Ogling onions and leering at leeks is encouraged at the View Royal Garden Club Flower and Vegetable Show this weekend.
This year the focus of the show is fruit and vegetables, and encouraging people to grow their own. Tables filled with vegetables, fruit and flowers will be spread throughout a room at Shoreline Community School (2750 Shoreline Dr.) and the public is welcome to come take a look from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15.
“Hopefully they’ll come out and see the show and they’ll be inspired and want to start their own (garden),” publicity co-ordinator Bonnie Bacica said.
For participants the show is also a competition and before the public comes in, while the place is nice and quiet, the horticultural judges move in to choose the best examples in a variety of categories for fruits, veggies and herbs.
“I quite enjoy myself having my exhibits judged because you always learn something,” Bacica said.
Flowers are certainly not being forgotten this year and will still be a central part of the show. There will be awards for potted plants, roses, annuals, shrubs, trees, vines, perennials and more.
There are also junior categories for young growers. The garden club hopes to attract more young members as its current membership ages.
“I do encourage younger people to come in,” Bacica said. “It’s hard because families are busy. The idea is to encourage them to grow even just a very small garden.”
One table will also feature home baking and garden items for sale.
The club typically holds three shows a year, although there will only be two this year. There are meetings on the fourth Thursday of every month except for July and December. Meetings feature a speaker on a specific topic and mini-shows for members. Admission to the show is $5 and includes door prizes and refreshments.
For more information on the club visit viewroyalgardenclub.wordpress.com.