A short history of the Itchen Valley Flower Show.
Page III

In 1991 the Hampshire Chronicle quoted a judge saying that the herbaceous perennials were the best he had seen that year.  Albie Marsh won the Macklin Challenge Cup for vegetables and flowers, as he had done in many previous years. His carrots measured 20in from top to tip.

By 1993 Albie Marsh had died and there were some new faces on the Committee including George Stoney, Joan Bickerdike, Molly O'Keefe, Peter Littlewood and Jim Chalke.  Betty McKay took over from John Baxter as Secretary, followed by Joan Bickerdike, Margaret Nelson stood down after 29 years on the Committee.

In 1994 it was first suggested that there should be a class for children's flower arranging, a feature that has subsequently developed, with many excellent entries from the Village School.  Compared to financial stringency of earlier years, the Flower Show now had a healthy balance in the bank- Dr Fred Haslam joined the Committee.  Entries that year totalled 498, the highest yet recorded.

In 1996 the prizes were presented by Sue Glasspool, the men Mayor of Winchester.  Hanging baskets were first introduced.  For 1997 Philip Windsor- Aubrey, on behalf of the Upper Itchen Valley Society, donated a salver for the winner of the craft section.  Molly Earle stood down from the Committee after serving for 31 years. She presented the prizes at the 1998 show, when Lyn Breslain finally ended a spell of 24 years as Treasurer.

In 2000 the flower show moved to its new home in the new and bigger Itchen Abbas and Avington Village hall, where it has continued to thrive.  It is hoped in that it will continue to do so for many years to come.