Some of Washington County's most enthusiastic horticulturists took front and center last weekend at the Martha Washington Garden Club annual flower show in Washington Crown Center. Club members and nonmembers alike submitted a total of 208 horticultural specimens plus another 24 design exhibits in the hope of capturing a first, second, third or honorable mention ribbon from the panel of nine judges certified by the National Garden Club.
"This year our theme is 'The Nifty Fifties,' " said Marolyn Piacenza, a garden club member dressed for the era in a red neck scarf, flat shoes and Capri pants as she stood near the 1957 baby blue Pontiac Chieftain and '56 Chevy pickup loaned for the event by Lavina "Sis" Seiler, of North Strabane, and Tom Isiminger, of Bridgeville, respectively.
Each year, a garden club committee picks a theme for the annual show that unites the displays. Past themes have focused on film, holidays, nursery rhymes and classical paintings. This year, the theme tied in with '50s pop icons such as Elvis, the Ed Sullivan Show and Ken and Barbie dolls.
Peggy Condon, of Somerset Township, for example, took home a first-place ribbon in the "Elvis, The King" section for her design anchored by a large, wire guitar draped with a scarf covered with silver sequins and decorated with white Fuji mums, lily grass, larkspur, orchids and commodore raffia.
In the "Dinner with Ed Sullivan" section, Carole Tucci, of Washington, got the first-place ribbon for her TV table tray covered by a pink place mat and overlaid with a black plate with a pink napkin fastened by a poodle ring, a white coffee mug with black polka dots and a spray of pink carnations.
In the artistic crafts section titled "Paint by Numbers," Pam Kevech, of Washington, took home an Artistic Craft Award for her picture made from dried plant materials that included tree bark, yarrow, statice, wheat tops and twigs.
In the horticultural arena, Ms. Condon vied against 207 other horticultural entries and took home the top prize, Horticultural Excellence Award, for her massive Stargazer lily. The award for Design Excellence went to Sue Luisi, of Washington, whose themed exhibition table won the top prize in the "Rock Around the Clock" category.
Vina McLeod Rudolph, a student judge from Indiana, Pa., joined the panel of judges who handed out awards governed by the Flower Show Handbook, the official 340-page guide of information and rules.
"I've been gardening for the past 10 years, ever since I retired from the Air Force," said Ms. Rudolph, who'll judge six additional flower shows in Western Pennsylvania by the end of August. "It's a fun, social way to meet people you have something in common with."
Manning the show's "garage sale," co-chairs of member services Joyce Streator and Doris Scarberry of Washington, were in charge of selling the array of garden items, plants, puzzles, books, jewelry, dishes, and fudge donated largely by members.
"A nonmember neighbor of mine in Washington, Kathy Amendola, donated an entire box of beautiful hand-made doilies, which we're selling for $1 to $5 each," said Ms. Streator.
The Martha Washington Garden Club has been federated with the National Garden Club since 1934. Membership is around 60, most living in the Washington area. The annual dues is $20, and the club meets the third Tuesday of each month, usually at the Citizens Library.
"Each year, we put in hundreds of hours of volunteer work," said Grace Mitchell, awards co-chair along with Susan Luisi, of Washington. "We plant and maintain the historic herb, perennial, annual and formal gardens at the Le Moyne House, put in two big flower beds at the Washington County Fairgrounds, maintain the rose garden at the Veterans Administration Medical Building and install a monthly display window at the Citizens Library."
Each year, the Martha Washington Garden Club also awards a $50 bond to the Washington Park Elementary School pupil who writes the best essay on endangered species. They also present a "Lovely Landscape Award" annually to a homeowner in Washington County whose gardens or landscape merits the citation.
"Our club members submit the award nominations to a committee of three, which makes the final selection," said Mrs. Mitchell. "However, the chosen landscape must be visible from the street because we don't like to traipse on people's property."
For more information on the Martha Washington Garden Club or to become a member, phone 724-356-2467 or 724-223-1505.
First Published: July 27, 2007, 2:30 p.m.
