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Innisfil Garden Club wraps up until the spring (12 photos)

Gardeners met at the Churchill Community Centre for awards, elections, and a potluck lunch

The Innisfil Garden Club wrapped up another successful year on Sunday, with its Annual General Meeting, Election of officers, and presentation of awards.

But first, members celebrated with a Potluck Luncheon, and received congratulations from both MP for Barrie Innisfil John Brassard, and Innisfil Mayor Lynn Dollin.

Both thanked the volunteers for their contributions over the years, and Mayor Dollin expressed a hope that the Garden Club will be involved in the 2020 celebration of the Town of Innisfil’s Bicentennial.

Congratulations to the following, who received their awards and trophies from the 2019 flower shows, held at the Churchill Community Centre:

Marilyn Elliott – Most Overall Points in Flower Shows, Best Lily in Show, Best Chrysanthemum Award.

Jenni Murrell – Most Points in Floral Design A (Advanced), Best Rose Memorial Award, Largest Spanish Onion Award (sponsored by Lakeview Gardens garden centre).

Jan Drybrough – Most Points in Floral Design B (Beginner), Best Peony Award

Victor Foster – Most Overall Points for Rose Show, Most Fragrant Rose Award

Ruth Matchett – Most Overall Points for Vegetables and Fruits, Best Tulip in Show award

Cathy Reid – Best Gladiolus Award.

“We have again this year had 6 flower shows and two of these were held on Saturdays, in May and September, followed by a social tea and light lunch,” said Jenni Murrell at the start of the presentations.

She noted that when the flower show schedules are set, “we have no idea of what the weather is going to throw at us.”

This year, gardeners were hit with a late spring, heavy rains, followed by a dry spell, “but we somehow seemed to manage,” Murrell said. “This year we had a total of 472 entries.”

Ninety-seven of the entries were for floral design – with 41 entered by beginners, impressing the judges.

Murrell noted that Garden Club members also entered the District 16 Fall Flower show. “We took home a total of four First places, two Second places, one Third – and our novice Marsha Thomas won the Judge’s Choice Ribbon… We were well represented at the show.”

President Lucy Valente and her executive were returned for another term of office. Valente also presented OHA Certificates of Recognition to Agnes More and Terry Chambers, and Society President’s Awards to Verna Sawyer and Bradford Today reporter Miriam King, for the online community news coverage of the Innisfil Garden Club.

Then, just like local gardens, the Innisfil Garden Club prepared to go “dormant” until the spring – meeting next in March of 2020.


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Miriam King

About the Author: Miriam King

Miriam King is a journalist and photographer with Bradford Today, covering news and events in Bradford West Gwillimbury and Innisfil.
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