Easy does it
Martha Washington Garden Club member Susan Luisi demonstrates how a container with many openings creates a pleasant floral arrangement.
Jane Caldwell of Washington creates a design in a triangular niche to coincide with the theme, “The Indian in the Corner.”
Washington Garden Club members Peg Dreyer of Washington, left, and Jean Davis of Eighty Four assemble a flower basket for a table.
It didn’t take members of the Martha Washington Garden Club long to assemble four beautiful floral arrangements.
In about 20 minutes, they had finished their designs: containers adorned with purple allium, pink miniature carnations, purple statice and yellow mums that could grace any table.
But these finished arrangements were merely a practice run, held during a workshop in preparation for the club’s annual Standard Flower Show at Washington Crown Center next month.
Floral-themed arrangements as well as horticultural exhibits will be judged and then placed on display near Macy’s department store from 2 to 9 p.m. June 20 and 10 to 7 p.m. June 21. The flower show also will feature a plant sale and bake sale.
The theme for this year’s show is “Story Thyme,” and titles for the design classes range from children’s classics through adult fiction. Betty Bedillion, one of the show’s chairwomen, said each design should reflect something from the particular book title.
In the horticulture division, known as “The Good Earth,” classes will include specimens of roses, annuals, perennials, bulbs, herbs, trees, shrubs and container or combination plantings. The entries must be grown by the exhibitor and identified with the correct botanical name.
During the workshop, member Susan Luisi, who also is a master judge, explained the important design elements, including light, space, line, form, size, pattern, texture and color, that exhibitors must follow as they make their arrangements. The principles of a particular design should include balance, proportion, rhythm, contrast, dominance and scale size.
The workshop, Luisi said, is a way to help club members feel comfortable having their arrangements judged.
And even though club members compete against each other at the flower show, their friendship was reflected in the decorating tips they shared and other ways they offered to assist each other.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the club, and the flower show is just one of its many community activities, including planting and maintaining flower beds at the LeMoyne House and the Washington County Fairgrounds.