Southport RFC's flower show garden gold
Southport RFC celebrate 150 years with tribute to rugby club at Southport Flower show and win overall show award.
Southport rugby club's accolades include a Guinness World Record for the longest rugby game, secured in 2003, and an undefeated league winning campaign for the women’s team in 2021-22 but they now have one more.
They have gone into gardening and have won gold for a medium sized garden at the Southport Flower Show as well as the Sinchett Trophy for the overall show winner.
A group of dedicated club members created their winning garden to celebrate 150 years of the club and showcase it to thousands of visitors at the Southport Flower Show.
Bar and Events Manager, Sue Astwood, discussed a show garden with the flower show organisers and club Vice-Chair, Enda Rylands; before approaching other club members to help bring the celebratory garden to life.
Then John Gillow, who if he runs out for them this season will have put in five decades propping for the club’s first team, did a great job in designing the garden, sourcing materials and shrubs and leading the team building it. He also came up with the idea of a giant rugby ball sculpture in the centre of the garden which will later be taken back to the club.
John and his team spent lots of time on the project, visiting plant nurseries of the garden sponsor, J.A. Jones, and selecting an array of shrubs and plants in club colours, red, black and amber.
The construction and maintenance of the garden is no easy task, but John, his team and J.A. Jones pulled off a powerful display that focused show visitor’s interest on the rugby club and its history.
The plaques are a timeline of the past 150 years and the volunteers were proud to man the garden and competition table with their gold awards over the duration of the show. from Thursday 18th to Sunday 21st of August.
