BEAUTIFUL blooms and country bargains drew crowds to Canungra Hall on Pine Street on the weekend for the annual Orchid and Foliage Festival.

The event, which was run by the Beaudesert Districts Orchid and Foliage Society, was well attended with more than 550 people visiting the show over the two days.

The Grand Champion Orchid was won by Jim Zimmerman with Den Fortune, his Juno variety orchid.

Society secretary Peter Rice said the event set a high benchmark for future years.

“It was the best display of plants I’ve seen since I joined the association eight years ago,” he said.

“People came from near and far - from Caboolture and the Samford Valley.

“There were about 130 foliage plants and about 185 orchids benched, but we also had a huge display that was not for competition.”

He said a seminar by horticulturalist John Roberts was instructive and plant sales were through the roof.

“At 8am on Saturday we had people waiting at the door to get in and buy plants. For them the exhibition is secondary to the sale,” he said.

Mr Rice thanked Scenic Rim Regional Council, Division Three Councillor Virginia West, and society president Lee Thorneycroft for their hard work and support.