Branford Garden Club (BGC) president Nancy Judd first experienced the true magic of gardening about five years ago, when she offered to chair BGC’s Garden Therapy program.

One of Nancy’s fondest recollections involves her garden therapy visit with a small group of memory care residents at Artis Senior Living of Branford.

“I went to plant vegetables with them out back,” says Nancy. “Well, Louie came along, pushing the cart, and singing Italian opera! And the women were quarreling over how to plant the vegetables! They remembered their farms and their flower gardens. It was wonderful.”

That’s how Nancy knows BGC’s National Garden Club (NGC) Flower Show, “Gardens Around the World: The Greater Perfection,” will be a magical experience for all who attend.

BGC’s extravagant, educational and entertaining NGC Flower Show/Standard Flower Show is Saturday, Sept. 24, 1 to 5 p.m. and Sunday, September 25, noon to 4 p.m. at Branford’s Joseph Trapasso Community House, 46 Church Street.

Tickets, $10 and good for entry both days, are available now at eventbrite.com. Every ticket will also be entered into a drawing to win two tickets to New York Botanical Garden. The show is free to children under 12.

Nancy credits Flower Show chair Doreen Larson-Oboyski (a BGC past president and past Person of the Week) with heading up the tremendous task to pull the show together. She also applauds the show’s many committee chairs and club volunteers.

“This also gives us an opportunity to showcase this beautiful building to the community,” says Nancy of the Community House, which reopened in late 2019 after extensive renovation and expansion.

She thanks Branford Recreation Director Alex Palluzzi Jr. and his team for working collaboratively with BGC to accommodate the two-day show, which will fill the building’s lower floor.

Without giving too much away, Nancy shares a bit about what’s in the planning to transform the Community House for the show.

“It’s a very vibrant show. It’s going to be outstanding. We have some new people on board, including designers, and they’re working on it in such a way that the entrance to the building is being transformed with a beautiful garden set up.”

The garden will flow into the semi-circular building entrance facing the Prospect Street parking lot. Inside, show-stopping spaces will be filled with incredible floral designs made by BGC members. Tables of horticulture exhibits (fresh plant material, including amateur gardener entries) will fill the expansive community meeting room. Other building spaces will feature exceptional educational exhibits. Displays will also include global garden photography by BGC members.

In the gym, show-goers will be welcomed into the Market Place. The show’s garden-related and accessory treasurers are features over two dozen vendors from the state and around the world. The market will also offer a variety of crafts made by members.

As for the floral designs on display, expect nothing less than those inspired by the styles of a spectacular set of gardens from around the world.

“We’re showcasing 19 famous gardens from the around the world -- from Singapore to Asia to India to Canada, England and Scotland, Spain, the USA and more,” says Nancy.

The show’s design section, dubbed “The Many Faces of Perfection” will involve a large number of club members’ floral designs. Just one design to be found among its “Intimate Spaces” (petite design) will be inspired by Isola del Garda (Lombardy, Italy); while another in “Spectacle and Splendor” will echo the gardens of Versailles, France. Mixed in among “The Whole World in One Garden” designs will be one done the manner of Ikebana (Kenrokuen, Japan).

“The arrangements are an opportunity for people that choose to do design work to showcase their beautiful talents with different creative designs,” says Nancy.

In addition, to align with NGC standards, Nancy notes, “...every design has specific rules and regulations. You have to follow the details. So you have to really put a lot of effort into it.”

Nancy also credits the incredible amount of effort going into the show’s educational offerings, under the department banner “Every Continent, Every Culture.” Nine different sections will cover lessons ranging from “Busy Bees” to “Do This, Not That, in the Garden” and “Space Invaders Coming to a Location Near You!”

“The education section is really remarkable. They’ve been working very, very hard on it on putting it together,” says Nancy.

Find more show details and entry forms at branfordgardenclub.org

Getting into Gardening

Nancy came to BGC because of another gardening program in town -- Branford’s Community Garden, an outdoor site located on Birch Road behind Branford Early Learning Center.

Nancy’s now in her ninth year as a community garden member, and credits her commitment to the all-volunteer program to her friend, Liz Alcorn.

“I saw a little article in the paper, and I said, ‘Liz, do you know anything about this community garden in Branford? And she said, ‘Yes — I’m on the board!’”

Nancy started out volunteering with the garden’s Seed, Weed and Feed plots, which grow vegetables for local non-profit food service programs, including Community Dining Room. Within a few years, she also graduated to gardening her own plot, after a space became available.

“I started out with vegetables. Right now, I’m doing mostly flowers,” says Nancy. “The other day, I was there all by myself, and it was filled little yellow birds – goldfinches. And there beautiful monarch butterflies. It was so peaceful.”

Through her community garden connections, Nancy was encouraged to join BGC. She signed up with the club five years ago.

“I joined, and I was astounded,” says Nancy. “I had no idea what the Garden Club does. Their involvement really moved me. I just fell in love with it.”

Nancy became chair of Garden Therapy within three months of joining BGC.

“I knew nothing about it — I just went with it, and it was wonderful,” says Nancy, who enjoys building and informing programs.

Committee chairs also become members of the BGC board. As a board member, Nancy went on to become vice president and is now serving her first year of a two-year term as BGC president.

For her term, Nancy’s embraced enhancing BGC’s many community programs. That includes her efforts to layer in even more organizations from the community to help provide cross-over educational opportunities for the public at BGC events on the Branford green.

Nancy invites anyone interested in joining BGC to contact the club. She’s also happy to invite up to five interested residents to attend a BGC luncheon, where club members hear from guest speakers. Contact Nancy or BGC Membership chair Deanna O’Connell at branfordgardenclub@gmail.com to learn more. A membership application can also be downloaded from the BGC website.

“We’re always looking for new members. Whether or not you know how to garden, there are so many ways to get involved,” says Nancy.

The BGC website, as well as its Facebook page, are also great places to learn more about all of the areas where BGC lends community support.

“Our amazing members are all so supportive and committed to helping our community,” says Nancy. “It’s not just about planting flowers and gardens – although we do a lot of that -- and we have wonderful members committed to our beautification projects. There are so many different organizations and efforts we support, and many wonderful things we do in the community.”