The Historic RailPark & Train Museum will be transformed into a vibrant, fragrant spectacle on Wednesday as the Cardinal Council of Garden Clubs hosts its 57th annual flower show. Open to the public from 1 to 5 p.m., the event is themed “Nursery Rhymes Remembered.”
Susan Throneberry, co-chair of the show and president of the Garden Club of Kentucky, explained, “All titles of classes remind us of growing up listening to those familiar poems.” Some of the whimsical class titles include “Jack Be Nimble” for the decorated candlestick category, “Three Blind Mice” for parallel design, “Hickory Dickory Dock” for framed spatial design, and four petite design classes (less than 12 inches tall) named “A Tisket, a Tasket,” “I’m a Little Teapot,” “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” and “It Made the Children Laugh and Play.”
“There are 54 classes of horticulture, all incorporating nursery rhymes into their divisions,” Throneberry said, highlighting the Rose Division as “Ring Around the Rosie.” The event is expected to feature over 250 specimens and 30 designs in the main room, while a smaller room will showcase youth entries, botanical arts, and educational displays.
“It is breathtaking to walk into the Historic Depot and see row after row of horticulture,” Throneberry said. “And it’s not just the beauty of the flowers, but the wonderful fragrance.”
Beekeeper Eugenia LaRue from Warren County Beekeepers and Jackson’s Orchard, known for its community engagement, will also present exhibits on apples, pruning, and spraying practices. “We are so lucky to have people in our community that not only volunteer their time, but also their resources,” Throneberry added.
The annual show aims to stimulate interest in horticulture and artistic design, develop aesthetic senses, and educate the public and garden club members. Throneberry noted that the event always draws a crowd, with people eagerly waiting for the doors to open at 1 p.m. “Some people mention they come to see the Depot and the flower show, so it’s a great opportunity for the community to visit the Depot.”
The number of entries can vary each year due to weather conditions. “This year, we have had really warm weather with lots of rain,” Throneberry observed. “Our members have lovely gardens, and we hope they will bring a bounty of flowers, arboreal, potted plants, and herbs.”
Only members of National Garden Clubs can enter this NGC Standard Show, an outreach project for the Cardinal Council of Garden Clubs, which includes the Bowling Green, Glasgow, Two Creeks, and Warren East garden clubs.
This marks the fifth year that Throneberry has co-chaired the event with Mary Ann Hext. Throneberry addressed common stereotypes about garden clubs, saying, “While we do wear gloves – gardening gloves – most of us are very active and busy, and we find gardening to be a great way to get some exercise.”
Throneberry views the show as both a learning experience and an opportunity to educate and entertain the public. It’s a “great opportunity for beginning gardeners to see what grows well in our area.” This year’s show is particularly special, featuring youth classes and a playful theme. “We’ve also been honored to win the National Garden Club Flower Show Awards for the last two shows,” she added.
Youth classes are grouped by age, with themes such as “Humpty Dumpty Sat on a Wall” for grades K-12, “Baa Baa Black Sheep” for grades 3-4, and “There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe” for grades 5-8. “Those classes will be our future garden club members, and we hope to create excitement and a yearning for more information, encouraging their families to tour the show and visit their child’s entry,” Throneberry said.
