Townsville gardener Laurie Neilson to take on roses with prize gladiolus at Show

Ideal growing conditions have gardener Laurie Neilson confident that he can upstage rose aficionados with a prize gladiolus at this year’s Townsville Show.

Laurie Neilson, 82, has be exhibiting his Gladolis for over 15 years at the Townsville Show. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Ideal growing conditions have gardener Laurie Neilson confident that he can upstage rose aficionados with a prize gladiolus at this year’s Floriculture at the Townsville Show.

Mr Neilson, well-known locally for his impressive garden at 5 Mooney Street, Gulliver, caused something of an upset in the hotly contested cut flower category, winning with a glorious white sword lily in 2021.

The retired rail worker who began his love affair with flowers when he married wife Janice in 1965, first entered Floriculture in 2008.

“It was the highlight for me so far, usually the roses get that section so that was a surprise, a pleasant surprise,” he said.

“There is always a grand display of roses but it was fortunate that I had a nice white gladiolus at the time.”

Laurie Neilson, 82, has be exhibiting his Gladolis for over 15 years at the Townsville Show. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Speaking on Friday, Mr Neilson, 82, said he had planted a total of 400 gladioli ahead of the Show from June 30 to July 3, as well as a number of additional flowering plants, including petunias, snapdragons and marigolds.

“The gladioli are starting to come out now, in previous years people pull up and take photos and even put cards in the letterbox congratulating us on the display of flowers,” he said.

“We’ve even had out-of-towners put a card in the letterbox expressing appreciation.”

Laurie Neilson, 82, has be exhibiting his Gladolis for over 15 years at the Townsville Show. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Despite less than ideal growing conditions last year, the 2022 edition of Floriculture was a record year in terms of entrants, with organiser chief steward Helen Townsend expressing optimism that 2023 would be even better.

“(Conditions) have been a lot better this year, my snapdragons got drowned about three times last year, I didn’t have much success last year due to the continual wet weather but it’s looking good this year.”

There are a total of 113 individual titles up for grabs, including 13 in the roses section alone as well as two floral art gongs, namely ‘wedding centrepiece’ and ‘rainforest’.

Originally published as Townsville gardener Laurie Neilson to take on roses with prize gladiolus at Show