The South Shore District of the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, Inc. and the Marshfield Agricultural and Horticultural Society present Back to the Future, an NGC Standard Flower Show, August 15 – 19 at Marshfield Fair Horticulture Hall, 140 Main Street in Marshfield. Arrangements will be inspired by Set Designers, Directors, Costume Designers, Leading Roles, Supporting Roles, and Cameos. To view the full schedule, click HERE. To visit the Marshfield Fair website, go to www.marshfieldfair.org
The Central North and Central South Districts of the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts will be hosting a National Garden Club Standard Flower Show at the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill this fall. The show offers members of Garden Clubs in the New England Region and beyond an opportunity to exhibit floral designs, horticultural specimens, and educational exhibits with the intent to educate club members and the viewing public and stimulate interest in horticulture and floral design. The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts offers many opportunities for education in the gardening world, and the show provides insight into just some of the interests and talents nurtured by the state and individual clubs. Friday & Saturday, November 1 & 2, 10 – 5, and Sunday, November 3, 10 – 4, free with admission to the Garden. For more information visit https://nebg.org/shows/
The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts invites you to its 97th Annual Meeting at the Andover Doubletree Hotel, 123 Old River Road in Andover, on June 13. Keynote speaker is author Patterson Webster, whose topic is Learning to Look: The Art of Garden Observation. For registration details and complete information visit www.gcfm.org/
The Framingham Garden Club presents a Zoom program on April 30 on what garden therapy is and how an organization can begin its own program. Learn how to:
• Set up a program in your community to teach floral, herbal, or other arrangements to people with medical, physical, cognitive or social needs
• Expand club member’s knowledge of floral design by teaching others
• Create a positive learning experience for others in your community using the power of flowers.
The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts presents a Designing Workshop on November 9 from 10 – 11:30 at St. Susanna Church, 262 Needham Street in Dedham, entitled Color – Using it Well. What is the first thing that catches your eye in a floral arrangement? Color, of course. This workshop will explore different color schemes—analogous, complementary, and triadic–to illustrate how to combine colors to create harmonious combinations. The teacher is Ruth Evans, flower show judge and winner of numerous flower show awards. The class includes instruction and floral materials to create your arrangement. $55 until October 20, and thereafter $60 to register. Sign up with a friend. Bring your floral scissors and a way to stabilize your arrangement enroute home (box, cardboard, foam or towels). To register, please mail a check made out to The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, Inc., along with your name, garden club if you are a member, and email address, to Margo Yie, 6 Dancer Farm Drive, Dover, MA 02030. You will receive an acknowledgement and a reminder will be sent near the date. Supplies and flowers are ordered in advance, and refunds are not possible. If at the last minute you can’t attend you may arrange to have a friend pick up your materials, or send another person in your place.
FUNdamentals of Floral Design, formerly known as “Back to Basics” with the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, is back in a new location, the first floor meeting room at the Plymouth Library (the Fehlow Meeting Room). Demonstrations are led by experienced floral designers, who are National Garden Club (NGC) Flower Show Judges.
Instructors teach mechanics of creating a design in an appropriate container. Demonstrations emphasize the principles and elements of design. Learn about traditional and creative designs. Understand what judges look for in a design, and how they award ribbons (we know it’s not just about the ribbons but let’s be real, winning is fun.) Gain confidence and insight of how to enter a flower show. FUNdamentals is a series of three demonstrations for novices, or for anyone who wants to recharge skills, or pick up tips from experts. The dates are October 2, April 17, and June 26. Sign up for all three or for an individual session. $60 for the series, $25 for single class. Mail check payable to GCFM, Inc. (old school, here) to Nancy Costa, 130 Knott Ave, Sandwich, MA 02563. Include your name, address, phone number, email, and Garden Club affiliation. Not a member of a GCFM Club? Consider joining The Garden Club of the Back Bay
New England’s Premier Flower Show, certainly a highlight of Topsfield Fair on September 29 – October 9, is located in the Flower Building. On exhibit are entries submitted by everyone from amateurs to professionals, children’s classes, juniors, and adults. Featuring landscape gardens by local nurseries and greenhouses, don’t miss the Bonsai display, window boxes, wreaths, and florist displays.
Each year The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts and its Northern and Northeastern Districts host a NGC Standard Flower Show. The displays are changed three times during fair week. For hours and directions visit www.topsfieldfair.org
We invite all exhibitors to enter our flower show amateur classes. Please feel free to exhibit flowers other than those listed on the entry forms. Exhibits not provided for in the schedule shall receive such recognition as their merits may warrant. The flower display is often accompanied by tranquil music, with live performances on the weekends. For the schedule and more information visit www.topsfieldfair.org
The Sterling Garden Club presents “The Sterling Fair” September 9 – 10 at Sterling Airport. The Fair is a three day family oriented, community agricultural celebration with an emphasis on agriculture and education.
Admission and parking at the Sterling Fair is FREE. However, the fair relies on the sale of buttons, T-shirts, and ads to keep it free. Support your fair with a purchase or donation! We like to keep admission and parking free so you can enjoy spending the day with your family having fun at the fair.
The fair is run completely by volunteers, and with an annual attendance of around 40,000 people, it takes a lot of work to keep the fair going. These volunteers include 20 members of the Sterling Fair committee and over 50 additional people who help setup, run, and clean up after the fair.
The Exhibitor rules and categories booklet for the baking, craft, vegetable and flower competitions, along with exhibit card entry forms, may be accessed at https://sterlingfair.org/exhibits/ There are 33 separate categories for flowers, herbs, and arrangements – all entrants are welcome.
The Heritage Museums and Gardens, 67 Grove Street in Sandwich is the setting for the 2023 Southeastern District Standard Flower Show. This major flower show is presented at Heritage by the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts Southeastern District’s garden clubs and its award-winning Design & Horticulture Study Group. See beautiful, creative floral designs, lush seasonal horticulture, fascinating educational displays, and artistic crafts alongside Heritage Museums & Gardens’ renowned collections. This year’s theme is “Eureka!” The two day event, July 19 – 21, is free with admission to the Gardens. For more information visit www.heritagemuseumsandgardens.org.
The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts announces the upcoming National Garden Clubs Gardening School Course 1, Series 12, on Zoom April 13 – 15. Full course with exam is $110, full course, no exam, $100, full course for non-club members $125. Deadline for registration April 1. There will be lectures by Dr. Judith Sumner, Professor of Natural Sciences, Assumption College, Kathi Gariepy, Massachusetts Master Gardener, educator, garden writer, and lecturer, and Joann Vieira, former head of horticulture at Tower Hill Botanic Gardens and current head of horticulture for Massachusetts Trustees of Reservations. For more information and to register visit https://www.gcfm.org/gardening-study-school or email lindajean.smith@comcast.net Topics will include Basic Botany, Soils, Techniques for Growing Outdoor Flowers, and Plant Propagation.
