For the first time in the history of the Delaware Federation of Garden Clubs; three clubs created, participated in and presented a flower show to one of its local communities in Northern Wilmington.  The Canterbury, Garden Gate, and Moonflower Garden Clubs gathered with grace to put on a small but mighty flower show that opened all of our hearts up to wonder of Beyond The Garden Gate.

 

I had the pleasure of being the Photography Chair, submitted photos as a participant along with entering horticulture and was arm twisted into a creating my first design.  So since I am a woman of my word I did everything I was asked to do even the design which I knew was purely on the effort of “just try it”, I said to myself, you can’t back out, you can but that’s not you and I could hear Bill Baur in my ear saying just do it, just try.

 

Bill is such an advocate of all of us entering into any flower show presented to us including the Philadelphia Flower Show which yup gave me my first serious blue ribbon, so no matter what I now always give these sometimes torturous flower shows a try.

So let me share and be transparent with you all and maybe you will learn something from my experience; the photography chair job was great and easy you just have to be super organized and have a lot patience to label the photos and stage them just right when you have extremely enthusiastic entries that are in large volumes, LOL yup Ms. Kathe Worrell got a tad excited about this section of the show, God bless her heart and she did submit some beauties and won some awards as did myself. I even had our youngest son submit for the first time he learned a great deal and had fun. (He’s a classic teenager and is caught texting about the experience, so that confirms it was big deal indeed)

 

So photography was good: I also submitted horticulture and placed an award with my Limelight Hydrangea submission cut early that morning the day of the show.  I used to be hesitant in doing that but over came that fear when I won in our last show a blue ribbon for a Dogwood Tree on our property.

But now we come to speak on the design I was “arm twisted” into it was to be a creative mass or traditional design and I picked the Community Forestry titled section.  I figured we practically live in the woods this will be easy to do and yup I did something alright only to be boldly told that my creation was NOT a design but a planter.

I had to chuckle I might have even laughed when I saw the comments from the judges because when I was done creating my little masterpiece at home I said to myself hmm that’s a nice planter. Duh Tracy the universe confirmed that, when you were sooo satisfied with it, dusted my hands off and said “I’m done”, “It is what it is” and guess what; it clearly wasn’t what was expected of me.

However, I am so open to learning that I’m ok and plus I have thick skin due to a proper upbringing so those bold words from the judges would never bring me to my knees in defeat. This sassy lady just said ok if there is a next time and a BIG “IF” I’ll do a bit better.

And apparently if you add dirt to a design it’s not a design too funny and I wonder if that’s printed in that fancy flower design handbook if so; someone please show me the page number PLEASE.  Anyhoo, I know some of the master designers and novice ones there were probably appalled at my creation but we all know their opinions and definitely the opinions of those judges are always “Subjective” that was obvious when DCH (Delaware Center of Horticulture) our host came behind the judges and conducted their own judging and gave stellar awards to non-blue ribbon winners already judged.  Go figure THAT!

Well enough about my lessons learned in flower show entering; just see photos of the highlights of a quite lovely show and some happy winners. I tell you I was most proud of Suzanne Smith who placed second, up against some well known and talented exhibitors “Go Suzanne you Rock Girl” I was sooo happy for her it was fun to see her take that win!

So please enter in the next flower show that you are invited to do so and please have fun, be open to learning and be ok with yourself if you don’t win a ribbon and very importantly if you do create a design don’t use dirt it will be considered a planter!

Just sayin… LOL

Enjoy the captured flower show photos and the smile of Barbara Boyce another exhibitor embracing the joy of winning!

 

 

 

 

Please just go beyond your garden gate and get out there and just try, it’s always worth the experience!