The organisers of this year’s Barbados Horticultural Society (BHS) Annual Flower and Garden Show say the two-day event held over the weekend was a success, but have expressed concern that the organisation is not attracting young people.
The show, considered to be one of the BHS’ marque events, showcased the island’s vibrant horticultural talents and served as a precursor to the esteemed Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show.
President of the BHS Jennifer Weetch told Barbados TODAY she was pleased with the number of patrons and vendors who showed up.
“We had a great turnout [of patrons]. The same can be said for the vendors who were here and took part in the plant sale. We have a cadre of really eager vendors who come every year . . . and we’ve been coming for 20, 30 years. Without them we would have no show because people come here to buy their plants and the other goods they sell, like jewellery, pots, handbags and clothing,” she explained.
The show, an annual fixture for over three decades, has been a platform for local vendors to display various products ranging from plants to handcrafted items.
However, there was a noticeable shift this year. The absence of cut flowers and themed displays, staples of previous shows, was attributed to various challenges, including weather conditions and the ageing demographic of the society’s members.
“We, the society, need some younger people to participate. I mean, when I joined the society 30 years ago, I was young then but I’m not young now. And so are our members on our committee. We need some younger people,” Weetch said.
“I don’t know, people just don’t seem to want to volunteer or enter plants in the shows or anything. Even President Dame Sandra Mason, when she visited the show (Saturday), said that she could see that . . . the actual flower show was not as vibrant as previous times.”
The BHS Flower and Garden Show was a precursor to the annual Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show, one of the world’s most prestigious horticultural events, which will be held in London May 21-24.
The BHS has consistently secured numerous accolades, including coveted gold awards, at the overseas show.
Weetch says preparations for this year’s show are already underway, with the BHS team aiming for another gold.
(RG)
