with Alet Kaplan declared Second Princess with her rose "Rina Hugo".
The winners: First Princess, Joanne Johnstone; Novice, Sally Milton; Queen of the Show, Joy Taylor; and Second Princess, Alet Kaplan. Photos: Chris van Gass
The Overall Novice prize was awarded to Sally Milton, from Formosa Garden Village in Plett, with "Dainty Bess".
It was the first time Plett played host to the Knysna & Garden Route Rose Society and the scents of stunning roses enthralled shoppers to the Checkers Mall. The entrance to the mall was transformed into a stunning rose garden, with blooming roses everywhere.
"The roses were beautiful, and we had more entries this year than at the autumn rose show held in Knysna last year," said Johnstone.
She said she was encouraged by the number of novice exhibitors, people who entered for the first time, including members of the public, who had never won a prize in a rose show before.
The proceeds from the R50 entrance fee, as well as sale of raffle tickets, came to
R3 500 with the total income from promised donations expected to be about R5 000. The proceeds will be donated to the Green Hearts NPO who work with abused children in Plett.
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