Spring Flower Show Attracts Competitors
Grace Posey won best of show in the Design Division and Margaret Watson won best of show in the horticulture division at the Monticello Garden Club flower show held last Thursday at Thomas Persons Hall. Mary Lou Jordan presented a program on the history of the Garden Club and West View Cemetery as part of the Jasper County Historical Foundation’s annual meeting.
The Garden Club also provided refreshments for all who attended. There were a total of 124 entries in the flower show, and guests enjoyed seeing the various displays. The hall was open for guests to view the flower show entries from 5:30 to 7 p.m. before the program, and then again after the program.
Ann Mercer opened the meeting, welcoming everyone to Thomas Persons Hall. She gave a little background, then Greg Wyatt thanked the outgoing officers. He said how it takes so many people working to keep the hall going. He said there are just two paid employees who work a total of 30 hours a week. He recognized Cissy Benton who was in attendance and Sandy Fletcher who was not present, but stays busy with the Historical Foundation and the hall.
Mr. Wyatt thanked everyone for coming. He talked about Jasper County growing during his years here, saying as a child growing up, he knew everyone, but the county is growing. He said we need to save as much history as we can. He talked about his passion to save as much as possible. He talked about dismantling and restoring historic homes, saying one from Newton County had been moved to Wrightsville where it is being re-assembled, and that his family plans to move there one day.
He said he grew up on the Farrar/Broughton Community and mentioned a sale he is hosting this week. He said there are 11 historic buildings at the Broughton stop which will be open this weekend when he has a sale.
Mr. Wyatt told the crowd that the foundation is planning to purchase a new sign to be placed out front, and said he had a $1,000 match if anyone wanted to donate to match that $1,000. Immediately several people volunteered, with one or more offering $1,000, and several agreeing to donate $100.
Then he invited Sam Kelly, treasurer and nominating chairman up to nominate the new board members.
Ken Horton has agreed to be chair, and Lee Russell with serve as president. Mike Newton is president-elect and board members Phillip Jordan, Robert Jordan, Bobbi Sauls, and Bobbie Jean Ozburn. Those officers were approved, and Ms. Mercer was given the title of chair emeritus.
Then Mary Lou Jordan gave the program on the Monticello Garden Club, the second oldest garden club in the nation. It was organized May 3, 1896 as the Ladies Garden Club at the home of Mrs. Milton Benton at 248 Greene Street and held its first Rose Show (with a baby show) on June 5, 1896. West View Cemetery became one of its main projects.
In 1936, the Ladies Garden Club became the Monticello Garden Club, reorganized with nine of the original members still active for the purpose of buying and maintaining West View Cemetery. Mrs. Jordan talked about how exciting it is to review the scrapbooks and archives of the Garden Club that go back to 1896. She said the club still hand writes the minutes of every meeting.
She said that the National Garden Club is the largest volunteer group of its kind. She went on to tell about the Garden Club’s acquisition of West View Cemetery and told of some of the challenges faced by the club.
Mrs. Jordan started guests on a virtual tour of Monticello, showing how many areas have been touched by the Garden Club. She mentioned the grounds of Thomas Persons Hall, and the dogwoods along College Street. She said the Garden Club is responsible for planting shrubs at Jasper Memorial Hospital and has been instrumental in producing the garden next to the Retreat. She then took the guests to the Square and the memorial roses at the monument there. The Garden Club also has partnered with the American Legion to plant roses at its memorial wall that was recently built. She talked about Hwy. 16 west and how prolific the Queen Anne’s Lace is there.
Then Mrs. Jordan talked about the work the Garden Club does at West View Cemetery. To make it a beautiful burial place. She talked about an article in The Monticello News in 1896, and how it as a blueprint fo hwo to get things done. She talked about the social feature and idea exchange of the Garden Club. She said the Garden Club selected and started buying the burial ground back in 1896. By the end of the year, the new cemetery was being put in. She talked about the installation o the wrought iron gate and arch, which are still there, albeit the arch has been raised a couple times.
She said the constitution of the Garden Club said its goal is to promote cultivation. Dues were $1 a year, and there was an initiation fee of 50 cents.
In addition, if a member missed a meeting, she was expected to pay 10 cents.
They then developed the motto of “Monticello’s Beauty–Our Civic Duty.
She said Queen Anne’s lace became the official flower of the Monticello Garden Club in 1956. Garden Club meetings ceased during wartime, and the Monticello Garden Club was re-activated in 1936. Its primary effort is the cemetery. The Garden Club is a non-profit organization, starting in 1937. They encountered problems with the IRS in the 1980s and 1990s, but in 1996 it as established as a perpetual care cemetery which is tax exempt. The club spends about $20,000 a year on the upkeep of the cemetery. She said donations are important to keep the perpetual care of the cemetery.
Mrs. Jordan described what an anomaly it is for the Garden Club to own the cemetery. She thinks it may be the only cemetery owned such as the one here.
Mrs. Jordan talked about the relationship between the Garden Club and Thomas Persons Hall. And, she told how she got her love of flowers from Francis Jordan. Mrs. Jordan closed saying there’s no place like Monticello.
Flower entries were submitted by numerous people Their placement is as follows:
Division I – Horticulture
Best in Show – Margaret Watson
Class 1- Flowering Branch–Christine Hurst, first; Kaye Quam, second, and Debby Kelly, third.
Class 2 – Foliage Branch–Shirley Hotch, first; Debby Kelly, second; Christine Hurst, third.
Class 3 – Bulbs–Sara Russell, first; Shirley Hotch, second, and Debby Kelly, third
Class 4 – Perennials–Margaret Watson, first; Debby Kelly, second; Sara Russell, third.
Class 5 – Irises–Mary Lou Jordan, first; Sara Russell, second and third.
Class 6 – House Plants–Debbie Odum, first; Christine Hurst, second, and Margaret Watson, third.
Division II – Design
Best in Show – Grace Posey
Class 1- My First Design–Grace Posey, first; Patricia Rogers, second, and Monica Whitworth, third.
Class 2 – Think Small–Gail Parrott, first; Mary Lou Jordan, second, and Neala Morgan, third.
Class 3 – Fruit/Vegetable–Margaret Watson, first; Dianne Parker, second, and Kaye Quam, third.
Class 4 – Whimsical—Debbie Odum, first; Debby Kelly, second, and Mary Lou Jordan, third.
Class 5 – Green Plus One–Patricia Rogers, first; Mary Lou Jordan, second, and Judy Abney, third.
