A VASE of asters exhibited by two-year-old Iwan Ballard was among the many and varied entries at Chepstow and District Gardening Club’s annual show.

The event, at Chepstow Drill Hall on Sunday (19th August), included garden produce, flower arrangements, crafts and cookery - with Iwan probably the show’s youngest ever exhibitor. Iwan grew his winning flowers from seeds planted at his childminder's as a mother's day present for mum Sian, and has been carefully watering ever since.

Among those in attendance at the show were Councillors David Dovey, Ned Heywood and Dale Rooke, with apologies received from Cllr Martin Brady.

The Mayor, Cllr Tony Redhead presented the following prizes:

Kelly Shield for highest combined score in the vegetable and flower sections: Norman Chamberlain.

Mike Dobbs Challenge Shield for best exhibit in the vegetable section: Ned Heywood.

Mayor’s Cup for best entry in the flower section: Ray Dally.

Garden Club Trophy for best exhibit in the flower arranging section: Carolyn Read.

Wilma Bremner Shield for best salad ingredient exhibit: Ray Dally.

Club Salver for best exhibit in the show: Bob Elliot.

The winners of the Section Cups were: Norman Chamberlain for fruit and vegetables, runner-up Haydn Jones; Caroline Duchet for flowers, runner-up Norman Chamberlain; Lynne Atkins for flower arranging, runner-up Ann Dally; Ghizzi Dunlop for cookery, runner-up Caroline Duchet.

Craft cups went to Lynne Atkins and Ghizzi Dunlop while the photography cup was awarded to Maggie Hudson.

The craft classes open to those aged 10 to 16 and under 10 were won by Milla Dunlop and Isobel Harris respectively.

The Club is very grateful to Mr Tom and Mrs Judy Chaloner who judged the vegetable and flower sections, Mrs Joan Ryrie who judged the flower arranging and hobbies sections and Mrs C. Jenkins and Mrs C. Price who sampled all the entries in the cookery section.

Children from the local primary schools brought the tomato, pepper, french bean and marigold plants they had grown from seed to be judged both individually and to receive points for their school in the 2018 Inter Schools Gardening Challenge.

The competition is sponsored by Chepstow Garden Centre who supply compost and Chepstow Town Council who provide funding for the project.

First prize went to Indigo Kaslik from The Dell.

Joint second prizes were won by Edward Goodwin from The Dell and Ava Burley from St Mary’s RC School.

Joint third prizes were awarded to Bodhi Dalais and Chloe Mutlow both from Thornwell School.

Commendations were awarded to entries from Anwen Pugh and Callum Mutlow both pupils at Thornwell School and to Arwen Williams and Jasmine Griffiths both at Pembroke Road School.

The number of entries from pupils attending Pembroke Road School secured them the Challenge Shield for the third year in a row with a combined total of 66 points.

Thornwell School were runners up with 39.5 points but St Mary’s RC School were very close on 37 points.