The Ministry for Gozo’s entrance recently housed the 20th edition of the Spring Show, which is organised each year by the Gozo Agricultural, Industrial and Cultural Society. The show included a competition amongst participants who presented various plants to be judged under different categories. These also included flower arrangements and collections of flowering or non-flowering plants.

This exhibition was included in the various activities listed on the programme of the Gozo 1234 which was organised in Gozo between the 1st and 4th of May 2008 in a bid to attract Maltese visitors to spend some days on the sister island. The central venue provided by the Ministry for Gozo this year helped in attracting various visitors to appreciate the plants and arrangements presented according to stipulated rules set out by the Society. The exhibits were judged by a competent panel and winners were presented with prizes in a concluding ceremony on Sunday evening.

Minister Giovanna Debono, who distributed relative prizes, said that flowers and plants are integrated in the agricultural characteristics as they have adorned and still give a touch of green and colour to gardens, yards, window-sills and balconies in most houses in Gozo. The Gozo Agricultural, Industrial and Cultural Society within the Agricultural Department of the Ministry for Gozo continuously endeavours to promote and conserve these traditional Gozitan characteristics in order that they may continue to be enjoyed in the future.

This year’s exhibition included the participation of the Hands-on Farming section within the Agriculture Department of the Ministry for Gozo in collaboration with the Gozo College. Samples of Maltese endemic trees and plants were displayed for the first time in this year’s Spring Show. These plants were sown or planted by Gozitan students during hand-on farming sessions at the Government experimental Farm in Xewkija. During recent years Hands-on Farming presented students with the opportunity to get practical gardening experiences while giving them also the opportunity to see Maltese endemic trees and shrubs which they learn about in their studies.

Hands-on Farming was also an activity which was included in the Gozo 1234 programme and which generated considerable interest from the general public.

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