Community tea party – Chester Garden Club

Our 2019 Flower Show

By beh6134 | August 31, 2019

IMGP9547 As I said in the previous blog post, we were given an inspirational send off as July 22^nd week took Chester Garden club and community members to their own and to friends gardens assessing and gathering for the much anticipated annual flower show. Each year our members and community participants have this opportunity to display and view examples of the many beautiful flowers grown in our area.

“The Islands Of Mahone Bay”

This years Theme for our Flower Show and Tea

If you were one of the more than 170 who attended on July 25^th, you know just how much there was to take in. The late wet spring had many organizers and participants concerned.

Welcome… click on any picture in a group for a slide show.

20190725_110445 The judge and clerks have the first view:

And then the guests:

However, as soon as guests walked in, the georgeous display showed off the available garden gifts and the many talents found in our community.

Many hands are always needed to ensure a smooth day. Pre – planning is a must. Our Vice President and convener Esther ensures this event is on track. She is always seen with her notes. There are bookings to be made, the show schedule to design, the tags and signage to procure, not to mention all those needed to help with set up, kitchen help and donations, serving tea, welcome and ticket sales at door and more.

Every entry was a winner in someone’s eye. The judge, president and guests all have opinions. Trophies are awarded. And this year’s winners are:

The Dudley Lees Trophy: Best in Show – Sheila

Chester Garden Club Trophy: Popular Choice – Joanne Jellett

The Johnson Cup: Best Annual Sweet Peas in Class 5 – Sylvia

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The Dena Hennigar Memorial Trophy: Best Wildflower Design in class 54 – Sidney

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The MacAlpine Trophy: Best childrens entry (age 9 to 16) awarded to Danika who was not present. Passed president Mrs Peggy McAlpine’s friend reminded all that Chester Garden Club holds a special place for Mrs. McAlpine.

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The Rose Barkhouse Painting: Best use of Roses in Section D – Sidney

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The F.C. Winfrey Memorial Trophy: Best Specimen in Section A&B- Anita

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The Ruby Pulsiver Award: Best indoor plant in section C – Sheila

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The President’s Award: Members only in Class 49 – Joanne

Janet Piers Awatd: Best design incorporating water in class 50 – Myra

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The Wilkins Cup: Best Childrens Entry (age 8 & under) Rylan

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The McNeill Trophy: Novice Best in Show – Isabel

AND NOW FOR A FEW MORE PICTURES:

Thanks to all.

Pictures: Kay, Brian & Brenda

Are you Winter-Weary ?

By beh6134 | March 13, 2018

In March the winter-weary world begins to awaken from its long rest. Now the remnants of winter are washed away by what is often to referred to as the “tides of March”.

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In every pond, lake, river and stream, the water that was frozen a month ago begins to thaw and flow again. In our gardens frost rises to the surface and the earth ooses underfoot. In every tree and shrub, that vital fluid known as sap begins to rise, and as a result, buds begin to swell. We don’t see or hear sap rising but it’s there. In small plant growth or a towering tree, leaves, color and syrup are being produced.

It is a time of observation, preparation and anticipation as we look forward to another gardening season.

For our garden club, March is also a time to end our winter break and begin regular meetings. Watch for news under the categories: Current Activities, Annual Gardeners Sale, & Annual Flower Show and Tea. There will be many opportunities to learn, support and participate, enjoying varied garden club activities.

150th Celebration with Flowers

By beh6134 | August 14, 2017 | Comments 0 Comment

Gardeners and plant lovers are by nature generous, sharing people, quick to offer bouquets, cuttings, seeds and bits of wisdom gleaned from digging in the soil and nurturing plants. Whether celebrating successes or pondering near successes, they are as optimistic as and endearing as their gardens. …

Ready for the Flower Show

By beh6134 | July 19, 2017 | Comments 0 Comment

Flower shows are fun, worthwhile activities for everyone, providing opportunities to display and view examples of the many beautiful flowers and plants grown in our area and shown as specimens or in beautiful floral designs. Each year, Chester Garden Club Flower Show committee organizes the annual flower show, ensuring opportunities for all members to assist and including members and community of all ages. The Show Schedule provides all of the details needed to prepare and stage exhibits for entry, including Entry Classes, Show Rules, Show Tips, Definitions and a summary of Trophies and Awards. Judging is done by NSAGC Judges whose decisions are final.

The team has been working together for many months. The theme, schedule, tags, ribbons, venue, tables and staging plans, tea, sandwiches and sweets are some of the details that have been finalized.

On Monday, at our July 17^th meeting we were treated to information and demonstrations to help with this year’s schedule. Thank you to Nancy, Sidney, Jane, Jocelyn and Myra.

We are looking forward to our flower show, “Celebrating Canada 150” on July 27^th, 1:30 to 5 pm., a show that breaks gardening boundaries and blends tradition with unexpected innovative design.

Flower Show and Tea: post-script

By spda99 | August 17, 2015 | Comments 0 Comment

Now that we’re half-way through August, a new wave of perennials is blooming (hello, Daylilies!), and Chester gardens are changing from early summer’s pinks and blues to late summer’s yellows and oranges. Memories of the Club’s Flower Show and Tea tend to fade with time but the urge to create our own own designs has not gone away. Perhaps the photos in this second post, showing more highlights of the event, may serve as a wee reminder of some of the arrangements seen at this year’s show and perhaps they will spur viewers on to trying something new.

The entries in the miniature class “fairy Dust” were really really tiny!

Exhibitors took the parallel design to heart.

Marcie encouraged visitors to mark their ballots for the Popular Choice trophy.

A graceful arc in this arrangement using Astilbes, daisies and ivy.

Another successful parallel design that might have been inspired by a sailboat.

Another delicate arrangement in a teacup.

A freely-constructed arrangement in the “Basket of Dreams” class.

Heather presented Jane with the Janet Piers Award for the best arrangement incorporating water.

The ethereal appearance of the Smokebush cuttings add a delicacy to this arangement.

Sophie, a junior, captured the McNeill trophy for the Novice Best in Show.

Delphiniums, roses and an eclectic selection of other plants went into this design.

Jocelyn took home the Dudley Lees trophy for her entry in the class “Shoots, Roots and Fruits”.

Yet another interpretation of parallel design.

And, throughout the afternoon, the tearoom was filled with visitors.

The many delicate little arrangements entered in the miniature class were much admired.

A soft golden array of daylilies was entered in the “180 degree Vista” – designs to be viewed from one side only.

Fresh stems of Goldenrod dominated this wildflower display.

A close-up of Sophie’s entry in the “Tranquil Forest” themed class.

This approach to a parallel design showed three identical, but quite separate, units placed side by side.

The theme of a parallel design was introduced as a new class this year.

Flower Show and Tea – 2015 Edition

By spda99 | August 8, 2015 | Comments 0 Comment

Despite several days of rain that flattened a few choice blooms just before the event, exhibitors managed to come up with their usual stunning displays for Chester Garden Club’s traditional Flower Show and Tea. This year’s show, held at the end of July, inspired exhibitors to be particularly creative in interpreting the theme – The World Around Us. One of those exhibitors is an inspiration for the rest of us: young Lila entered her creation in an adult design class and, after the votes were counted, she had won the popular People’s Choice award, the first time it has gone to a junior exhibitor.

Winner of the Popular Choice award, eleven-year-old Lila also took home first prize in the children's — Eleven-year-old Lila not only took home a first prize in the Children’s Design Class but also won the Popular Choice award for her entry *Elegance*.

Some of the volunteers who made the show a success are pictured in the gallery below.

The following gallery includes a few of the prize-winners who collected ribbons or trophies at the Show, along with examples of the many lovely arrangements entered in the design categories. A future post will show additional winners and arrangements, along with a few exhibits in the horticultural competition.

Brenda won the Johnson Cup for the best annual sweet peas.

Kay received the Ruby Pulsiver Award for the best indoor plant (an Angel Wing Begonia, in bloom. ).

More Photos from Chester’s Annual Flower Show and Tea

By spda99 | July 30, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

The numbers are in for the Chester Garden Club’s Flower Show and Tea and they support popular opinion that the event was a great success. This year’s attendance held steady at 194 but the number of entries in the Design classes (120) was up from the last two years and the Specimens also showed an increase (122 entries). Congratulations to the Organizing committee and to all who helped make the Show and Tea a highlight of Chester’s summer.

The many club members and others in attendance took a large number of photos, which they then made available for publication on the blog. The previous post included lists of prize-winners and photos of trophy winners and their entries. The following gallery is composed of an additional selection from the many images that we received. As usual, images may be enlarged by clicking on them.

75th Anniversary Flower Show and Tea

By spda99 | July 28, 2014 | Comments 0 Comment

In keeping with tradition, a bounty of colourful displays greeted visitors when the Chester Garden Club held its 75th Anniversary Flower Show and Tea at the Chester Legion Hall on July 24th. Using the theme “Reflections”, the Flower Show Committee named the 16 classes in the design section for institutions and events that were linked to the Club’s seven decades of history. A list of the winners of awards and trophies can be seen by clicking on the hyperlink Chester Garden Club 2014 Flower Show Specimens Designs and Trophies

The following gallery shows some of the winners and prize-winning entries. To enlarge a photo, simply click on the image.

The gallery below contains a sampling of the shots taken in the morning when a crowd of volunteers helped the exhibitors to register, organized the tables for horticultural and design displays, and started to set up the kitchen workstations. Another selection of photos, showing more exhibits and familiar faces, will follow in a day or two.