A little more than a week after claiming top bloom award at the Launceston Horticultural Society show, Mr Smith took out top honours at Westbury.

Westbury Garden Club president Gil Stokes said there had been some question in the club about whether to continue with the flower show.

''It's a lot of work setting up and preparing all the food - it takes up quite a bit of time,'' Mr Stokes said.

''But the number of people attending, the number of entries - and entries like Charlie's beautiful winning bloom - vindicate the decision to continue with the show.

''We have 60 members in the club, who are nearly all here and the show is an opportunity to show them some of the best flowers the state produces - we're serious dahlia growers down here.''

Mr Stokes said Mr Smith had been nominated a national judge of judges.

''I've finally come to understand that until you can judge, you can't really grow good flowers, because you can't pick the best ones to exhibit,'' Mr Stokes said.