District I’s nine Eastern Shore Garden Clubs will stage a National Garden Clubs, Inc. (NGC) PATRIOTIC STANDARD FLOWER SHOW at the Elks Lodge #1622 at 502 Dutchman’s Lane in Easton, MD 21601 on Saturday, October 5 from 1 to 4 pm. The public is invited to stroll through and enjoy this colorful free event.

“This is a mini version of the world-famous Philadelphia Flower Show,” says show chair Ann Street. “Entitled ‘Spirit of America,’ the show encourages exhibitors to grow and enlist horticultural plants and fresh flowers to express patriotism in presentation and design in targeted categories such as ‘Living the American Dream’ and ‘American Ingenuity.’ The show also features horticulture that grows well on the Eastern Shore.”

This Standard Flower Show is hosted by Somerset County Garden Club and the other eight garden clubs of District I of the Federated Garden Clubs of Maryland, Inc. (FGCMD): Chestertown Garden Club (Chestertown), Dorchester Garden Club (Cambridge), Four Seasons Garden Club (Salisbury), Kent Island Garden Club (Stevensville), Oxford Garden Club (Oxford), Queen Anne’s County Garden Club (Centreville), Talbot County Garden Club (Easton) and Worcester County Garden Club (Berlin).

All exhibits will be judged by Accredited NGC Flower Show Judges and Awards placed using The National Garden Clubs, Inc. (NGC) Standard System of Awarding in all divisions.  Awards will be placed for all deserving  exhibits according to strict NGC rules in four divisions: Horticulture, Design, Education and Youth. For the first time, this biennial show will include a Youth Division, dubbed “American Characters,” for kindergarten through middle school students. They will compete by age groups for NGC ribbons and rosettes.

For added fun, the garden club members have been invited to participate in a Zinnia-Growing Challenge. This will Be District I’s fourth growing challenge.  It’s purpose is two-fold; to sell the seeds to raise funds for this show and to create a competitive challenge where the entire membership starts with the same seed.  This show’s horticulture growing challenge is titled, “Stars and Stripes” and features three types of Zinnia seed; Red flowering Zinnia elegans ‘Will Rogers’, Red and White Striped Heirloom Zinnia elegans ‘Bon Bon Mix’ and Zinnia linearis with Gold, White and Orange single star-like blooms. The winner of this competition is slated to be awarded an NGC Horticultural Award of Merit, The District Director’s Award, a $50 check and all bragging rights!

Honorary Flower Show chairmen are FGCMD President, Susie Middleton and FGCMD District I Director, Terry Holman, along with the National Garden Club President, Brenda Moore and Central Atlantic Region of State Club’s Director, Monica Hansen.

For further information, contact Ann Street at 443-783-2029 / alstreet@comcast.net.