Members’ Creations Shine at “Fall Across America” Flower Show

We did it, and we’re still talking to one another! The garden club had a very successful showing at the Federation Flower Show. Like raising children, putting on a flower show takes a village, and ours is special. Thank you to all participants.

Entries in the recent Federation Flower Show, “Fall Across America.”

Last month, this contributor was reminded that she was responsible for the program to make arrangements for the senior luncheon the next day. Unfortunately, she did not read her email until 9 a.m. the day of the meeting. Leftover pinecones from the December flower show and paint saved the day. A very simple way to decorate for fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas is to paint pinecones! Pinecones colored with oranges, yellows, or reds and placed in baskets make an easy and festive addition to the holidays. Cut some pine or boxwood, stuff it among the pinecones, add a bow, and voila! For Christmas, just change colors! Add some glitter, put in favorite Christmas ornaments, and you have instant loveliness.

My excuse for the forgetfulness was that I was gearing up for the flower show. Success! Club member results were terrific. First, the leftover pinecones from the luncheon were used in staging for the show. Since members had painted the pinecones, they could be counted in show participation as well as all the fabulous cooks who brought food for the judges, the clerks, and entry participants and photographer. An 80% participation is phenomenal.

Second, the Education exhibit won a blue ribbon and the Educational Top Award. The flower show’s theme, “Fall Across Alabama,” used titles based on fall festivals across the state. The Boll Weevil Festival in Enterprise was our inspiration. The boll weevil arrived in Alabama in 1909, and by 1917 had devastated the cotton crop. Serendipity occurred — the county agent system began, George Washington Carver did research on the peanut, and a county agent and a local man from Enterprise traveled to Virginia to learn more about peanuts. The two men convinced a local farmer to replace his cotton crop with peanuts. He was so successful that other farmers in the area started planting peanuts. Peanuts were profitable. Farms were saved. In 1919, one thankful man in Enterprise commissioned a sculpture, and to date it is the only monument in the world dedicated to an insect — the boll weevil. It was 2009 before the complete eradication of the boll weevil in Alabama (Texas still has problems with the critters). Today cotton is back, and Alabama is still a top peanut. The exhibit was interactive, using recorded messages to expand on the event years shown on the display. So much fun.

Botanical Arts Horticulture Award-winning fairy garden by Mellanie Tuttle

Third, members racked up ribbons of all colors in Horticulture. Top award kudos to Mellanie Tuttle (Arboreal Award – Ruscus aculeatus) and Mary MacMichael (Award of Merit – Swedish Ivy, Plectranthus verticillates). A goal of the National Garden Club is public education, so complete botanical names are required and are often accompanied by a cultivar name on the entry card. Several folks were taking pics of cards so plants could be added to their collections.

A fourth, newish division for flower shows is Botanical Arts, with sections in design and horticulture. These designs offer a different direction for creativity. The design section contained wreaths, collages, and pot-et-fleur (Barbara Umland, red ribbon; Donna Elrod, honorable mention). Fairy gardens, a single displayed dried hydrangea, or an unusual branch were classes in the horticulture section. The Botanical Arts Horticulture Award was given to a Fairy Garden (Mellanie Tuttle).

Creative, Illuminary, and Traditional (Dianne Kuehl, blue ribbon) designs showed innovation, creativity, and clever use of plant material. Keeping the staging panels on the wall and not toppling the designs presented challenges, but large glue dots fixed the problem.

The Youth Division stole the show. Numerous pieces of horticulture, whimsically painted gourds, collages, and fairy gardens were displayed. We’re no spring chickens, but two grandchildren are! One won a blue ribbon for her fairy garden, the other a third place for his fairy garden. They were adorable. Watching the excitement of little ones bringing their entries was worth all the aggravation in putting on the show.

The November 12 meeting: same bat time (10 a.m.), same bat station (library). Program: Planting Bulbs

Presenter: Martha Wood

Bulbs available for purchase. The annual trek to a Van Zyverden warehouse in Meridian, Mississippi, is worth it. Some 450 to 500 bulbs to a “bag” at a much-reduced price. We’ll pass those savings on to you. Come for a daffy time.