A Small Flower Show Displays Club’s Gift For Gardening

By Shannon Hicks

There are so many talents within the membership of The Garden Club of Newtown. Some members are good at floral arrangements, others growing different varieties of plants. Some of the ladies can put together wreaths or cut topiary and make it look so easy, while others are knowledgeable (and comfortable) in offering lectures. Still others coordinate garden-related group trips or even the monthly newsletter. Like any club, the garden club is strong as a whole thanks to the individual gifts brought into the mix by each of its members.

The Garden Club of Newtown recently presented a small flower show at C.H. Booth Library. The presentation –– a public opportunity for the club to display its collective talents –– offered one reason why the garden club continues to be successful in its mission to contribute its expertise to the community.

For two days, visitors to the library were greeted and inspired by the collection of specimens and arrangements that had been grown and designed by the club’s members.

Placement and judging of entries took place during the morning of Friday, May 30, and club members anxiously awaited the decisions of the six judges who had two hours to look over every stem, petal, seedling, bulb, and bloom before presenting ribbons. As they examined their charges, the garden club offered a bit of lightness: the soundtrack to The Sound of Music, which served as the show’s theme, was played at the library.

The guest judges, none of whom have any affiliation with The Garden Club of Newtown, were Ann Harrigan, Sheila Powers, Mrs Robert Saterlee, Evelyn Shapiro, Ann Steinsvaag, and Edith vanOstendorp.

The show’s horticulture division was named “My Favorite Things.” Highlights among the winners were Deb Osborne’s Syringa patula (lilac), which was awarded a blue ribbon and an Award of Merit in Section IV Arboreal Specimens and Shrubs, Class 17 (any flowering shrub). Mrs Osborne also received an honorable mention in this class, for her Weigela entry.

Mrs Osborne also earned a blue ribbon and another Award of Merit in Horticulture Section II (Bulbs, Corms, Tubers, and Rhizomes) Class 8 Lilium (Lily) for her entry, an Iridaceae (Iris beardless).

Mrs Osborne –– a current club co-president –– also won a blue ribbon in Section I (Perennials) Class 2 (Dicentra, Bleeding Heart), and a second place ribbon in Section II Class 9 (Convallaria, Lily of the Valley).

Show chairman Marcia Cavanaugh won a few blue ribbons for her horticulture efforts. Mrs Cavanaugh took the honors for Section II Class 10 (any other named variety of merit) with Allum Giganteum; Section IV (Arboreal Specimens and Shrubs) Class 13 (Cut Specimen) for her Andromeda Polifona; Class 15 (Broadleaf Evergreen) for her Pinus Mugo (as well as the second place ribbon in this class); and Section IV Class 16 (Any Flowering Tree) for her Emerald & Gold (Evonymus Fortunei).

Horticulture chairman Pat Benkovich also did well, winning the blue ribbon for Section V (Container Grown Plants) Class 18 (Hedera, Ivy), and a blue ribbon for Section I Class 6 (Iridaceae, Iris, bearded) with her Lupinus Farinaceae.

The club’s second co-president, Jo-Ann Scebold, also did well last weekend. She won one blue ribbon –– Section I (Perennials) Class 2 (Dicentra, Bleeding Heart) –– and took home a pair of second place ribbons, a pair of third place ribbons, and an honorable mention for her other entries.

Also earning blue ribbons in the horticulture portion of the show were Judy Bolduc, Ginnie Carey (two classes), Nancy Rowe (two classes), Diane Warner (two classes), and Cheryl Wicks.

The show’s design division, called “The Sound of Music,” offered four classes. Class I, “Do-Re-Mi,” was a line design using all fresh plant material and staged on a table. Margaret Clark won the class with an arrangement that included a white stem rose, lily of the valley, and Harry Lauder walk stick.

Class II, “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” was won by Nancy Rowe with a majestic arrangement that included Verigated pittosporum, Origium orion, Allium, Phlox, Hypericum, kangaroo paws, Gaultheria shallon, and fern. The arrangement also earned a Tricolor Award for Mrs Rowe.

The show’s miniature design division, Class III, called “Edelweiss,” called for entries that did not exceed five inches in any direction, used only dried material, and was staged on a shelf. Patty Corelli’s arrangement, which featured Nigella, Dendrobium orchids, Harry Lauder walking stick, moss, and flowering grass, was the winner.

And Class IV, “Maria,” with basket-based arrangements staged on a table, was won by Ammini Ramachandran. The all fresh material arrangement included Tree peony (“High Noon”), Shasta daisies, Allium Gigantum (“Globemaster”), Rosa, Iris, Baby’s Breath, Chrysanthemums and Columbine.