Garden journalist and broadcaster, Rebecca Pow, well known for her Channel 4 Garden Club series and writing widely in gardening publications was delighted to visit the hundredth anniversary of the Wiveliscombe Flower Show recently.

"This is a massive achievement for a relatively small town and with 929 exhibitors entering 125 classes it shows that the show is still going strong. It’s been quite a testing year for gardeners with the very wet start to the year followed by a prolonged dry period but the floral entries, especially the dahlias and gladioli were spectacular. It has been more of a challenge for vegetable growers but there were some excellent entries, in particular the show onions and baskets of multiple vegetables" said Rebecca.

The first show was held in 1903 and apart from the war years, it has been held in Wiveliscombe at a range of venues ever since and for the last few years has been held at Kingsmead School. As well as meeting many of the green fingered locals, Rebecca also caught up with Bernadette Rowe, who opened the show and is a direct link with the well known Hancock family who were influential in the life of the town and the flower show for many years, Mrs Mariquita Hancock being its first president.