September 17, 2003
Club displays flower power
Bygones on the Boardman blooms at Heritage Center
By Gretchen Murray
Special to the Herald
A little rain last weekend was just the thing to bring out the flowers as well as the flower enthusiasts in Traverse City.
Gardening aficionados gathered at the Grand Traverse Heritage Center Saturday and Sunday to celebrate summer's last hurrah with a flower show sponsored by The Friendly Garden Club of Traverse City.
Club members offered up their most colorful blossoms that intertwined into a presentation titled "Bygones on the Boardman."
This year's theme was especially meaningful to the garden club which has been meeting in Traverse City since 1923 said Nancy Johnson, co-chairman of the show. Much of the city's history since that time has been carefully chronicled while detailing the club's annual activities, she said.
To reflect the title the show was divided into categories such as "The Rise of the Lumber Barons-1893," "The Victorian Parlour-1913" and "A Meeting of The Friendly Garden Club-1923.
"The Rise of the Lumber Barons" display was of particular interest to Julia Palmer of Muskegon and her friend Mary Jean Flood of South Lyon. Both are avid gardeners who appreciated the creativity as well as the logistics that went into the designs.
"I think there is a very creative, interesting use of different materials," Palmer remarked while admiring the winning entry by Cathy Hamilton that contained a mix of dried seed heads, dried salix tormentosa and a slab of wood from an old sawmill.
A member of the Muskegon County Garden Club Palmer pointed out what she called exceptional mechanics of the exhibit noting that the entry was sporting a Sweepstakes Award as well as Best of Show and Best of Category blue ribbons. "The mechanics are what hold an arrangement together although you're not supposed to see them," she said.
The Horticulture Award went to club member Maryellen Black of Traverse City who won the category with her entry of pink, flowering diplodenia.
Other first place awards went to Susan Kupchall for her winning display in the "Victorian Parlour-1913" category and Mary Jordan with her collection of sedum, hens and chickens, hostas, and moss that won the "Come Sit A Spell" category competition.
The club meets from March through November, however committees work throughout the winter, Johnson said. Members keep active by planning their annual garden walk and plant and maintain the flowering logo in the Open Space. They also were instrumental in planning the Children's Garden as well as the Learning Gardens at the Traverse Area District Library.
The Friendly Garden Club keeps its roster to around 70 members, so membership is open as spots become available. Those wishing to inquire about membership should call Edna Rosenfield at 271-6718.