By Callum Ludwig
The Upper Yarra Valley Garden Club (UYVGC) is hosting an exciting new event for growers across the Yarra Ranges.
The Seville Public Hall will host the first ‘Grow Show’ on Sunday 16 March between 10.30am and 5pm.
Grow Show Manager Shirley Lahtinen said they decided to do the show to try and unify some of the gardening groups in the Yarra Valley.
“All of which are doing wonderful small-size promotions and collecting people who are interested in horticulture, but we don’t have any way we connect with each other in the one place at the one time,” she said.
“I’ve already been round to the Healesville people and the Wandin people, we’re actually connecting with people, Covid cut any links that we might have had so we’re really starting again from there and there’s lots of groups like Community Gardens and ECOSS up at Wesburn,”
“We have quite different requirements in terms of rainfall and soils and the like, but we still share this common interest in growing things, and that’s really what we’re out to do, and people like to show off what they grow so it’s an old fashioned flower and produce show.”
The event is open to all ages and for the community to contribute:
A children’s section for kids to enter their planting projects will be available
Groups and small businesses are encouraged to enter a trestle table to put on display as part of the show, anyone interested in doing so is encouraged to ring Mavis at 0412 855 805
Anyone from the community can enter flowers, fruit, vegetables and pots by bringing them to the Seville Public Hall between 3pm and 5pm on Saturday 15 March or 8am to 9.30am on Sunday 16 March.
Ms Lahtinen said it’s about displaying what the community can do.
“It’s a really old-fashioned concept I know but still quite popular in Gippsland areas and the like, and as a horticultural judge, it’s great to see lots of people just bringing in what they can do and they’re quite proud of their community,” she said.
“The aim is to grow and show and you take it along to make the show, not to win the first prize, and that’s what old-fashioned shows used to be about,”
“It’s important because much of what we do supports small businesses just by word of mouth… the Royal Horticultural Society in the city used to have a list of people who come out and speak always with their box of products and that just doesn’t exist now.”
Morning and afternoon tea will be available at the event and entry is only $5 for adults, or free for anyone who contributes to the show.
Anyone interested in getting involved in the event or finding out more can do so at upperyarravalleygardenclub.com/.
