The Boca Grande Garden Club will celebrate its 15th anniversary year during the 2012-2013 season.
Several local, national and international speakers will appear on Boca Grande this season and day trips are planned to well-known gardens in addition to an overnight trip to Epcot's famed Spring Flower Festival.
The annual Christmas luncheon and members' Garden Tour will feature special activities recognizing the milestone capped by a special Anniversary Celebration Feb. 13, 2013.
Article Photos
Ilene Corbett puts the finishing touches on her “From the Garden” table at the 2011 Boca Grande Garden Club Christmas Luncheon. The theme this year is “Celebrating a Storybook Christmas.”
Speaker Jane Godshalk of Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania will open the season at 1 p.m. Nov. 7 at the Boca Grande Community Center Auditorium. The program is free to members and open to the public as space is available basis for $25.
Godshalk has won the Garden Club of America's national medal for "consistently innovative floral design," and the American Horticulture Society's Great American Gardener Award for "significant contributions to floral design in publications, on the platform, and to the public."
She also has won several awards at the famed Chelsea Flower Show in England and is a liaison between the Garden Club of America and the 31-nation World Association of Flower Arrangers. In addition to studying with floral designers from Germany, Italy, South Africa, and Holland, Godshalk has studied with Canadian designer Hitomi Gilliam, the featured speaker in February.
Fact Box
Boca Grande Garden Club schedule
Nov. 7: Jane Godshalk
Jane Godshalk, "Artful Holiday Arrangements" with sale of arrangements after presentation and orchid sale by Joe Hayden, 1 p.m. Boca Grande Community Center Auditorium. For reservations, call Kay Ferland at (941) 924-7328, send $25 check payable to the Boca Grande Garden Club, marked "Nov Mtg" in the memo line, to Doe Flannery at P.O. Box 1246, Boca Grande FL 33921.
Nov. 8: BGGC orientation
New Members Orientation Program, 4 p.m., 665 Boca Bay Drive, Boca Grande, leadership team and new members. Contact Ann Keefe at ann66Keefe@yahoo.com.
Nov. 14: Bulb-forcing workshop
Bulb Forcing Workshop, 10 a.m., Boca Bay Beach Club, $20 members, $30 non-members. For reservations, contact Gay Darsie at darsieandelste@aol.com or call 964-0976 after Nov. 3.
Dec. 5: Christmas Luncheon
Christmas Luncheon, "Celebrating a Storybook Christmas," 11:30 a.m., with professional storyteller Katie Adams, Gasparilla Inn Private Dining Room, $48 members, $60 guests, 100 attendee limit. For reservations, mail check after Oct, 15 payable to the Boca Grande Garden Club, marked 'Christmas Luncheon' in memo line, to Jennie Albertson, P.O. Box 1997, Boca Grande FL 33921, with "Attention: Christmas Luncheon" on the envelope.
Dec. 12: Wreath-making workshop
Boca Bay Beach Club, 10 a.m., $20 members, $30 non-members, for reservations, contact Gay Darsie at darsieandelste@aol.com or 964-0976 after Nov 3.
Jan. 9: Charlie Nardozzi
Charlie Nardozzi, "Contemporary Container Gardening," 1 p.m. Jan. 9, with orchid/plant sale by Line Berousek, Pomello Park Nurser, Boca Grande Community Center Auditorium. For guest reservations, call Kay Ferland at (941) 924-7328, and mail check for $25payable to the Boca Grande Garden Club, marked "Jan Mtg" in memo line to Doe Flannery at P.O. Box 1246, Boca Grande FL 33921.
Jan. 23: Hand-Tied Bouquets
Hand-Tied Bouquets workshop, 10 a.m., Boca Bay Beach Club, $20 members, $30 non-members. For reservations, contact Gay Darsie at darsieandelste@aol.com or 964-0976 after Nov 3.
Feb. 1: Spanish Point trip
Field Trip to Historic Spanish Point in Osprey, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., old Florida at its best with bus trip, guided tour and lunch, Price TBD. Contact Dee Wheeler at wheeledg@comcast.net or call. 964-2741.
Feb. 6: Hitomi Gilliam
Hitomi Gilliam, "Newest Concepts in Floral Design" talk and demonstration, followed by sale of floral designs, 1 p.m., Boca Grande Community Center Auditorium. Guest reservations, call Kay Ferland at (941) 924-7328, and mail check for $30 payable to the Boca Grande Garden Club, marked "Feb Mtg" in memo line to Doe Flannery at P.O. Box 1246, Boca Grande FL 33921.
Feb. 7: Floral design workshop
Floral Design Workshop with Hitomi Gilliam, includes lunch at the Boca Bay Power House. Price and time TBD. For information contact Gay Darsie at darsieandelste@aol.com or 964-0976.
Feb. 13: 15th Anniversary Party
Boca Grande Garden Club 15th Anniversary Party, noon, Gasparilla Inn Private Dining Room, price TBD, contact Betty Goddard-Fisher at betgoddard@aol.com or call 964-0813.
March 6: Rebecca Sweet
Rebecca Sweet, "Vertical Gardening, Both Ornamental and Edible," book sale and signing following presentation, 1 p.m. Boca Grande Community Center Auditorium. For guest reservations, call Kay Ferland at (941) 924-7328, and mail check for $25 payable to the Boca Grande Garden Club, marked "March Mtg" in memo line to Doe Flannery at P.O. Box 1246, Boca Grande FL 33921.
March 7-9: Epcot trip
Boca Grande Garden Club Epcot trip. Details TBA.
April 10: Garden Tour
Annual Members Garden Tour, 1 p.m., begins at the Boca Grande Community Center Auditorium.
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Gilliam will appear at 1 p.m. Feb. 6 at the Boca Grande Community Center Auditorium, free to members and open to non-members for $30.
"Hitomi's friendship with last year's popular speaker, Els Teunissen, led her to accept our invitation to Boca Grande," said BGGC President Nora Lea Reefe in a press release.
Gilliam is the author of six books, founder of the annual Survival of the Creative Minds conference in New Mexico and a leading-edge floral designer who specializes in contemporary abstract styles.
"She is a megastar in the world of floral design as one of only seven recipients of the American Institute of Florida Designers prestigious Design Influence Awards," Reefe said. "She is by far the most sought-after speaker by museums and botanical gardens across North America."
Gilliam founded the Design 358 Floral Collective, a group focused on sharing knowledge and floral design awareness through its annual Flower Trend Summit Report.
The Jan. 9 program will feature "garden coach" Charlie Nardozzi from Burlington, Vt., a noted garden writer, radio and television personality, discussing the revolution in container gardening. He has appeared on the Discovery Channel, CBS and HGTV, in addition to being host of PBS's Garden Smart, which reaches more than 60 million households.
He will speak at 1 p.m. at the Boca Grande Community Center, free to members and open to non-members for $25.
Next is Rebecca Sweet, a vibrant garden designer who co-authored the national best-seller "Garden Up! Smart Vertical Gardening for Small and Large Spaces," which made Amazon's Top 10 Home and Garden list in 2011.
This program will be held at 1 p.m. March 6 at the Boca Grande Community Center Auditorium, free to members and open to non-members for $25.
Sweet writes the column, "Harmony in the Garden" for Horticulture Magazine, and is a contributing author at Fine Gardening magazine and American Gardener. Featured on the PBS series "Growing a Greener World," a radio guest on Garden Life and the Martha Stewart Living, Sweet focuses on innovative, practical and fun horticultural projects. Her "Gossip in the Garden" blog shares gardening tips, design strategies and how-to videos.
The annual Christmas Luncheon will be held at 11:30 a.m. Dec. 5 at the Gasparilla Inn Private Dining Room with the theme, "Celebrating a Storybook Christmas." Tables will be decorated to portray favorite stories or books. The lunch will feature professional storyteller, Katie Adams, owner of Make Believe Theater and a member of the National Storytelling Network. Adams will perform a holiday themed storytelling show.
The event will be offered to the public after Nov. 7 on a space-available basis for $60.
Five workshops limited to 12 people will be scheduled on bulb forcing, wreath making, hand-tied bouquets, Ikebana design and pavement design, in addition to a major workshop conducted by the Gilliam at 1 p.m. Feb. 7 at the Boca Bay Power House which will also include lunch. Workshops are open to non-members for $30 with price to be determined for the Gilliam Workshop.
