Sunshine and over a thousand exhibits delighted visitors to the Falmouth Spring Flower Show at the weekend.

Despite the recent weather, selections of Cornwall’s finest spring flowers were on display at the Princess Pavilion and Gyllyndune Gardens at the two day event.

MP Sarah Newton was first through the doors on Saturday morning for a guided tour by the show’s chairman Reg Sleeman. She was shown the tiers of daffodils and flowering shrubs, the potted and cut spring flowers, orchids, floral art, cacti and succulents and 300 children’s exhibits.

She said: "Thank you to the whole committee for putting on such a magnificent flower show. This 108th show was truly inspiring. Thank you all for the many years of dedicated service to Falmouth and long may this annual highlight of the Falmouth year continue.

"The children’s contribution is just brilliant and reminds me of my efforts when I was in the Girl Guides. The daffodils are my favourite spring flower. At this time of the year when I get home to Cornwall at weekends I look out of the window first thing in the morning and the daffodils and primroses just lift my spirits."

Among the highlights of the show was the welcome return of Trebah Gardens with their flowering shrubs and camellias which won them three top prizes, and a stunning display of daffodils, hyacinths and muscari by Dutch growers organised by Carlos van der Veek an annual visitor to Cornwall’s bulb growers.

The show’s president Ron Scamp said: "We owe a big thank you to the university gardeners at Tremough, the Cormac gardeners, and Falmouth Town Council gardeners, not only for their exhibits but their hard work behind the scenes helping set up the show. We could not manage without them.

"We are grateful too for the all the hard work by the teachers and volunteers who enthuse our children to create such stunning exhibits as the Easter cards, bug hotels, jam jars with felt and paper flowers, and flower heads on sticks. We would love to give each child an award, instead we have gift vouchers for books for St Francis, Marlborough and King Charles primary schools.

"Again we recognise the terrific work the staff do with the children at Boot Up! Outdoor Learning in helping them to enjoy plants, flowers and nature. Elizabeth Doidge has performed her magic with floral art, and the Mabe Garden Club must have spent immense time creating their miniature cottage garden which won them the George Sowden Award.

"Finally can I please appeal for the return of ‘The Lost Cup’ awarded for the best bloom in the shrubs section. We would dearly love to hand it over to this year’s winner Falmouth Town Council."

The Mayor’s Cup, awarded to a committee member for their work on the show, went to vice-chairman Phil Hart. Trebah Gardens were the winners of the Chamber of Commerce Silver Challenge Cup, the WJ Bull Memorial Cup, and the Royal Horticultural Society Banskian Medal – the latter awarded for gaining the most points from first prizes in the show.

Cormac won the Carter Memorial Cup for their single bloom daffodils, and the Sylvanus Treveal Cup for pot plants. Falmouth Town Council were awarded The Daffodil Society Medal and The Lost Cup for shrub blooms. The Phillpotts Cup for the best seeding daffodil went to Ron Scamp; the Duckham Trophy for miniature daffodils was won by Shirley Cardus, and Sue Hearne was presented with a glass vase for the best exhibit in the South West Daffodil Group Challenge.

Alan Trathen won the Hazel Cox Memorial Cup for his cacti and succulents, with Alan Cox awarded the Andrew Cox Memorial Cup for best exhibit in these classes.

For her floral art creations Elizabeth Doidge won both The Phillpotts Trophy and the Challenge Cup for Floral Art, plus The Champions Cup for the show’s best exhibit. The Parry Silver Challenge Cup went to Jean Cook for her cut flowers; Clive Murton’s orchids won him the Mr CCD Steele Orchid Cup .

Peter Batson was awarded the Challenge Cup for photography and the Wass Shield for the best back and white photograph, with Susan Richards winning the Andrew Cox Trophy for her colour photograph.

Boot Up! Outdoor Learning were awarded the Ken Pound Challenge for the Charles Rowe Trophy for their miniature Rainbows End garden, the Boot Up! Wednesday Group won the Youth Group Challenge for the Princess Pavilion and Gyllyngdune Garden Youth Cup with their Sensory Garden.

Adrian Scamp was awarded a Gold certificate for his non-competitive trade stand of Falmouth grown Quality Daffodils.