Green fingered gardening girl scoops trophy
The passion of proud Penny.
Eight- year-old Penny Moth has been gardening for half her life- and now she has a prized trophy to prove she knows what she is doing.
For Penny, who has her own allotment, has just won the cup for being the Best Junior Gardener at Higham Ferrers Tourism's annual Horticultural Show in the town's Chichele College.
''I am very proud'' she said.
Penny, who was entering her first horticultural show, displayed a selection of entries- cherry tomatoes, yellow tomatoes, potatoes, multi-coloured sweetcorn, cucumber and chilli jam made from her home-grown chillis.
And it was her cherry tomatoes that took first prize in her section, securing her the Best Junior Gardening Cup, which was sponsored by the Chichele Over 60's club.
Penny, who attends Irthlingborough Junior School, first began gardening during lockdown when she asked her parents, Keeley and Dave, if she could grow vegetables and fruit in the family's garden in Higham Ferrers.
She produced her first crop in 2020 when she was just four-years-old.
Penny also turned her hand to growing potatoes, sweetcorn and strawberries.
As her interest grew, so did her ambition and at the beginning of the year, she got her own 125 square metre allotment in nearby Quorn Road, Rushden.
''Santa organised it.'' her mother explained. ''We are very proud of her, especially as we can't grow a thing. She gets her green fingers from her great nan Georgina''
''When she leaves school, she would like to become a gardener at the Eden Project in Cornwall,'' her Mum said.
Organiser Pam Webbley said: ''It had been a wonderful event and was well attended by visitors.''0
One category which drew a lot of attention-and laughter- was the Silly Shaped Specimen Class.
While there was no trophy winner this year, a certificate was awarded to Michael Watts, the creator of Two Ducks in a Row entry.
''The entry did not meet the rules as it was more of a model, but we awarded Michael with a certificate as the two ducks just made us smile,'' Pam said.
Many thanks to all who entered, and the results were:
- Best in Show Mayor's Cup (sponsored by former Mayor Cllr. Chris O'Rourke 2019/20) Jack Chadwick
- Best Flowers cup (sponsored by Sidey Design Architecture) Brenda Lofthouse
- Michael Groome Memorial Cup for best Vegetable : Nigel Harper
- Best Baker Cup (sponsored by The Bedesmen of Higham Ferrers) Diane Briggs
- Best Preserve Cup (sponsored by Pam & Terry Webbley) Susan Foster
- Derek Dormer OBE Cup for best fruit (sponsored by Higham Ferrers WMC) Linda Washington
- Best Floral Art Cup (sponsored by Higham Ferrers Tourism ) Ruth Bond
- Best Junior Gardener Cup ( sponsored by Higham Ferrers Chichele Over 60's club) Penny Moth
- Best Junior Baker cup (sponsored by Higham Ferrers Chichele Over 60's club) Jessie Radbourne