In 2017 the Flower Department will mark its 65th year to be part of the Great Darke County Fair.
We are just weeks away from opening day and it’s getting down to crunch time when everything must be in place and all final plans made.
The Flower Department will have several new classes added to the show this year. A class entitled “Freaked by Nature” will highlight fresh flower exhibits that have been faceted or distorted by nature and it can be with or without foliage. The exhibit must be named to the variety and only one stem is needed. That class will be on both Saturday and Wednesday show days in the adult horticulture section.
New to the Saturday adult horticulture section is an entry for Elephant Ear, named, one leaf. The exhibitor must furnish their own weighted container for large exhibits. The leaf is not to exceed 24 inches in leaf length. A new class for succulents include Miniature succulents, one variety named with containers to be 6 inches and under in any dimension. Succulents, named, one large variety and a class for three or more succulent varieties, named.
The junior division will also have a freestanding vertical garden class on Saturday, allowing any plant material, annuals, perennials, succulents or cacti.
New for Wednesday in adult horticulture section are Fairy Gardens, each plant must be named as to the variety used in the garden and the exhibit is not to exceed 24 inches overall. There will be a class for Vertical Gardens, again each variety of plant material named, and that is to be free standing as they will not hang. The fair book states not to exceed 24 inches but the committee has enlarged that to say “not to exceed 36 inches overall”.
The Junior Division has added a horticulture class growing Hens and Chicks with the container to be a recycled/salvaged container.
For the artistic part of the shows, Class # 75, “Traveling with American Pickers” traditional design, the background for should read 24 inches x 36 inches rather than what was printed in the show schedule. Each exhibitor has been notified of the change.
An interesting class to be staged by our Butterflies Junior Garden Club is “Cancer Awareness,” fresh design; color will depict a different cancer, listed on a 3 inch x 5 inch card. Each member has researched the different color charts of cancer and has reported that information to the club. They must make a fresh design highlighting the color of the type of cancer they researched. Their design will have the information they feel is important and hope there can be a cure for cancer in their lifetime.
The Darke County Association of Garden Clubs will hold a small celebration on Wednesday, August 23, at 2:30 in the flower show area celebrating their 65 years as a department. We welcome any garden club members, past or present, to come and celebrate the work and fun it takes to provide the Best Fair Flower Show in the State of Ohio.
