Most floral customers would be surprised to receive a flower arrangement with an old fish bobber entangled in the greenery. Yet at the flower show sponsored by the Naperville Garden Club last weekend, such creativity was well-rewarded.
The entry by Linda Ricca of Naperville in the Surfin’ USA category received a first-place award.
“My husband and I both grew up in South Haven [Mich.], and I wanted to incorporate the types of things that would wash up on the beach,” Ricca said.
Ricca traveled to South Haven to gather the elements she needed for the blue-ribbon arrangement, including driftwood, a seagull feather, beach grasses and sand. The bobber represents a treasured find of many years ago, she said, when local fishermen used nets on Lake Michigan and the bobbers would keep them afloat.
The final touch on her design was a king protea, a large flower flown in from the Netherlands for the competition.
Ricca was among dozens of club members to enter the show, which was decided by accredited judges through the National Council of State Garden Clubs. The two-day event was staged at the Meeting House and Pre-emption House, both on the grounds of Naper Settlement.
Entries were divided into two categories–horticulture and design. Most of the design entries represented a theme related to water, such as “By the Waters of the Minnetonka” and “Song of the Islands,” which was to suggest the setting of a picnic for two.
The club held a flower show two years ago for the first time in 25 years, and members intend to continue organizing the event every other year, said Patricia Boyd, the show’s co-chairwoman.
“We want to educate the public about horticulture, and it also motivates our members to learn more about floral design,” Boyd said.
However, attendance was a disappointment to the club, she said, citing conflicts with local high school graduation ceremonies and Sunday’s less-than-ideal weather.
The show is just one activity of the club, Boyd said. Members also volunteer their time to tend several gardens at Naper Settlement and raise funds for scholarships through a Christmas house walk.
The club works with youth gardeners–who also submitted items for judging–and with seniors through a garden therapy program. A recent membership campaign added 50 members to take on the club’s many projects.
