Saturday was a beautiful day for the first Plympton Flower Show held on the town Green. About a hundred selections were entered into the adult categories of Species, Arrangement, or Produce, with children’s categories in Produce and Fairy Garden.
Gabby Falconieri and Stephanie Teran, of the Friends of the Plympton Garden Club, spearheaded the event that ran from registration from 9 to 10 a.m., then judging from 10 to 11 a.m., followed by audience appreciation from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Children were happy to see their Fairy Houses, many of which were made earlier in the week as a special project at the Plympton Library. Fashioned out of various bits of vegetation and forest litter, the unlikely elements were transformed into cozy cottages for tiny fairies. One little guy even added a twig ladder to his, “… because they’re very small and the ladder will help them get in,” he explained to the photographer.
Waiting for the judges, children also got to play with the bubble machine, color and coloring books, and photo-op with flower cutouts.
Floral arrangements were judged by well-known South Shore horticulturalist and designer George Stanchfield; gardener and chef of Just Right Farm fame Kimberly Russo; and Elise Freda, flower farmer extraordinaire from Crooked Barn Flowers in Kingston.
The upbeat tunes of Plympton’s Old Time Jam gave a country feel to the event as the group got together to perform on the Gazebo. Barry Decristofano played his mandolin, while others played their mandolins, guitar, and fiddle. Plympton Old Time Jam gets together twice a month and is open to anyone who likes to “play our kind of music.” What’s the difference between a fiddle and a violin? “Attitude!” was the answer.
Acting as Master of Ceremonies was Plympton’s own Mike Lemieux of “Houses with History” fame.
Awarded the prize for Best in Show was Dave Alberti whose pumpkin was a real show stopper! The cucurbitacae, a French strain with light peach skin draped with a veil of beige netting here and there, definitely had an attitude! The judges appreciated it and awarded Dave the grand prize.
All the children were awarded Participation ribbons.
The often-heard sentiment throughout the crowd was “I hope they do this again next year!”
Proceeds from the event will be used for the Plympton Garden Club.