Published: Mar 06, 2024 7:30 am
For the 42nd time, The Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut, Inc presented an NGC Standard Flower Show as part of the Connecticut Flower & Garden Show, February 22-25. The competition was part of the annual event at CT Convention Center, where for four days attendees left the cold weather outside and were reminded of all things horticultural.
The show theme this year was “Bursting Into Spring,” which carried into every division, section, and class of the Standard Flower Show.
As in years past, Newtown garden clubs participated in the competition. At least four local gardeners — Becky Osborne, Deb Osborne, Paula Toi, and Peggy Townsend — picked up a combined collection of 10 ribbons and awards from the event. All four are members of The Garden Club of Newtown. Townsend is additionally a member of Town and Country Garden Club of Newtown.
Judges challenged gardeners to create a display of container-grown house plants for “Temperatures Rising,” one section within the Standard Flower Show Horticulture Division of last weekend’s CT Flower & Garden Show. The Garden Club of Newtown responded with six plants that wowed judges, earning them a blue ribbon and a Group Horticulture Award. —Bee Photos, Hicks
Judges of the Standard Flower Show Design Division respond on February 22 to The Garden Club of Newtown's multiple award winning entry in one of the show’s Horticulture sections on February 22. The women were exploring the division they had not yet looked at shortly before the four-day event opened to the public.
This magnificent Begonia (‘Christmas curl,’ center) earned a blue place ribbon for Garden Club of Newtown member Deb Osborne, who also earned a third place ribbon for a Design Division entry.
Within the Horticulture division of the Standard Flower Show at the CT Flower & Garden Show, Garden Club of Newtown member Peggy Townsend earned a first place ribbon for her beautiful Pieris japonica specimen.
Townsend earned a second place ribbon for this Buxus microphylla entry. She also received honorable mention in the Horticulture division for a juniper specimen, and two third place honors in different sections of the Design division.
Judges liked Becky Osborne’s autumnal color and texture in her Design division “Hot Neon Lights” entry, saying the elements “create interest.” The “overly dominant” luminary worked against the Garden Club of Newtown member, however.
