Naples Flower Show

On March 25 and 26, 2011, the Naples Garden Club presented its 58^th annual show at the Naples Botanical Garden. The theme was “Garden Party,” in honor of the Naples Botanical garden, where the show has been staged for the seventh time. The setting for this show couldn’t be more perfect. The Garden has 160 acres and is still taking shape. It intends to become one of the finest collections of subtropical and tropical plants in the world. Admission to the Flower Show includes admission to the Gardens, but there is so much to see at the Flower Show that visiting the Gardens is worth a whole extra trip by itself.

The entrance to the Naples Botanical Garden

 This charming white scrollwork cart bursting with bromeliads greeted visitors on the way to the Design Division of the show.

The floral design that graced the entrance to the Standard Flower Show

This row of duo designs is part of the Asian Garden display, “Opposites Attract.” First, you see the Yin sides of the floral designs. In Asian philosophy, Yin is characterized as slow, soft, yielding, diffuse, cold, wet, and passive; and is associated with water, earth, the moon, femininity, and nighttime. Yang, by contrast, is fast, hard, solid, focused, hot, dry, and aggressive; and is associated with fire, sky, the sun, masculinity, and daytime. Look at the Yin and then the Yang sides of these floral designs. They are not just clever back-to-back floral designs, but in addition they typify the colors and qualities associated with Yin and Yang. I thought these designs were fascinating.

The Yin side


The Yang side of the same floral design

Yin


Yang


Yin


Yang


Yin


Yang


Designs of the Ikebana International Naples Chapter. Ikebana is the Japanese art of arranging flowers aesthetically.

Vintage Ikebana

Close-up, Vintage Ikebana

This is one of my very favorite floral designs of the whole show. I’m vintage, too, so maybe that has something to do with why I like it.

Ikebana floral design

These are designs staged in a niche and include an item from a “Gift Shop” as an accessory. They are eligible for the Club Novice Award. You may see various colored ribbons in some of the photos: a blue ribbon is for first place, red is for second, yellow is for third, and white is for honorable mention. Each design is awarded points according to the National Garden Club Standard System of Awarding.

Gift Shop design with papyrus

Close-up of beaded frog in the design

Gift Shop design with orchids

The Caribbean Garden designs are eligible for the tri-color award.

Caribbean Garden design

Caribbean Garden design

Caribbean Garden design

The Naples Orchid Society Exhibit

These are “Swinging Hammocks,” a stretch design staged on a table.

The “stretch” design is in two units, one smaller than the other. It has a prominent component connecting the two units, which is referred to as the "stretch component." This component may extend in any direction, diagonal, vertical or horizontal and may minimally extend beyond the units. The stretch component must be imaginative, and appear to create a dynamic tension between the two units.

Swinging Hammock design

Swinging Hammock Design

Swinging Hammock Design

Children’s Garden Miniatures

Splashing Water Small Designs

Rock Climbing Miniature Design

“Reflecting Ponds” are Exhibition table designs featuring water

Reflecting Ponds table design

 

Reflecting Ponds table design

Florida Native Plant Society Exhibit

Mealtime Mosaic, a functional buffet table for six

Mealtime Mosaic

Close-up of the floral design

Tropical Cocktails, a functional table for two

Tropical Cocktails

The Naples Garden Club Ladies all wore flowery or pastel dresses that matched their elaborately decorated parasols. A very nice touch.

Fancy Flamingo

Combination Plantings
The Horticulture Division includes Container Grown Plants and Cut Specimens

Bouquet of Bromeliads

Succulents

Flapjacks (common name)  in a strawberry planter, a unique use for this kind of pot

Container Grown Plants

A tall basket of begonias

Asian-influenced design

Close-up of the design

Ornamental Foliage

Copper leaf ornamental foliage

Amazing bough from a Dwarf Apple Blossom Tree

Pink pot of orchids

Table full of orchids

Foliage Plant

Foliage Plant

Succulent

Special Exhibits, “Let’s Party,” Cake

A cake design using plant material

Gift Box

Hats in the Garden, a hat design using a premade hat and plant material

Hats in the Garden

Conservancy of Southwest Florida Exhibit

Bonsai Society of Southwest Florida Exhibit

In addition to the Standard Flower show, there were demonstrations and lectures going on throughout both days; vendors selling tropical plants, native plants, organic gardening products, jewelry, art and nature photography; and refreshments, mostly sandwiches, ice cream and drinks. An innovative and appropriate fund raiser was a silent auction to Adopt-A-Gnome. The little Garden Gnomes were hand-painted by volunteers, and proceeds went to benefit children’s educational programming. This was a beautiful show in a beautiful setting, and if I had a beautifully embellished garden hat, I would tip it to the ladies of the Naples Garden Club.