Flower show draws most exhibits ever

The Hill City Evergreen Garden Club annual flower show drew more entries than last year according to show co-organizer Merlene Broer, with a record breaking 175 exhibits.

Broer was pleased with the turnout of attendees, appreciating how many were “off the street.”

Cindy Blanchard and her daughter Lily Newmark were two of those “off the street” people visiting the show for the first time. They learned about the show from a poster at Krull’s, and being from Virginia wanted something fun and unique to do in Hill City. Blanchard called the show “super fun and beautiful” and was impressed to see the plantings from other parts of the country.

“It’s a great way to build community,” Blanchard said. “We walk in and we find community.”

Cheryl Honour was also at the show for the first time. Honour is new to the garden club and described some of the entries as creative, saying “I think it’s amazing.” 

Honour especially loved the entries that stuck to this year’s theme, “The Waltz of the Flowers.”

That theme greeted visitors the minute they walked in with an elaborate display of old records, flowers and whimsy.

Merle Glenn, co-organizer of the show, explained the display was a way to combine flowers, music and dancing.

Glenn’s favorite entry came from the Hill City Post Office, one of several businesses that entered the show.

“It’s unique for the postal people to reach out,” Glenn said. She described the display as “well thought out” and “imaginative.”

Broer enjoys the arrangement displays because she says she is “limited in creativity.”

Both Glenn and Broer explained that this year’s garden season has been challenging, due in part to the cold and wet weather.

“I usually have 15 beautiful deck boxes,” Broer says. “I have none this year.”

She said that may be why there were fewer container gardens and so many wildflower entries to the show.

“Annuals have suffered a lot,” Broer says.

As always, the flower show featured a children’s activity and student entries, which mostly come from two families.

It also features numerous raffle items, many from local artists.

“The artists put beautiful things together,” Glenn said, noting the use of flowers in many of the skilled artists’ raffle items.

All the money from the raffles supports the Boys and Girls Club. This year a record-setting $715 was raised. 

The Hill City Evergreen Garden Club meets the fourth Wednesday of the month. Its next meeting will be at Tracy Park and will be a summer picnic.