Puddock Hill Journal #23: We hosted the wonderful Garden Club of Wilmington this week, which got me thinking about awards and their consequences.
Yesterday, we hosted the Garden Club of Wilmington’s annual flower show and cocktail party at Puddock Hill.
The day began with organized chaos as exhibits rolled in and were placed on display throughout the house. Then judges arrived, enjoyed lunch, and selected their favorites. One of the dahlias from Pam’s raised bed garden, a late entry, won a first-place ribbon, much to our surprise and delight. (Judging is blind, so no fix was in!) That evening, our new patio served as the venue for cocktails surrounded by new garden beds stocked with native perennials, grasses, and shrubs.
As Pam was away during the morning on a conflict, yours truly helped smooth the glide path when requested by club leaders and competition entrants. I had nothing to do with matters horticultural this day, but it was fun to watch things unfold.
At one point, I opened the door to the arrival of a pair of judges who complimented the property and asked whether they could have a walk about. I promptly began to explain how they could stroll down the barn path…