Best in bloom; Award-winning gardener Viv Newman on the stresses of the flower shows.

VIV Newman always gets a little nervous if he hears a forecast for high winds - or if he spots a cat creeping through his garden.

This is a critical time for champion late chrysanthemum grower Viv as he has more 400 blooms bursting with colour in the garden of his home in Roath, Cardiff.

They are all in pots in pristine condition either in his greenhouse or under wraps outside.

"If there are winds forecast then I'll be worried about the pots outside getting damaged and if I spot a cat in my garden then I'll be worried about it rampaging in the greenhouse.

"Fierce winds or a marauding cat can decimate dozens of pots of chrysanthemums in minutes," explained Viv.

So although gardening might seem a relaxing hobby to many, it can be pretty stressful for showmen at this time of year.

Although having gardened all his life, beginning as a young lad with his father, it was 10 years ago that Viv, 61, a retired plumber, got hooked on growing chrysanthemums.

"I was looking for a new hobby and went along to a meeting of the local chrysanthemum and dahlia society - I looked at what they were growing and thought 'I want some of that'."

From growing a handful of chrysanthemums to cut for the house, Viv now grows hundreds of blooms every year which he exhibits at about a dozen shows.

"I'm not sure exactly what it is that I love about them - but the colours are wonderful, ranging from whites, golds and yellows to pinks, purples and all the shades in between.

"There are so many different varieties as well and they range in size from two foot to the really big boys which reach seven foot."

Even though it is right in the middle of the late show season Viv is already selecting his plants for next year.

"I'm starting to choose the plants which I want to keep for cuttings now, I'll keep them in the greenhouse ready to take the first cuttings in January and February."

Those cuttings will then be potted on several times until they reach their final show pot.

"I tend to grow lates rather than earlies as they seem to suit my garden better as they have a longer growing season," explained Viv.

This means that Viv must move his 150 pots under cover at the first sign of frost.

But wherever he puts his pots Viv knows there is one line in his garden which he must never cross if he wants to keep in his wife Sue's good books.

And that's the line in the middle of the garden which splits it in half.

The line came about because Viv's prize winning blooms were beginning to take over their back garden and with Sue being a keen gardener herself, it was causing some problems.

"In the end we decided to put a line down the middle of the garden - I have my side for my chrysanthemums and Sue has her side for the flowers which she grows such as fuchsias," explained Viv.

It's a strategy which seems to be working, certainly for Viv, who picked up a prestigious second place in a national competition last year, as well as a clutch of first, second and thirds at local shows.

See Viv's blooms for yourself at the Cardiff and District Chrysanthemum and Dahlia Society late chrysanthemum show on Wednesday, November 5, at the scout hall in Heol y Bont, Rhiwbina. The show opens at 2.30pm and runs until 6.30pm with admission free.

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GOOD SHOW: Viv Newman, pictured in his garden in Roath, is a champion chrysanthemum grower