The Garden Club of the Back Bay

Have you won a blue ribbon for your floral designs? Have you ever wanted to step onto the ‘big stage’ and show your talent?

Division II – the ‘open’ division of Blooms! at the Boston Flower & Garden Show – still has some openings for floral designers. You need not be a member of a garden club, but you should have both experience in designing and have won in competitions.  The payoff for competing is the recognition of your skills and imagination, and the admiration of the 65,000+ attendees at the show.  If you are interested, please contact Julie Pipe at juliepipe@comcast.net.

Join the Philadelphia Horticultural Society at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, 12th and Arch Streets in Philadelphia, for the 2012 Philadelphia International Flower Show.  This year, the theme is Hawaii: Islands of Aloha.  Complete information and ticket purchase capabilities may be found at www.theflowershow.com. The 2012 Philadelphia International Flower Show will introduce visitors to a tropical experience that blends next-stage digital technology with the natural beauty and rich culture of the Hawaiian Islands. Guests will have fun, learn, and be wowed by real-time floral competitions, the world’s largest lettuce wall, internationally renowned speakers, and a new layout of displays.

Guests will enter the Show beneath dynamic projections of crashing waves and one of the most exciting displays of white orchids ever assembled. Towering palms, bamboo, green walls, and a plant canopy will immerse visitors in the Hawaiian rainforest.

A 25-foot-high waterfall will splash down into Pele’s Garden, an island of exotic flowers and plants where performers will conjure volcanic flames and the Fire Goddess. The islands will be celebrated in showcase gardens that highlight their culture through flowers and landscapes, performances and art.

Gardeners of all skill levels will find an ocean of ideas in the 150 free presentations held throughout the week, as well as dozens of educational displays that explore the latest gardening techniques and trends.

Shoppers will find an array of take-home products to get the garden started and wonderful gifts in the Marketplace, Meadowbrook Farm Store and Flower Show Shoppe. A Hawaiian Village will offer authentic crafts and products from the islands.

The Rhode Island Flower Show attracts more than 30,000 attendees annually, showcasing garden displays and 250 larger-than-life garden marketplace vendors. From Thursday, February 23 through Sunday, February 26, see demonstrations and lectures, with an emphasis on organic gardening and bring the kids for some family fun. Children under five receive free admission. For almost two decades the Flower Show has been the beacon for early Spring fun in Rhode Island.  Hours are 9 – 8 daily except for the final Sunday, when the Rhode Island Convention Center will close at 6 pm.  Tickets are $16 in advance, $18 at the door, and may be purchased through the website, www.flowershow.com.  Sponsored by the Rhode Island Horticultural Society.

Spring arrives early at the Worcester Art Museum for the 10th Anniversary of Flora in Winter, the premier floral design event of the year. Skilled arrangers from across New England create clever, provocative interpretations of works from the Museum’s collection, and it’s a feast for the eyes and spirit in the middle of winter! Floral-inspired family fun, festivities, lectures, music, demonstrations, and so much more. The Worcester Art Museum is located at 55 Salisbury Street in Worcester, and tickets ($14) are available at the door. For more information, visit www.worcesterart.org.

Friday, November 4 – Sunday, November 6 will be the time to visit Tower Hill Botanic Garden, 11 French Drive in Boylston, Massachusetts (not that it isn’t a good idea to visit anytime, but this weekend is very special.) An exciting orchid extravaganza, featuring gorgeous displays of blooming orchids with more than 12 commercial growers selling orchid plants and supplies, will take place Friday from 1 – 5, Saturday from 9 – 5, and Sunday from 9 – 4.  Clinics on basic orchid care, and tours of the show; schedule will be posted at entrance to the Show.  The public is invited to enter orchids for exhibit: contact MOSOrchidShow@comcast.net for details.  For more details on the show, visit www.massorchid.org/show.  Admission to Tower Hill is $10 for adults, $7 seniors, $5 youth, and children under 6 and members, free.

The Aptucxet Garden Club of Bourne presents Celebrations at Briggs-McDermott House, a holiday standard flower show, on Wednesday, September 28 from 1 – 7, and Thursday, September 29 from 10 – 2.  Admission is $10, and tickets will be available at the door.  The historic Briggs-McDermott House is located at 22 Sandwich Road, Old Bourne Village, Massachusetts.  Enjoy complimentary refreshments, a boutique, and view lovely floral designs, lush horticulture and historic gardens in a Greek revival house, furnished circa 1840 – 1910.  The house is just 1/4 mile from the Bourne Bridge Rotary.  For directions an information contact Jan Browne at 508-563-3945, or email her at jbdedham@aol.com.

Tower Hill Botanic Garden, 11 French Drive in Boylston, will once again host the Annual Combined Plant Societies’ Judged Show and Sale, this year taking place Saturday, September 24, from 10 – 5, and Sunday, September 25, from 10 – 4.  Sponsors are the Buxton Branch of the American Begonia Society and the New England Chapter of The Gesneriad Society.  Cost to attend is $10 for adults, $7 for seniors, and $5 for youths aged 6 – 18.  For more information call 617-479-3680, or visit www.towerhillbg.org.  Below is a Nematanthus hybrid photo, from www.pinecrestgardenguy.blogspot.com.

The Monadnock Garden Club members participated in a Garden Club of America Standard Flower Show in July, 2011, and our own Past President Margaret Pokorny submitted an arrangement in two related containers which won Best in Show and The President’s Award.  Congratulations!

The Village Garden Club of Dennis will present the Josiah Dennis Manse Flower Show on Tuesday, August 23, from 10 – 4, at the Josiah Dennis Manse, 77 Nobscusset Road in Dennis.  Visitors will enjoy an assortment of floral arrangements and horticulture displays, provided by members of the garden club.  Admission is free, but donations will be gratefully accepted to benefit the club’s community initiatives.

Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, Massachusetts will host a Daylily Exhibition on Saturday, July 23 from 12 – 4.  This American Hemerocallis Society Accredited Show is sponsored by the New England Daylily Society.  From noon to one o’clock, enjoy a powerpoint presentation entitled Extending the Northern Daylily Bloom Season.  Learn how to extend the bloom season using Early, Late, Northern Rebloomers, and Bud Builder daylilies.  With careful selection, daylilies will be in bloom June to frost.  The presenter will distribute an article More is Beautiful, Extending the Northern Bloom Season, Parts I and II, to the audience.  There will be free raffles from 1 – 1:30, an American Hemerocallis Society Membership table with discounts and bonus gifts for joining, an exhibition, and of course, a sale.  Free with admission to Tower Hill.  For more information log on to www.towerhillbg.org.

The Falmouth Garden Club will present a Standard Placement Flower & Garden Show on Wednesday, August 3, from 10 – 4.  The event will feature homes in the historic Davisville area of Falmouth. Tickets are $25 in advance.  Send a check made out to the Falmouth Garden Club to  Post Office Box 487, Falmouth, MA 02541.  Tickets will be available for pick-up starting at 10 am on the day of the event at the Waquoit Congregational Church, 15 Parsons Lane, East Falmouth.  Tickets can also be purchased the day of the event for $30 at the Church, starting at 10 am.

This year’s Marshfield Fair, August 19 – 28 taking place at 140 Main Street in Marshfield, offers great family entertainment with hundreds of farm animals, daily free shows, free grandstand attractions, arts & crafts, 4 H & Agricultural exhibits, horticultural displays & much more.  Free Grandstand entertainment includes: Demolition Derby’s, Motorcycle Motocross Madness, Empire Pro Wrestling, The North River Blues Festival, truck and tractor pulls, and Battle of the Bands. See web site for dates & times: www.fiestashows.com, or call 617-495-3045.  There will be a Standard Flower Show entitled “NOTEworthy“, and the six classes are entitled Judy Garland- Over the Rainbow (a monochromatic design, traditional or creative style, with color selected by the exhibitor on a first come, first serve basis,) The Beatles – Twist and Shout ( a creative design,) Frank Sinatra – New York, New York (a parallel design,) Jimmy Buffett – Cheeseburger in Paradise (a functional table for two,) Elvis Presley – Viva Las Vegas (a creative plaque on a panel 20″ wide x 30″ high, provided by exhibitor,) and Kermit the Frog – It’s Not Easy Being Green (a design, traditional or creative style, featuring one or more recyclable objects.)  Entry dates Friday, August 19 and Wednesday, August 24.  For complete information, contact Shirley Minott, 781-826-9516, or email her at sminott16@comcast.net.

Be a part of this much-anticipated festive event that kicks off the Newport summer season on Friday, June 24, from 6 – 9 at Rosecliff, in Newport, Rhode Island. Enjoy a delicious cocktail buffet while viewing the fresh floral arrangements and horticultural extravaganzas, shopping the Oceanside Boutiques and Gardeners’ Marketplace, mingling with friends and making new ones. As always, there will be plenty of surprises too!  Advance purchase through June 10: Newport Preservation Society Members $125, Non-members $150.  After June 10, Preservation Society Members $140, Non-members $165.  You may purchase tickets on line at www.newportmansions.org.  Photo by Corbett Photography.

The Garden Club of the Back Bay was beautifully represented at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston’s Art in Bloom with this lovely arrangement created by member Jeanne Stanton, assisted by Jessica Seth.  Thank you both, and thank you also to Bev and John Christians for providing the terrific photograph!

On Sunday, June 19, from 2 – 4:30, you will have the opportunity to see International Grand Masters Alison Bradley (Scotland), Gregor Lersch (Germany), Brigitte Auzely (France), Carles Jubany Fontanillas (Spain), and Niels van Hemert (Holland) demonstrate cutting edge floral artistry at the Citi Performing Arts Center, Wang Theater, Tremont Street, as part of the 2011 World Flower Show. For a complete article about this culminating event, see http://www.wafausa.org/articles_detail.php?id=42.  Tickets are $82 and are available only on the Citi Performing Arts Center’s website, www.citicenter.org/wafa.

The Newport Flower Show is pleased to celebrate its 16th year as America’s premier summer flower show, held on the historic grounds of Rosecliff.  Entertaining, Newport Style will welcome visitors with a grace and sophistication as unique as the city herself. Newport has long been a summer haven and entertaining here is an art form.

Newporters have always taken great pride in their landscapes, considered central to summer life and entertaining. It was, in fact , the estate gardeners of Newport who came together in 1890 to form a horticultural society and offered prizes in what was Newport’s first organized flower show. This year’s show pays homage to these horticultural artists by offering a class specifically for the current estate gardeners of Newport.

Designers will have the opportunity to learn the latest trends in floral design from Kevin Ylvisaker, international lecturer and cutting-edge Design Director for Oasis. And, what is a party without cake? The organizers are thrilled to have Sylvia Weinstock, the legendary cake artist world renowned for her pastiche flowers. She will share with guests how she integrates flowers into her work and her love of stylish entertaining. The Photography Division continues to draw entries from across the nation and the schedule will include classes on digital enhancements as a design element. The Children’s Division will delight the youngest hosts and hostesses.

As always, shopping at the Oceanside Boutiques and the Garden Marketplace are a much anticipated Newport tradition. The Opening Night Party will launch the summer season in Newport with a cocktail buffet, live music and other surprises.

The presenting sponsor, Bartlett Tree Experts has been a long and valued friend of The Newport Flower Show. Not only do they carefully tend the 88 acres of the Preservation Society’s landscapes and gardens, but it is because of their support that all monies raised through The Newport Flower Show are dedicated to the ongoing restoration and maintenance of the Preservation Society’s grounds.  For complete information, log on to www.newportmansions.org.

Join WAFA USA in the Plaza Ballroom at the Seaport Hotel on Saturday, June 18, from 10 – 12:30 for a flower arranging demonstration entitled America’s Firsts, featuring Julie Clevett, Jane Godshalk, Julie Lapham, Lee LaPointe, Tasha Tobin (her arrangement pictured below), and Tony Todesco.  This event is a coveted second repeat presentation of one offered the day before which is currently sold out, so act quickly.  Tickets are $50 and may be purchased at www.wafausa.org.

As part of the 2011 World Flower Show, This Glorious Earth!, international representatives from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Ireland, and Pakistan will create breathtaking floral arrangements at the Back Bay Events Center, 180 Berkeley Street (the John Hancock Hall and Dorothy Quincy Suite)  on Thursday, June 16, from 2 – 4:30.   Tickets are $65, and may be ordered at www.wafausa.org.  Photo below, by Express, was created at an exhibition/demonstration of flower arrangement at the Pakistan National  Council of the Arts in aid of flood victims.

The 2011 American Hosta Society National Convention will take place June 22 – June 25 right here in Massachusetts, hosted by the New England Hosta Society.  This year’s theme is Hostas and Heritage.  There will be optional bus tours to hosta gardens in four states – Wednesday, see the garden of Bernie and Sue Apter and the garden of Carol Brashear and Bill Meyer, in Connecticut, along with O’Brien Nurserymen Display Garden and Nursery and the garden of Kathie Sisson.  Friday’s main tour in Massachusetts includes Bob and Diane Adams’ Oakenstone Gardens, Mary Arnberg’s garden with roughly 500 varieties of hosta, the Cochato Nursery and Display Gardens, and Paula Lehtola’s “Deer Buffet”.  Saturday will bring you to New Hampshire to the garden of Cheryl and Rick Cravino aptly named HostaAmour, the garden of Roger Kinchen, and Chuck and Sue Andersen’s Mason Hollow Nursery.  There are also three gardens on display following the official end of the show – Sunday brings a chance to see the Hanover, Massachusetts garden of Gerry and Rindy Bennet, the garden of Rick Goodenough, and the Plymouth, Massachusetts garden of Rosemary and David Parks.  There will be seedling and sport competitions (called “First Look”), lectures and classes, auctions, ice cream socials, a judged hosta show entitled One if by Land and Two if by Sea (show schedule available for download on web site, www.hosta2011.org), the ultimate hosta supermarket, with nationally known hosta vendors, and all this within a short drive of Boston – in beautiful Marlborough, Massachusetts, at the Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel.  Fee to attend is $225, and you may register on line.  Make reservations at the hotel, if you are not inclined to drive back and forth, no later than May 28 by calling 888-543-9500 and mention “American Hosta Society” to receive the convention room rate.

The North Shore Garden Club, a member of The Garden Club of America, presents C’est la Vie!, a Garden Club of America Flower Show, on Wednesday, May 25, 2011 at Willowdale Estate, Bradley Palmer State Park, 24 Asbury Street in Topsfield, Massachusetts, from 1 pm – 5 pm.  The show is open free of charge to the public.  Founded in Manchester, Massachusetts in 1915, the North Shore Garden Club’s priorities are education, service and protecting the beauty of Essex County’s natural resources. For more information, log on to www.nsgcma.org.