Hi! Ho! Come to the Fair!

The McCracken County Fair begins on Mon., June 22.  Of special interest to area gardeners is the Horticulture Show that day  

and the Floral Design Show on Thurs., June 25, sponsored by McCracken Co. Master Gardeners, Perennial Gardeners, and Open Gate Garden Club.   All area gardeners are encouraged to enter their best plant specimens and their creative designs.  

Horticulture entries will be accepted 7:30 am--10:30 a.m. on June 22nd.  Floral designs must be pre-registered at amcneilly@comcast.net.   Pick up a complete flower show schedule available at McCracken County Extension Office, or on-line at the McCracken County Fair website under events. 

Another Chance for a Floral Design Class

If you did not get a chance to attend one of the daytime floral design classes, you have an opportunity to attend an evening workshop. McCracken County Extension Agent, Kathy Wimberley will present a program on Floral Design at the McCracken County Master Gardener Association Toolbox at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2 at the McCracken County Extension Office, 2705 Olivet Church Road in Paducah. As always, the Toolbox is a free program for the community. Due to classroom size, the workshop is limited to 35 participants. To make reservations, please call 270-554-9520.

Floral Design Workshop II

Would you like to create traditional mass designs like these?

Design and photo by Master Gardener, Anne McNeilly

Design by Jean Meredith
Photo by Master Gardener, Anne McNeilly

Or are you more interested in modern creations like these hanging designs?

Design by Sandee Walters 
     Photo by Michael Drewitz      

    

Design by Shirley Knight
Photo by Michael Drewitz

These two types of designs will be the focus of the second floral design workshop on May 11, 1:30 pm, at the UK Extension office at 2705 Olivet Chruch Road.  The free workshops are planned as preparation for the 2015 McCracken County Fair Flower Show, "SEE BLUE;" however, everyone is welcome  even if one is not planning to enter a design in the fair.  The traditional mass design class at this year's show is called, "Blue Skies;"  the hanging design class is titled, "My Blue Heaven."  The latter class will be "hands on" with the participants having the opportunity to experiment  with balance and movement within a supplied frame.  

Floral Design Workshops

2011 Best of Show Pot-et-Fleur design by Phyllis Flowers 

Photo by Anne McNeilly

The design committee for the McCracken County Fair Flower Show, "SEE BLUE," is planning a series of three workshops on floral design.  The first one will be April 27, 1:00 p.m., at the

McCracken County Extension office.  Other sessions will be on May 11 and June 8.

On April 27, Sally Wilkins, National Garden Clubs Certified Flower Show Judge, will demonstrate  making two different designs featured at this year's show, Illuminary  and Pot-et-Fleur.

Illuminary designs are  creative, abstract designs  incorporating lights for special effect.  In the 2015 flower show, the class is titled "Blue Moon of Kentucky."  Pot-et-Fleur designs are more traditional and combine rooted and cut flowers, as in the prize-winning design pictured above.  This year's  class is called "Blue Oasis."

 Anyone interested in learning more about  floral design is invited to attend these sessions.  One need not be committed to entering  design competition at the fair.  

Free Floral Design Workshop

Design by Master Gardener, Carol Ullerich

Flower arranging is an art which goes back in history almost 5,000 years, possibly more. The earliest evidences we have of this art are the pottery flower holding vases from Egyptian tombs or ruins. All down through the ages there is further evidence that flowers and floral decorations have played an important part in the life of civilized man. The McCracken County Extension service is hosting a Fantastic Floral Design Workshop on Tuesday, March 3. This class will help increase your knowledge of floral design elements-principles, history and color use. The free class will be held at 1:30 p.m. at the McCracken County Extension office, 2705 Olivet Church Road in Paducah. You can call the extension office at 270-554-9520 for additional information.

Design by Master Gardener, Carol Ullerich

Floral Design is a popular division in the McCracken County Fair Standard Flower Show. This is a great opportunity to learn about and further develop your floral design skills in preparation for the flower show.