This Saturday, June 27, the Kelowna Garden Club hosts the Annual Flower Show at Guisachan Heritage Gardens.
This is one of my favourite events of the year when gardeners of all ages and experience can enter a favourite flower from the garden. Even if you don’t enter it is always fun to see all the great exhibits and take in the many demos and of course the beauty of the gardens themselves which have been lovingly restored to reflect the many years of stewardship Elaine Cameron performed over many years.
To enter something in the show you need to know a few simple rules and of course be knowledgeable about the various classes and categories. To get up to speed on this just go to the Kelowna Garden Club web site www.kelownagardenclub.ca and click on the Juried Flower Show icon. You will see a place where you can bring up a printable flyer explaining everything you need to know about entering.
Category 1 Cut Flowers with 21 classes. Included in this are roses, Sweet William, Pansies, Clematis and other in season flowers. There is also an open class where anything not formally listed can be entered which is where last year I entered one of my white Magnolia grandiflora blossoms.
Category 2 is Floral Art. There are 13 classes in this category including Grandma’s Teapot—an exhibit of mixed flowers and greenery in a teapot and The Magic of Leaves—an exhibit of different kinds of foliage only.
Category 3 is Potted Plants and Flowers which has six classes including Patio Party—patio container featuring flowering plants and greenery, grasses and accessories allowed and Secret Fairy Garden—a miniature garden using small plants and greenery. Must feature a fairy and may include accessories.
There is also a category for children to participate and what a joy it is to see the young people’s imagination come forward with Toy Shop—an exhibit of flowers or plants in a toy.
As well as the juried flower show there will be arts and craft displays and demonstrations throughout the day with Janice Henry and a bevy of Master Gardeners to answer your gardening questions available all day. As I have done for the past few years I will take you for a walk through the garden and talk about the days when I was a youngster growing up just down the street spending many a happy time exploring the Guisachan Ranch and getting to know the Cameron family. This will happen at 1:30 p.m.
Kelowna is indeed blessed to have this property preserved for us to enjoy year round and attending this Saturday’s show is the best way to introduce you to its beauty and history.
The property is owned by the City of Kelowna and is maintained by the Central Okanagan Heritage Society. If you wish to help with the gardening as a volunteer the COHS welcomes you. For information regarding the show call Judy (250-861-5010) or Alicja (250-717-0570) Exhibits must be brought to the between 8 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. and the judging will take place at 9:30. It is open to the public at 11 a.m. and there is no entry fee nor are there any fees to have your plants or flowers in the juried show.
I am looking forward to seeing you there.