By Samantha Russell

WESTPORT — Westport Garden Club celebrated its 100th anniversary and the beauty of horticulture with the “Westport’s Town Treasures” centennial show Saturday at Saugatuck Congregational Church. 

Club members showcased their creations and attendees appreciated the arrangements reflecting a wide range of distinctive floral materials and styles.

The event featured dozens of arrangements and photographs in many floral-themed categories with specifc guidelines for entrants to meet. 

On one side of the church’s Hoskins Hall guests could admire more traditional pieces, with more exotic displays on the other side. 

Winner of first prize for a traditional arrangement was Cheryl Cappiali, a member of the Milford Garden Club and an event judge (who recused herself from judging her own entry).

Peggy Townsend created an arrangement using artichokes that responded to the prompt: Make a creative product with a vegetable. She linked visual similarities of artichokes and a pink Croatian flower in the arrangement that was a tall blend of wood, flower and vegetable.

Not far from Townsend’s piece wasLydia Menendez’s arrangement displaying a bright orange flower and complementary dishes placed on a wooden dinner tray. Menendez is an art enthusiast and has been a member of the Westport Garden Club since the 1970s, she said. Her background in the arts influences her designs in flower arranging, she said. She found all the items in her piece around her home in Fairfield.

Kara McKenna-Wong, show co-chair and eight-year club member, used recycled items for her piece. It featured laundry detergent containers and a pack of Gatorade to complement white florals. She was inspired by 3-D pictures displayed at the Westport Library, she said. 

Karin Pyskaty, president of Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut, displayed a mass of greens and purple flowers from her garden. The goal of the flower show is to share the beauty of horticulture with the public, she said.

Several organizations promoting environmental health also were hand to promote their activities. A photography display was also featured on the main stage. 

In tribute to the show theme of “Westport Town Treasures,” Kelle Ruden, former club president, developed a floral piece that used a book about Westport as well as other information It won first prize in that category.

Many from Westport and out-of-towners attended the event for their love of art, photography and horticulture. 

Photographer and Federated Garden Club member Peggy Boissoneau attended with her sister — and brought her camera. When her travels brought her near the area, she made sure to attend the Westport show, Boissoneau said.

Ellie Bowman and Betsy Kreuter, both members of the Garden Club of Old Greenwich, visited the show in support of their fellow Fairfield County garden club members. Their club hosted its own flower show Sept. 25, and members of the Westport Garden Club had attended. So, it only felt right for Bowman and Kreuter to reciprocate the support, they said. 

The mission of the Westport Garden Club is to further the interest and knowledge in gardening, horticulture and flower design for area residents, according to the club’s website, and to promote environmental preservation. 

“Affiliated with the Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut, Inc., and National Garden Clubs, Inc., we support the beautification and sustainability of Westport through the maintenance of several public gardens, and special projects, and offer support to civic organizations that share our cornerstone values of education, conservation, preservation, and beautification.”

Samantha Russell is a Westport Journal intern.