You Are Cordially Invited to A Standard Flower Show on November 4 & 5, 2017! Free and open to the public!

  

 Hi all!  The purpose of an NGC  National Garden Clubs, Inc.) flower show is: to educate club members and the viewing public; to stimulate interest in horticulture and floral design; to provide an outlet for creative expression; and to communicate NGC goals and objectives. 

I am pleased to announce National Capital Area Garden Clubs' District IV is hosting a flower show!  It will feature chrysanthemums and SO MUCH MORE!  This is a flower show not to be missed!

Hope to see you all there!

Presented By

DISTRICT IV

National Capital Area Garden Cubs, Inc.

Bountiful Harvest

An NGC Flower Show

 A Standard Flower Show

 Brookside Gardens

1800 Glenallen Avenue

 Wheaton, Maryland 20902

301-962-1400 

Free and Open to the Public

  

Saturday, November 4, 1:30 – 5:00 p. m

Sunday, November 5, 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. 

Member of National Garden Clubs, Inc.

Central Atlantic Region of State Garden Clubs, Inc.

National Capital Area Garden Clubs, Inc.

Entries open to Members of the

District IV Garden Clubs

And by Invitation

We've been busy!! - A Post by Thea McGinnis

Our new President and board have only been on duty for two months but lots of events have taken place, including the National Garden Club's convention held in Richmond, VA in mid May.

On May 21, National Capital Area Garden Clubs hosted a re-dedication of the Friendship Garden  at the United States Arboretum. The replanting of this garden was several years in the making, led by board member, Ellen Spencer.  A wonderful article in the Washington Post about the Friendship garden goes into the history behind this beautiful garden. The Arboretum  is quite a treasure and well worth a visit by locals of guests of the city while you're in town.

Here the link to the Washington Post Article by Adrian Higgins. Washington Post's Friendship Garden article

NCAGC President Robin Hammer

On June 10, our NCAGC president and my friend, Robin Hammer took to the gavel and hosted our first NCAGC Conference in about 10 years. And it was terrific - great food, speakers, a Small Standard Flower Show and really interesting breakout workshops and brainstorming.  I had a wonderful time and I wish I could have experienced every workshop.

Leigh Kitcher and Nancy Moats' floral workshop was a big hit

New District III Director Mary Cottrell with Sandi Piccirillo enjoying the flower show

Past District III Director, Jane Smith doing classification for the Flower Show

Some of our NCAGC Board Members

Even though most of our clubs are off for the summer months, that doesn't mean there isn't lots going on getting ready for a new season of meetings, events and demonstrations hosted by various clubs, districts and councils in NCAGC.  Be sure to check out our main website page for lots of information, photos and contact information.  If you're reading this and want to be a part of the exciting activities in garden club, please contact us.  http://www.ncagardenclubs.org

Have a wonderful gardening summer!  Thea

The Ultimate Flower Show experience (Think Philadelphia Flower Show...) A post by Thea McGinnis

Magnificent bridge lined with delft tile at the entrance to
the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society's 2017
Philadelphia Flower Show "Holland - Flowering the World"

Like tens of thousands of you lovers of all things flower and garden, I attended this year's fabulous Philadelphia Flower Show.  But my visit was a bit different than yours - because I got to attend before the show opened. How did I finagle that?

One of the many beautiful display gardens at the Show

 I was honored to be asked to participate as a student judge - one of eighteen student judges invited to serve within panels of amazing, talented and professional judges from around the United States.

My team included Andrea Little from Boston, Massachusetts, Barbara Hamacheck from Ketchem, Idaho, and Amelia Crumbley from Mississippi.

 Andrea has been an accredited judge with National Garden Clubs for twenty-seven years.  Amelia is a brand new Garden Clubs of America accredited judge. And Barbara is an accredited judge with Garden Clubs of America.  I'm an NGC student judge and working toward my accreditation.

 This opportunity would never have come my way if I hadn't decided to attend NGC's Flower Show School.  I never really seriously considered becoming a flower show judge but I took Course I (of four) to find out what it was all about.  Honestly? I loved immersing myself in the course work. The Courses are like going back to college for a weekend.  Taking each course for credit is the key, though.  Yes, it requires you to take a very challenging exam at the end of each course, but a few of my fellow students learned the hard way that if you don't go for course credit, and you do go on to become judge, you will have to repeat the course.  What has impressed me the most, though, is the caliber of our instructors. Whether it is horticulture or design, the depth of knowledge and expertise shared with students is an awesome value.

 Back to my experience as a student judge with the PHS -  I arrived Thursday afternoon and immediately met up with NCAGC President-elect and fellow student flower show judge, Robin Hammer.  Robin and I have been lucky to go through our flower show school courses together.  Let's just say - we laughed a lot!!

NCAGC President-Elect
Robin Hammer

Robin and I, plus our dear garden friend, Julie Wadsworth, were invited to a dinner party for judges at the lovely Acorn Club, where we had the opportunity to meet many of the judges and chairpersons we would work with the next day. That's when I realized our fellow judges were from all over the U.S!

We got up early the next morning and met up with our panels. We started at 8:00 a.m. and didn't wrap up our work until about 1:00 p.m.  What impressed me most was how my fellow judges were able to make meaningful points that counted powerfully within our evaluation and decisions. And we were able to give exhibitors instructive comments that always circled back to principles and elements of design we adhere to in NGC and GCA.   I learned so much about the judging process and decision making that day, and best of all, made new friends.  Robin was assigned to a different panel of judges and had a wonderful experience as well.

 After all the scoring and collaboration with a great team of judges, we wrapped up our day with a lovely luncheon. We then got to experience the flower show in all its glory. All in all, it was a unique, fantastic opportunity and an awesome experience. And I loved visiting Philadelphia!

 I love garden club in all aspects of it's mission - as a community organization in your town, on-going member education, hands-on learning, and friendship.  I invite you to attend your local garden club's flower shows and meetings.  Come learn about horticulture and design.

Here are just a few of the exquisite designs competing at the Philadelphia Flower Show:

A charming bicycle basket of tulips

The Philadelphia Flower Show had top quality horticulture specimens, like this
gorgeous Hellebore, on display

Many go home with the names of new plants they can try in their gardens.  I also highly recommend attending any of the NGC courses for accreditation or certification as a consultant, offered to garden club members in your state - whether it is Landscape Design, Environmental, Flower Show Judge, or Garden Studies schools.

Robin and I are now immersing ourselves in completing our credentials by student judging flower shows in the National Capital area.  I'm looking forward to bringing what I learned from judging at the Philadelphia Flower Show to those shows.  My next post on the blog will include a list of our upcoming flower shows.  Flower shows are free, fun, educational and open to the public. Plan to attend one in your area this Spring!  - Thea

Flower Show Season - A Gift to Everyone

Thea here.  Today I'm celebrating garden club flower shows.  I took these pictures on my phone so it's strictly amateur hour, but here are some of my favorite shots from flower shows I attended, including District II's Standard Flower Show, District I's Small Standard Show, and Rock Spring Garden Club (that's MY club, BTW) -

Multi Rhythmic Design by Jane Smith

National Capital Area Garden Club's membership did an outstanding job hosting Small Standard and Standard Flower Shows over the last few months.  Each District has hosted a flower show within the last year, and District III will host a small standard flower show this coming August.

Monarch educational exhibit

I cannot emphasize enough the purposes of a Standard Flower Show:  to EDUCATE club members and the viewing public; to stimulate interest in horticulture and floral design; to provide an outlet for creative expression; to convey to the community objectives of National Garden Clubs, Inc..

Having attended and participated in my own club's hosting, and entering horticulture and floral designs and educational exhibits for competition, I have learned so much, made many new friends, and, well, I had a blast!

My buddy, Joan, working and having fun

I truly believe the most important part is having our flower shows open to the PUBLIC.

Club Member, John, discussing his award winning flower show specimens with guests

 I cannot think of a better way to let people know that there are active, thriving and interesting people working, learning and sharing information that promotes gardening, highlights environmental concerns, promotes beautification in their communities, partners with schools and other civic organizations, and provides a way to continue your journey of life long learning.

Hi Renee! friends working together

Horticulture specimens ready for judging

Very creative staging by Mary Cottrell

Poss Tarpley's award winning creative design

Having a garden club organization invested in your community is a blessing.  Feel free to contact me if you are interested in joining a club in your area.

District I  small standard flower show top award displays for horticulture

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO A STANDARD FLOWER SHOW NEAR YOU!

The purposes of a Standard Flower Show:  to educate club members and viewing public. To stimulate interest in horticulture and floral design. To provide an outlet for creative expression. To convey to the community objectives of National Garden Clubs, Inc.

Standard Flower Shows are a wonderful part of garden club activity.  Flower shows give us the opportunity to see the finest specimens of local horticulture - flowers, perennials, bulbs, shrubs, trees, and floral designs and educational and special exhibits.

Right now, garden clubs across the United States are hosting flower shows that are free and open to the public. Mark your calendars now to attend these right here in the National Capital Area Garden Club region during the month of April, May and June:

April 8 & 9 in Alexandria, Virginia:

April 16 in Great Falls, Virginia:

April 21 in Arlington, Virginia:

Don't forget the Washington Daffodill Show in Fairfax April 21 and 22!

And in Vienna, Virginia on Sunday, April 24:

And beginning April 1 at the U.S. National Arboretum, designs by Ikebana International:

And May 3:

And June 11, District I is hosting a District Flower Show in Fort Washington, MD:

And in June - June 23 (1-4pm) & 24 (10am-3pm) at Strathmore Mansion, Rockville, MD:

I'll be sure to add our other Garden Club Standard Flower Shows for Spring when I hear about them!

National Garden Club Schools - Shedding Light On A Lifetime of Learning - Thea McGinnis

National Garden Clubs'  (NGC) mission is to provide education, resources, and national networking opportunities for its members to promote the love of gardening, floral design, and civic and environmental responsibility.

Members are privileged to have NGC schools available to encourage our personal life long passion and learning endeavors.  NGC schools include Gardening Studies, Environmental Studies, Landscape Design and Flower Show.

NGC schools offer challenging and rigorous curriculum to their students.  Each school consists of four courses, with expert instructors and speakers addressing topics and key areas of each subject category.  Completion of the four courses for a particular course, plus testing, lead to NGC Consultant certification or accredition as a Flower Show Judge.  So, why am I telling you this?

Dorthy Yard 

On a gloriously sunny day this past November, I attended Flower Show School (Course II) and found it exceptionally challenging - yet fascinating and exciting.  Our  Flower Show School instructors are both accredited Master Flower Show Judges. Dorthy Yard from Pennsylvania and Janice Hamlin from Florida, travel around the country to lecture, guide and show students the various aspects of judging horticulture specimens and floral designs.

Arlene Stewart weighing the qualities of her needled specimen

Students evaluating specimens. Robin Hammer examines evergreen foliage

 We were thoroughly instructed on Course II level Flower Show Procedure -We learned about growing, designing, staging, exhibiting as well as judging, based on specific qualifications and guidelines encapsulated in NGC's Handbook for Flower Shows.

Instruction included judging the condition, grooming and staging of plant material

 In addition to our wonderful instructors, a host of National Capital Area Garden Club (NCAGC) judges joined our activities and provided designs to simulate a flower show, for student evaluation, practice and test judging. Their designs varied -  from NGC Traditional designs to Creative design styles.

Babs McClendon, NCAGC FS Judge, giving students design advice

The Design portion of the curriculum reviewed the Elements of Design, creative and traditional design techniques, the designer's frame of reference, using the color wheel, and the six Principles of Design. Every aspect of a design is touched upon so that we can begin to learn to train our eyes in evaluating  qualities such as conformance and design principals of balance, rhythm, scale, contrast, dominance and proportion. Selection and organization of components are important. And most important - Distinction - because this is where the designer's creativity and superiority in all respects is revealed.

Note how lighting, background and underlayemphasize different aspects of the designs 

The dynamic balance of Creative designs challenge your imagination 

Unique Creative designs using unusual dried plant materials such as gourds

The students I attended Flower Show School with found the challenges within the course rewarding. It was wonderful to meet garden club members from other regions who traveled to attend. New friendships were forged as we worked together. I cannot thank Dorthy and Janice enough for their incredible patience and generosity and I'm very grateful for NCAGC's Judges' Council for conducting this course.  Seriously, folks. Everyone should attend this school or any of the other three NGC courses.

Accredited Master Judges Poss Tarpley, FSS Course Registrar (l) and
(r) Sandi Smith Piccirillo, State Flower Show Chairman for National Capital Area Garden Clubs, Inc.

If you are interested in more information about joining a garden club or attending an NGC school, leave us a comment or please click here-->  National Garden Clubs, Inc. website

National Garden Clubs continues to set the direction for American floral designing and raise the bar for both exhibitors and judges. May we use the information presented to us in this book as we continue to educate both our members and the public in floral design, horticulture and NGC objectives. "Embrace Gardening's Tapestry" Kitty Larkin, President, 2005-2007, National Garden Clubs, Inc. - from the Handbook for Flower Shows 2007 Revised Edition

Photography by Thea McGinnis