As I write this, Dedham Horticultural Society has just finished its first Spring Show after a two year ‘pandemic pause’. Almost two dozen people entered, raiding gardens and allotments (and possibly a verge or two) for daffodils and other spring flowers, blossoming shrubs and assorted other plants.

Baking abound with coffee and walnut cakes (of various heights), hot cross buns (a heavyweight class) and marmalade. Creative villagers brought out their floral art skills to mark the Queen’s Jubilee and there was a roaring trade at the plant sale.

If you’ve never exhibited in one of our shows before, it’s free and very easy. Although exhibits are professionally judged, they are generous with their assessment and plenty of first-timers have found their entries winning first, second or third place. The vagaries of the British weather means the Spring Show is often a better option if you want to dip your toe into the water of exhibiting your flowers and plants – there’s usually less competition and more chances for a win!

There can’t be a garden or container that doesn’t have some spring bulbs in it and the daffodil (Narcissus) gets pride of place. There are several categories but we are more likely to have trumpet or large-cupped daffodils in our garden. The corona or trumpet is the part of the flower that sticks out like a nose with (usually) six petals splayed out behind it.

If you gently fold a petal forwards and it is no longer than the trumpet, then you have a trumpet daffodil and should enter it into that class. If it’s longer, then you likely have a large-cupped daffodil and the best of these very clearly have a short, wide corona: imagine laying the daffodil on its back so the petals form a saucer and the trumpet makes a squat tea cup. There’s a class for that!

There’s also a class for the double daffodil, those multi-petalled, frilly, almost ball-like blooms. But remember, two flowers on a single stem is not the same thing as a double. IF you look at the list of classes and don’t seem one dedicated for your daffodil, there’s even a class for that – basically ‘any other daffodil’!

Another tip for beginners is to enter the ‘single specimen’ classes. There is usually a ‘three of a kind’ class for daffodils, but judges expect them to be the same: you really have to grow a lot to find three of anything the same size and colour, unblemished and out at the same time. It’s much easier to plonk one of something in a vase and call it a success. Speaking of, you can exhibit in any old vase – we don’t mind. Another good class is 12 daffodils in a vase – they can be a mixture of any type: just zush them a bit and try to make them all face the front and you’re done.

While daffodils are a focus, there are plenty of other classes you can enter, that just ask you to have a look round the garden: a small branch from that evergreen hedge – consider the foliage class; a tulip – yes there are three classes for that; those lovely primulas – snip a few heads and you’ve got an entry there too.

We also have several baking classes and there’s usually at least one that’s good to do with the kids (Easter cupcakes this year); one we regret putting in (four hours to prove and bake cement-like hot cross buns!); and one that everyone has a go at (coffee and walnut cake).

The Autumn Show is coming up in September – keep an eye on our website for details – and for that, we celebrate the dahlia (also dead easy to grow with varieties suitable for pots or the border). There’s baking and flower arrangements, but also fruit and veg to exhibit. So have a think, have a go – it’s free and lots of fun.