PICTURE GALLERY: Hampstead Garden Suburb Horticultural Society autumn flower show 2013

Hampstead Garden Suburb residents may have noticed their area was a little more colourful and sweet-smelling at the weekend, as north Londoners congregated in their hundreds for the biannual horticultural show.

After a disappointing show in June there were high hopes for a successful 276th Hampstead Garden Suburb Horticultural Society autumn flower show at Free Church Hall, Northway, last Saturday.

Committee member Marjorie Harris said: “It was absolutely amazing – one of the best ever. June was awful because of the poor weather, but this month we had a record number of entries – so many that we ran out of tables to present them on.”

The success of the show was partly attributed to the beautiful summer weather.

While last year’s vegetables were grown in incubators, this year naturally grown tomatoes and one of the biggest pumpkins ever seen in the society’s 104-year history were on show.

“It was too big to weigh, and two people had to carry it into the hall,” Ms Harris said.

The stars of the show were the trugs which came filled with a huge variety of vegetables.

“Normally we only get one or two trug entries,” said Ms Harris, “But this year we had five.”

Other highlights included bright chrysanthemums, pot-plants, a huge variety of roses and “delightful” little posies.

Perfect weather meant Harrow’s Grimsdyke brass band could perform in the hall’s garden.