Preparation for the Annual Exhibition began in December when the Tulo Valley Nursery sowed seeds for later transplanting in the Botanical Gardens. In January, others involved in the overall preparations began assessing what needed to be done. The gardening crew at the Gardens started with a thorough inspection of the entire grounds, replenishing soil where necessary, preparing the kitchen garden for use in the schools competition, putting in new plants especially for the Exhibition, and more. It also ensured that 'Camden', the Premier's official residence, would look its best for the functions which will take place there, including the big 'Thank you' party for everyone who helped to make the event a success.

The addition of the Bermuda Folklife exhibition also added to the gardening crew's responsibilities.

"We had to ensure that the grounds in their areas were properly trimmed, and also assisted wherever they needed our help because it is a Government thing and we believe in working together as a team," Mr. Parris says.

Trimming the hedges and trees, pruning the shrubs, fertilising, and also cutting the grass was an ongoing process which continued right up to this week.

"It takes three to four days to complete mowing all the grounds," Mr. Parris says. "We mowed last week, and we went over it again just before the opening. One of the guys drove a mower and two others used regular mowers. The Arboretum staff came in to help us."

The rolling lawns that double as car parks also received special attention. Well in advance of opening day, the grass was spiked and fortified, as it will be once the exhibition is over.

As for vehicles ruining the nurtured surfaces, Mr. Parris is not bothered.

"Sometimes it's good for grass to get a little wear and tear," he says.

Elsewhere, everywhere and everything which needed sprucing up was attended to. The Parks Department's road crews helped with preparation of the show ring and the horse jumps, which had to be taken out of storage and washed down. Where new ones were required, these were made by a Works and Engineering crew, who also painted the buildings and completed renovation work on revamped Visitors Centre.

"They did a real good job," Mr. Parris notes.

Others Government workers and volunteers prepared the various buildings for the exhibits. Wire cages for the rabbits, chickens and birds were set up in the Jack King building and filled with straw, and Mr. Parris will be among the Parks Department employees who help to feed them all twice a day throughout their stay.

The children's "marathon" - a relay race from Harrington Hundreds Grocery to the show ring of Botanical Gardens, which first began last year - is another area in which Mr. Parris and his crew are happily involved.

"We make sure that the ring is clear, and there are no people and vehicles going through it," he says.

The supervisory foreman is also proud to note that painter Mr. Winston Berkley came up with the idea of the race last year, and also made the winner's trophy.

"It was a big success and we have more entries for this year," he says. "It is organised by the Bermuda Track and Field Association and is open to children of a certain age from the parishes. The race starts at 12 noon tomorrow and is a four-person team relay."

Meanwhile, over the past few months Mr. Parris and other personnel conducted workshops for children and teachers on such topics as vegetable critters and square foot gardening, and next hear he hopes there will be more.

"They really worked out well," he says.

In addition, technical assistant Steven Burgess and Miss Marcelle Beach went out to all the schools to promote the Exhibition and encourage the students' participation.

"This month we had the schools come down to the Gardens and we did a planting display with them and got them to make vegetable critters, and we also showed them the different types of machinery we use," Mr. Parris says. "The idea was to promote the Exhibition, and even the parents came with some of the students because they wanted to know more so they too could enter. It is our third year of doing this and it has been a great success."

The normal working day for Botanical Gardens employees is 7.30 a.m. to 4 p.m., but leading up to and during the Annual Exhibition it is extended from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. to take care of all the extra duties, which everyone happily accepts.

Among those extra duties is tidying up the site. By the end of each day the grounds are filled with evidence of the thousands of men, women and children who have wandered among the exhibits, enjoyed the special events, and consumed countless quantities of food and drink, all too often discarding or spilling their trash on the ground. But just as the crews have worked diligently to prepare the Botanical Gardens for the grand opening, so too will they, like Mr. Parris, willingly remain after closing time each day to restore order.

"My thing is, as long as I know everybody else is happy and I can do whatever I can to make them happy, then I'm happy. The staff and I look forward and enjoy the Exhibition every year. It is the one chance we have to show our talents and skills to the public."

Today, as he looks back on the long months of preparation, Mr. Parris has nothing but praise for everyone who put so much time and effort into getting the 34-acre site ready, and who took such pride in their work.

In terms of the overall grounds, he says: "I would like the public to know that they would not look as they do if it wasn't for the Botanical Gardens workers. They work together as a team and do an excellent job."

Of Exhibitions Secretary, Georgette Caines, the supervisory foreman says: "This is her second year, and I think she is doing an excellent job also. We would not be able to put the show together without her knowledge and assistance."

Then there is the new Director of Parks, Candy Foggo. "I think for her first time she, too, has been doing an excellent job in getting us all together and ready for the Exhibition. I have to give her a lot of praise for that because normally when someone is doing something big like this for the first time it is not as easy as it looks."

For the charities, volunteers, Parks, Aquarium, Fisheries and other employees who gave their all, Mr. Parris has special thanks. "Without them almost nothing could happen," he says. "It was a complete team effort from the whole Island, and that's what makes the Exhibition such a success. There is a lot behind the big picture."