The Carolina Classic Fair proved to be another opportunity for many of the Bermuda Run Garden Club members to showcase their creativity in a big way, winning a total of 68 ribbons.  One of the design categories was “Cowboy Songs” and Dianne Guthrie’s stunning display was called “Out Where the West Begins,” which was awarded first place.   In the same category, Gaye Orsini took second, Beth Wright took third and Amy Bridges earned a fourth.  Donna Lamonds won a blue ribbon for her daisies. It’s important to emphasize that a whole lot more goes into entering flowers in the fair than sticking a posy into a jar.  From springtime ground preparation to watering during the heat of a Carolina July, and then coaxing a bloom from a stem the week before the fair takes knowledge, dedication, luck and sometimes prayer! When the ribbons are awarded, the garden club earns monetary prizes which goes to further our projects in the community.  Co-chairs Bonnie Rockaway, who has worked on the committee for 33 years, Shelby Nichols and Ann Cornwell were the ones who organized, informed and transported the entries to the fairgrounds.  Their hard work was the backbone of every success!

Our October meeting was a hands-on morning at Myers Greenhouse where members came with a pot to fill. Under the direction of Teresa Myers, we were able to select from a large number of plants to create a floral display that will provide color through the winter with a minimum of care.  Hostesses Beth Wright and Amy Bridges made goodie bags with fall-themed treats.

The November meeting was held at the Bermuda Run Club House where we enjoyed a delicious lunch of soup and salad.  Hostesses Diana Kaylor and Luanne Taylor furnished a gorgeous fall centerpiece and individual favors.  The guest speaker was Brad Goodrum, a licensed landscape contractor and a licensed plant professional.  He presented a program on pruning, bringing his tools to illustrate some dos and don’ts. He emphasized how fortunate we are to have excellent resources furnished by the State Extension Service from NC State University.  He highly recommends using their Plant Toolbox, an on-line resource for over 4600 plants.  He answered questions about when and how to prune common plants. We all learned a lot from his presentation.

The garden club will be creating eight arrangements to be raffled off at the Storehouse for Jesus luncheon on December 4 at Bermuda Village.  Diane Guthrie explained that books of tickets will be for sale, and hinted at some of the unique designs that will tempt the attendees. We can hardly wait to see the finished products! All proceeds will benefit the Storehouse.

There will be no meeting for December, instead we will enjoy a dinner with spouses and guests at Bermuda Village. The next regular meeting will be in January, when we start planning our gardens for 2026.