2019 Garden & Allotment Competition Results

Erika Savory, Lyme Regis – large garden and overall winner in 2019

The Melplash Agricultural Society’s annual Gardens and Allotments Competition is the most prestigious garden competition in the West Dorset area.  It is open to all residents within a 12-mile radius of Melplash Village Church.  This year there were 25 gardens and allotments entered.  They were judged over 2 days by Mr & Mrs Tim and Gill Tarling, the 2018 Medium Garden winners and Mrs Christine Holmes-Studley the 2018 Allotment and Overall Garden winner.  They were accompanied by the Society President, Mr Tim Frost and his wife Monica, Society Chairman, Mrs Jo Sage and Vice -Chairman Mr James Vickery.   The Stewards were Mr Peter Yeates and Mr Cliff Pitcher.

‘It was a phenomenal two days’ said Society Chairman, Jo Sage.  ‘All the gardens and allotments were magnificent.  It was a real privilege to have the opportunity to visit them and to be shown around by the gardeners.  Their knowledge and how they had utilised every inch of the garden was incredible.  It was also interesting to see that all of them had considered the wildlife and the environment.  There were bug houses, moth traps, bird tables and even homes for slow worms and newts.  I certainly didn’t envy the judges task and understandably it did take them quite a while to decide on the winners!’

The winners for each category are as follows:

Donald Jolliffe of Netherbury, Allotment winner

Allotments

1st – Mr Donald Jolliffe, Netherbury

2nd – Mr Geoff Fry, Puncknowle

3rd – Ms Maggie Haworth, West Allington Allotments

Small Gardens

1st – Mr & Mrs Ian and Anne Bark, Bridport

2nd – Mrs Debbie McCarthy, Lyme Regis

3rd – Mrs Georgina Young, Beaminster

Ian ad Ann Bark of Bridport, winners of the small garden class

Medium Gardens

1st – Mr Jon Harvey, Bridport

2nd – Mr & Mrs PJ and BF Lacey, Lyme Regis

3rd – Mrs Christine Corson, Beaminster

4th – Mrs Jennifer Fry-Nobbs

Large Gardens

1st – Mrs Erika Savory, Lyme Regis

2nd – Mr & Mrs Martin and Jan Dixon, Morecombelake

3rd – Mr & Mrs Brian and Annabelle Jackman, West Milton

Maggie Haworth, winner of the George Payne Memorial Trophy

The Special Award – The George Payne Memorial Trophy –  was awarded to Ms Maggie Haworth, a herbalist whose allotment in West Allington was totally dedicated to growing the herbs she requires for her treatments.

The overall winner was Mrs Erika Savory of Lyme Regis.

The prizes will be awarded at the annual Melplash Agricultural Show at West Bay Bridport on  Thursday 22nd August

Lucy