“Of course, hubby said ‘I can do better than that’, and so the competition started,” Jeanette said. Now they grow some 300 varieties with about 800 plants in their garden. That neighbour was John Russell, who still lives in Invercargill. He started competing 38 years ago because he also had someone to beat: his mother-in-law.
Robyn Edie/Stuff
Organisers say about 900 blooms were entered into this year s South Island National Dahlia Show, held over the weekend at the Southland Indoor Bowls Stadium in Invercargill. Russell was chuffed to be competing on his home turf this weekend – 36 years since the South Island National Show was last held in Invercargill.