Cupar and District Floral and Horticultural Society president Les Wheelans has watched the Cupar Flower Show grow and flourish since he first exhibited his own flowers and vegetables back in 1972.
However, the 81-year-old born and bred Cuparian has warned that unless the society can attract new volunteers, one of the town’s longest-running events could cease to exist.
The return of Cupar’s annual flower and craft show to the Corn Exchange on August 20 after a two-year Covid-19 enforced break not only marks Les’ 50 years of service to the flower show, it also marks the show’s 110th anniversary.
Les says: “If the coronavirus pandemic has had any positive impact on society, it has allowed people who have not previously had the time or inclination to enjoy and appreciate their gardens to benefit from the therapeutic influences of gardening and improve mental wellbeing to both young and old.”
Les says the stark reality is, however, that none of the committee members are getting any younger, and if fresh blood cannot be garnered from the community, the event’s future must be in doubt.
110th Cupar Flower Show
The Courier caught up with Les and his wife Wanda, who is secretary of the society, at their home in Cupar as they made final preparations for the historic show.
Over 200 classes are on offer including cut flowers, pot plants, baking, needlework, wine, photography, floral art, vegetables, fruit and herbs and jams.
Judging takes place in both the upper and lower halls of the Corn Exchange from 8am with a coffee morning in the lower hall from 10am, the official opening of the show at 11.30am and the presentation of trophies and awards at 4.30pm.
The show’s charity of the year this year is Age Concern Cupar.
Following the Covid-19 disruption, local businesses and sponsors who offered invaluable support to the 2019 event have been given free advertising in this year’s brochure as a gesture of goodwill and to recognise the tightening of purse strings.
With entries to be staged by 10pm on the night of Friday August 19, Les and Wanda were hoping for a good number of entrants and hope to see a good turnout from the public.
Garden judging was carried out by Tom Malone, lecturer from SRUC’s Elmwood College, on August 6.
However, they also hope it might inspire more green-fingered people to get involved in the organisation of the event.
With sustainability and home grown produce more important than ever, they hope a whole new generation could be inspired.
So how did it all begin for Les?
Born in 1941 and growing up at 44 South Road in Cupar, next to Cow Brae, Les remembers his father Jim and mum Jessie growing vegetables “for the pot” in their long garden that stretched down towards the banks of the River Eden.
While Les – the second youngest of five children – didn’t grow anything at that time, he helped his father turn over the soil.
After attending the old Castlehill Primary and Bell Baxter High School, Les served his time as a butcher with AC Anderson in Bonnygate.
He left at 21 to work as a van driver at Cupar’s Beet Factory.
After breaking his arm in a workplace accident when the counterweight from a lift struck him while building the silo, he was off work for 17 weeks.
He recalls how lucky he was his arm wasn’t “torn off”.
He later joined Fife Council transportation services where he worked for 43 years. Marrying Wanda in 1971 after meeting her at the dancing in Ceres, they went on to have a daughter Debbie.
While their first family homes at 26 South Union Street and 11 Maitland Drive had gardens, they were “not great” for producing vegetables.
It was while serving as a retained firefighter at Cupar Fire Station, however, that his interest in horticulture grew.
Les was introduced to the world of horticulture by past Cupar Flower Show committee member, Maurice Smith, who served with him in the fire brigade.
He assisted Maurice to grow flowers in his garden and exhibit them and this was all the cultivation needed to start Les’ long-service and dedication to gardening.
Les won his first trophy at Newburgh Flower Show followed by obtaining a diploma for the most outstanding exhibit in the novice section at Letham Flower Show in 1971.
He was then quickly encouraged to join the Cupar Flower Show committee, while still buzzing from his notable achievement.
Lifelong passion
Gardening soon became a lifelong passion, with Les maintaining various allotments and gardens in Cupar over the last 50 years, starting with his mother’s garden on South Road and latterly the late saddler George Bell’s allotment in the Bonnygate.
These gardens, often tucked away from public view take a lot of preparation and the efforts required to maintain them are immense.
Growing a wide range of produce from the traditional staples of potatoes, onions, carrot and brassicas for the freezer, Les has also ventured into cultivating flowers, herbaceous plants and fruits and has developed his expertise in growing exhibition varieties.
Les, like many other exhibitors, supports other local societies and their shows, offering a friendly support network to novice and veteran growers and exhibitors alike.
He was made a life member of the Cupar and District Floral and Horticultural Society in 1996, became vice-president in 1997 and president in 2006.
He was also awarded the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society’s Certificate of Merit, for his significant contribution of over 40 years’ service to horticulture and gardening in 2012.
He is also on the committee of the Dundee branch of the National Vegetable Society, helps with Cupar in Bloom and is a member of the St Andrews Gardening Club and Leuchars and Balmullo Garden and Craft Club.
Until the late 1990s, the Cupar and District Floral and Horticultural Society ran two-day flower shows annually in the Corn Exchange.
This took a lot of hard work and dedication and along with the 22-strong committee, Les was often in the list of prize winners.
But unfortunately, rising hall costs meant that the two-day annual flower shows were reduced to a one-day event.
The society reached its 100th year in 2011 and saw Jim McColl of Beechgrove Garden fame amongst a celebrity line-up attend.
The Covid-19 pandemic has seen the cancellation of the shows over the last two years. But with things now back on track, it’s also given time for reflection.
How have things changed?
Browsing through Cupar’s old hand written minute books that date back to 1911, Wanda says there have been many changes over the decades.
The committees and the event itself tended to be much bigger.
In those days, estates around Cupar entered competitions with names like Lady Morrison-Low and Lady Cochrane of Cults listed.
They tended to employ gardeners who entered on their behalf.
What changed after the Second World War, however, was more entries from “ordinary” residents who proved that with the right care and attention they could compete with the big estate owners, who are now largely absent.
What’s Les’ secret to winning?
Despite winning hundreds of categories at local shows, Les insists he has no magic formula to winning.
Judges looked for “soundness, cleanliness and size” then as they do now.
He laughs that being involved with the committee for all these years gives him nothing but a “sair back and aches and pains”.
“It’s just part of my life!” he says, adding that they were lucky to have had their daughter Debbie join the committee in 2002.
Wanda is no stranger to prize winning herself.
After marrying in 1971, she was persuaded to enter baking and, in 1972, she won multiple prizes at Cupar for everything from her dropped scones and gingerbread to Swiss Roll, oatmeal scones and Victoria Sponge.
She remains heavily involved in behind the scenes preparations.
She was delighted when she learned a local lady had crocheted a post box cover in recognition of Les’ 50 years in the Cupar Flower Show.
It can be found in the Bonnygate, outside Lawrie Estate Agents.
However, with advancing years, the couple admit they are “struggling”.
While they know times have changed, they hope there are people out there willing to come forward and pick up the mantle of an event which has been at the heart of the Cupar community for over a century.
Cupar Flower Show 2022
For the latest on Cupar Flower Show, go to http://www.cuparflowershow.co.uk/
North East Fife MP Wendy Chamberlain is scheduled to make a 50th anniversary presentation to Les at the presentation of prizes on the afternoon of Saturday August 20.
Conversation