"IT'S all about timing," says chrysanthemum lover Peter Greenshields, "and it's mighty hard to get right".
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The vivid flowers filled the Bendigo showgrounds this weekend, as growers from across the state came together to showcase their best blooms.
The Australian Chrysanthemum Championship was no trivial matter, with Bendigo Goldfields Chrysanthemum Association president saying the offerings were the best for a number of years, through good management or good luck.
The chrysanthemum has a long history in Bendigo, with almost every house in the goldrush growing the traditional Mother's Day bloom.
"It's originally from China and we don't know if the Chinese brought it over to Bendigo but it's definitely been around for decades," Mr Greenshields said.
He said a few hundred people had travelled to see the show this weekend, which was the work of dozens of avid home gardeners.
"People definitely take this seriously and we had more entries in the larger exhibition than in previous years," Mr Greenshields said.
"We had growers from Melbourne, Tasmania, Ballarat - all with magnificent blooms.
"While we would have liked a few more people to come and see them, we were glad to see what was on offer."