ORCHIDS, roses, heliconias, lilies, crotons and hibiscuses; blooms grown in bottles, hanging baskets, vases,and old shoes; garden-grown vegetables, and floral arrangements (fresh and dried).
All these and more, the usual visual treat of the Horticultural Society of Guyana will be on display once again this coming Saturday and Sunday organizers say.
This year’s event is billed for the Umana Yana, and again according to the organizers, it is part of the Society’s ongoing activities to promote gardening and horticulture locally. And they are looking for an even greater public attendance and participation this year.
This year too, apart from the heavenly aroma of fresh flowers and plants in the air, there will also be a keen sense of rivalry (hopefully friendly rivalry), because this show will also be a
competition, and each hobbyist will be out to make the point:  “I am the best,” an HSG official said yesterday.
According to Ms. Youlanda Vasconcellos, one of the organizers, the standards of the exhibits on show will be high, since the competition is being conducted in accordance with the rules and standards of the Royal Horticultural Society of London.
She gave as an example of some of the standards governing flowers: Perfect blooms at the best stage of development,  not damaged by handling, pests or disease; well-shaped, with clear colours or colour combinations; well-grown plants; superb foliage; originality and humour in the children’s entries; and uniformity of size and colour for fruits and vegetables. Substandard exhibits will be rejected, she said.
Over two hundred exhibits will be on show, Vasconcellos said, and that exhibits apart, patrons will be able to view related materials at booths manned by such companies as Caribbean Chemicals, Farfan & Mendes, Harpy’s Haven and the Botanical Gardens, these on the grounds of the Umana Yana.
Patrons will also get to see demonstrations of agricultural techniques by specialists and be able to purchase garden ornaments, plants, plant pots, plant food and fertilizers, garden tools and equipment and garden books, and then they can snack at the tuck shop, before, simultaneously or afterwards.
Opening hours are from 14:00h to 18:00h on Saturday, and from 10:00h to 18:00h on Sunday. The price for admission is $500 for adults and $100 for children under ten.