CLENT Gardening Club members showcased an “absolutely brilliant” display of produce and blooms at their annual flower show despite 2012 proving an ‘annus horriblis’ for gardeners.

The club’s popular annual flower show was held at Clent Parish Hall, Church Avenue, on Saturday September 8, as the region enjoyed what’s likely to have been one of the last days resembling summertime this year.

Chairman Pat Orme said she didn’t know how “people came up trumps in the end” after a spring and summer littered with unseasonal rain showers.

But she said of the show: “It was absolutely brilliant.

“We had more apples than expected but we had no pears. It’s been a bad year for fruit - but we’ve been absolutely amazed at the stuff we did get.

“We also had lovely displays of flowers and lots of entries in the craft and bakery section.”

The event also included a raffle, second-hand book stall and auction of donated exhibits.

A new award was also presented for the first time in memory of former chairman and gardening club stalwart John Babb who passed away in early 2011.

Ten-year-old Clent School pupil Sam Timmins was voted winner of the John Babb Young Naturalist Cup for an innovative insect house he designed - entitled bug station.

The new accolade is to be awarded annually to the winner of a naturalist project that will be set for young gardening fans in key stages two and three at school.

Pat said: “John’s family gave the cup in his memory as he did so much for the flower show and had been in the gardening club for 45 years - and he was very keen to get children involved in gardening and natural history.”