THS celebrates with 100th anniversary flower show

Visitors to the Trevose Horticultural Society’s 100th anniversary flower show, “Rooted in History”, were greeted by 400 horticultural, artistic, junior and senior designs and educational exhibit entries entered by members and area gardeners.

Staged at St. Ephrem Catholic Church in Bensalem, several members and local gardeners earned multiple ribbons in the Horticultural and Design Divisions. 

The show also had two special visitors, State Senator Frank Farry and State Rep Joe Hogan, who presented the Society with two citations honoring its 100th year.

In the Horticultural Division the top winner was show Chairperson Karen Wychock (Warrington) who received the National Garden Club’s (NGC) Grower’s Choice Awards for both her single foliage and combination cactus planters.

Wychock also received the Society’s Stella Matczak Award for her first place Horticultural Display entry and the Arnold Young Award for the most blue ribbons for Container Grown potted plants.

Lynn Kay (Bensalem) received both the NGC Award of Horticultural Excellence and Award of Merit for her exceptional Coleus.

Choony Choi (Bensalem) won the NGC Arboreal Award for her superior cut specimen of French Hydrangea and an Award of Merit for her cut specimen of Cosmos.

Choi also received the Society’s Arnold Young Award for her themed container grown dish garden.

A show-stopping cut specimen of Dahlia won the NGC Award of Merit for Christine Dopp (Mountain Top).

Dopp received both the Society’s Erich and Virginia Meitzner Award for the most blue ribbons in the Dahlia classes and the Society’s Sweepstakes Award for the most blue ribbons in Horticulture.

Joe Heald (Hulmeville) earned the NGC Grower’s Choice Award for his unusual flowering potted plant Solanum ‘Christmas Cherry’.

NGC Awards of Merit were awarded to Lenis Van Aken (Holland) for her excellent cut specimen of Sage and Jim Kates (Feasterville) for his ‘Bumble Bee’ sized tomatoes. 

Visitors enjoyed, as well as personally critiqued 22 artistic arrangements reflecting the show theme.

Karen Wychock received both the NGC Award of Design Excellence and the Designer’s Choice Award for her table entry ‘Time Capsule’.

Wychock also earned the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania’s (GCFPA) Award of Special Recognition for Design with her unique design ‘Kodachrome’ and the Society’s Betty Sykes Sweepstakes Trophy for most blue ribbons in the Artistic Design Division.

In a Botanical Arts class ‘Art Deco’, Ruth Kurz (Warrington) won the Society’s Rachel Schwarz Award for her distinctive brooch entry decorated with all dried natural plant material.

Several informative displays focused on broadening the public’s environmental awareness. 

An educational exhibit, “A THS Centennial Celebration”, coordinated by Wychock was awarded the NGC Educational Award.  Her exhibit celebrated the Society’s 100th Birthday with a look back through photos, artifacts, flower show schedules and awards.

An informative exhibit “Home Gardening Over the Century” won the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania Educational and Conservation Silver Award for Richard Longcoy (Warminster).

His exhibit highlighted the early Century home ‘crop’ gardening as a necessity to feed your family.

The Staging Theme Chairperson, Karen Wychock, along with the Society’s membership, merited the GCFPA Staging Award for the show’s overall appearance.

PHOTO CAPS:

1. State Senator Frank Farry (left) and State Rep Joe Hogan (right) present Karen Wychock with citations for the Society.
2. Lynn Kay with her Award of Merit and Horticultural Excellence Award, coleus.
3. Christine Dopp’s first place entry, “Best of My Summer Garden – Cut Specimens.”
4. James Kates waters his third place entry, “Victory Garden.”