Your Turn: Three Village Garden Club invites you to ‘See You in September’ Flower Show
By Martina Matkovic
The Three Village Garden Club welcomes you as their guest on Friday, September 17th, when members will have an opportunity to display their creative talents in floral design and horticulture. Many hours of careful preparation and planning will culminate in a Small Standard Flower Show at the Neighborhood House, 95 Main Street, Setauket. No charge to the public, doors will be open from 2 to 6 p.m.
The following quotation from Sandra H. Robinson, past President of the National Garden Club, eloquently states the purpose of executing a flower show:
“One of the basic urges of mankind is the desire to create. Creative flower arranging is an art form in which the artist’s vision is expressed through the use of plant materials. Using the elements and principles of design, the artist strives to achieve the following attributes- beauty, harmony, distinction and expression. Flower shows provide a unique opportunity for floral designers, horticulturists, judges and the viewing public to become an integral part of the creative process.”
The show, titled “See You in September,” promises to be a spectacular visual experience. It is an opportunity to find out about the club’s contributions to the community, with its emphasis on the importance of the use of native plantings and gardening techniques that help to protect the environment. Guests are encouraged to take a short walk to Frank Melville Memorial Park where they may access the Arboretum, acquired by the garden club in 1985 and maintained for the past 36 years. A map of the Arboretum will be available.
As guests arrive they will receive a printed guide to help navigate through the three parts of the juried show. Division 1, Horticulture, will display cut specimens from the garden, fruits and vegetables, cut specimens from fruiting or flowering trees and shrubs, and container plants. Come see what a Blue Ribbon cucumber looks like!
Division ll, comprised of four classes, will highlight members’ creative talents in floral design. Class 2 of this division, aptly named “Reflections and Inspirations,” will challenge those members who choose to enter by creating a floral design that interprets the subject of a painting. The actual paintings will be hung nearby the corresponding design, inviting the viewer to observe. The artists who have loaned their works for this class are Patty Yantz, “The Sentinel”; Renee Caine, “Approaching Storm”; Eleanor Meier, “Winter Pears and Kimono”; and Robert Roehrig, “Dock Reflections.”
Finally, but certainly not least, in Division lll guests will enjoy an exhibit that displays the club’s many contributions to the community with an emphasis on education and respect for our environment. This section also includes invitational exhibits solicited from florists and businesses in the community.
Members who decide to participate will be judged for their entries, receive points and be awarded ribbons according to the National Garden Club System of Awarding. The judging will be done in advance of the opening to the public and ribbons will be on display.
Please come and enjoy the beauty of the show, see what your neighbors and friends in the garden club are doing , and perhaps be inspired to join us. Our membership is open to all. For further information, please call 631 751-2743.
Author Martina Matkovic is a member of the Three Village Garden Club.
