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Elegant Gardeners Host First Flower Show

Late Bloomers Show in SCC

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Laura Cone

Published: March 31, 2009

SUN CITY CENTER - Florence Iannazzi said she had no clue how to pronounce the scientific name of the plant she entered in the recent "Late Bloomers" flower show in Sun City Center.

A member of the Elegant Gardeners Club of Sun City Center, Iannazzi was sure about one thing: the club's first flower show was a hit.

"This experience was amazing," said Iannazzi, who helped label the cards with the plants' common, family and scientific names. "We knew nothing about running a flower show. We all had to learn and do a lot of research."

She entered a succulent plant from the plant genus Kalanchoe, which is pronounced "collin-co-wee," and received a first award in the horticulture division.

More than 100 residents of Sun City Center and the surrounding area milled around the flower show in a room at the Atrium Building, admiring the flower arrangements, native and tropical plants on display.

Jean Vazquez, a part-time resident of Sun City Center, said she is a member of a garden club in Long Island and is thinking about joining the one in SCC.

"I was looking at everything," she said. "I love the arrangements and the way they have it set up. It's beautiful."

Marlene and Don Bodden of Kings Point said they just moved to the area from Pittsburgh.

"We are so glad we came," Marlene said. "It's so interesting. I'm amazed we have these plants growing in SCC. We are amazed by the variety."

Joan Lawhead, who replaces Molly Tenney as president of the garden club this month, said the March 28 flower show was an official National Garden Club Small Standard Flower Show.

The club is a member of the National Garden Clubs, Inc. Deep South Region, Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, District VIII.

She said the club boasts more than 150 members who could enter the design or horticulture categories.

"These are plants they have grown at home," Lawhead said. "They are mostly native plants and a few exotics."

Jan Griffin, Rose Vickers and Bess Treadwell served as judges for the show they named "Late Bloomers."

She was pleased with her first place in the design division Class III, but even more proud of the work of all the volunteers who made the event possible.

Lawhead used decorative wood, a stunning bromeliad flower and leaves for her "Drifting By" exhibit.

The club meets the second Wednesday of the month from October through May at 10 a.m. to noon in the Florida Room of the Atrium Building off North Pebble Beach Boulevard. For more information, call membership chairwoman Joan Connelly at (813) 642-0590 or visit www.sccegc.org.

Editor Laura Cone may be reached at lcone@mediageneral.com

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