Founded in 1964, our club has set out with these objectives in mind:
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To promote interest in horticulture.
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To increase knowledge of artistic use of plant material.
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To further the conservation of natural resources.
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To encourage and assist in civic projects.
General Meetings:
Are scheduled for the second Wednesday of the months of September, October, November, February, March, April and May. Business meetings begin at 6:00 pm.
Location:
Monthly meetings are held at the Newtown Community Center, on the Fairfield Hills Campus at 8 Simpson Street, Newtown.
Meeting programs, which begin at 7:00 pm are open to the public at no charge.
Design and Horticulture Exhibit contributions are reserved for Members only.
DESIGN ELEMENTS and Horticulture Exhibits
FOR 2019 -2020
Scroll to the bottom for previous Meeting Information
Exhibits team: Margareta Kotch and Arline Shanley.
Our theme for exhibits this year is "Inspirations from Books written by Sidney Eddison"Exhibitors should regard the title and cover photos of the selected books by Sydney Eddison and use their own interpretations to create their own designs
September 2019
Artistic Design of Your Choice, using a domestic tool. Inspiration The Gardener's Palette
Horticulture Late flowering perennial
October 2019
Artistic Design Underwater Design Inspiration The Self-Taught Gardner
Horticulture Shrub or tree branch
November 2019
Artistic Design Mass Design Inspiration The Unsung Season
Horticulture House plant grown for bloom
February 2020
no exhibits
March 2020
Artistic Design Reflective Creative Design Inspiration Where We Walk.
Horticulture Flowering bulbs
April 2020
Artistic Design Creative Line Mass Inspiration Gardens To Go
Horticulture Flowering Plant
May 2020
Artistic Design Petite Design Inspiration Gardening For a Lifetime
Horticulture Branch from flowering shrub
Prior Exhibit Topics of 2017 - 2018
February 2018 Design Workshop
Special Presentation in UNDERWATER FLORAL DESIGN:
Peggy Townsend and Deb Osborne presented the program “Underwater Floral Design” where some or all plant material and components are submerged in water. They gave tips and suggestions on how to create the designs. Several underwater designs were created in advance and raffled off after the presentation. Hopefully members will use this information for our April exhibits.
March 14, 2018 Design:
Theme: Mount Desert Island, Acadia National Park, Maine
Your inspiration: This coastal landscape is known for its rugged woodlands, rocky beaches, and glacier-scoured peaks such as Cadillac Mountain.
Exhibits SMALL DESIGN – In the past, Small Designs had to measure no more than 8 inches in height, width and depth. The 2017 revised handbook no longer includes small designs, instead there is a Petite Category ranging from 3 to 12 inches. For consistency, let’s keep our designs for this month under 12 inches in height, width or depth.
Why the stress on size? Creating within strict parameters teaches us a lot:
1. Proportion: how will the design fit within the given space and not look too big or too small? Is there a nice “breathing space” within the 12” frame?
2. Scale: how will the selection of container, plant and line material work together so no element appears overly dominant or insignificant.
3. The Nitty Gritty: working small helps us weed out extraneous elements and keep the design simple, unfussy, and impactful – less is more!
Also: March weather is notoriously changeable, so transporting a smaller design is a lot easier. So give it a whirl!
April 11, 2018 6:30 PM
Theme: Under Water Design
Draw your inspiration from the exotic beauty of Everglades National Park, Florida, the largest subtropical wilderness in the U.S. This unparalleled landscape is
home to exotic flora and endangered manatees, crocodiles, and panthers.
Remember some of the tips Peg Townsend and Deb Osborne demonstrated at our February workshop:
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Start with a clean and finger print-free container (easier said than done).
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A few drops of bleach or vinegar will help keep the water clean.
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Choose flowers and foliage that are tough and waxy: tulips and croton leaves.
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Use metal nuts and fishing sinkers to keep plant material in place.
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Colored glass beads help disguise the pin holder.
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More plant material should be below the surface than above.
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Accessories are ok, but no live fish, please!
There are two classes:
1. Open Class - Use a regular round goldfish bowl as a container
2. Challenge Class - Use a glass container of your choice
Horticulture:
1. Flowering bulbs, corms, or tubers
2. Flowering shrub or tree branch
If you have lilies of the valley, they are not bulbs, but pips; bring them anyway and we will
make a class for them.