It’s that time of year when we begin to harvest those prize fruits, vegetables and flowers that we’ve been nurturing all year. Back in August 1871, the “hard-handed mechanics” of St Ann’s Allotments “gently and lovingly” handled their roses:
“They cut them affectionately, set them up tenderly, and the Roses respond by displaying their full beauty. It is impossible to estimate the effects of this passionate attachment to Roses and other flowers upon character. It softens, refines, elevates, gladdens.”
Nottinghamshire Guardian – 4 August 1871
In addition to these gentle rose growers seeking the perfect bloom, others were after the heaviest weight:
“The heaviest berry in this neighbourhood, we think, has been grown by Mr. John Burgess, in the Hunger-hill gardens. It was indeed a “Wonderful!”, weighing twenty-seven pennyweights and twelve grains*, and when gathered was in a growing state…”
Nottingham Review and General Advertiser for the Midland Counties 3 August 1838
*It was probably a gooseberry weighing the equivalent of 1.51 ounces or 42.8 grams. The world record as of 2015 is 2.19 ounces or 62 grams.
Earlier in the growing season of 1828, a whopper of a cabbage was revealed on Gorsey Close Gardens:
“A few days ago, a cabbage was cut in the garden of Mr. Wm. Harpham, Gorsey Close, which weighed 22lb. without the outside leaves.”
Nottingham Review and General Advertiser for the Midland Counties 18 July 1828
Whether Mr Harpham entered it in the local horticultural show is not known, but if he had done a local artist might have suggested a monetary prize. In 1905 the Nottingham Society of Artists held its annual exhibition. A young artist, Laura Johnson, who later became Dame Laura Knight and whose Uncle Arthur Bates rented a garden on the Hungerhills, won a prize for a water colour. Another prize winner was an established artist Alfred Oliver, but he did not accept his prize very graciously:
“Dear Mr. Armitage, Enclosed please find receipt for £3 being ‘Poor Relief’ for indignant painters. Did you ever know anything so much of a farce? Encouragement of local art. ‘ART’. It would be more suitable for the biggest cabbage from Hunger Hill gardens…”
I’m sure Mr Harpham would have welcomed a prize of £3 for his heavyweight cabbage (with or without the outside leaves).
