What’s in a name? Well, those of us from Plantation Garden Club had a delightful afternoon learning from Mary Margaret Leflore Evans from Josephine Florals in Greenwood.
Her story touched my heart as much as the floral designs delighted my senses. It seems she developed her love of working, planting and nurturing flowers from her grandmother Josephine Leflore who incidentally had a lovely voice and was a notable soloist at weddings.
Mary Margaret had a whole other career but found herself helping friends make event and holiday arrangements and was drawn to the creative freedom this allowed.
Starting her business focusing on everyday, sympathy and events, she has a supportive family that will jump in and help when needed.
On this day, Mary Margaret created two very different arrangements from the same flower variety. The first was a long copper-type tray with oasis. The second was a white ceramic pumpkin with lid.
Using all fall colors, spray roses and small roses, hydrangeas, safflower, small leather, talladega aster and aspidistra, to name a few, plus a surprise of a faux sprig flowing free among the Bells of Ireland.
One of the new trends in wedding is to use artificial flowers which can be very pricey, more so than fresh. Many brides opt to rent the artificial flowers, which are hard to distinguish from fresh.
We had a most enjoyable learning experience. I try to get all the names correct and spell them correctly, but the name I remember most is Josephine, the grandmother who left such a beautiful legacy really for us all to enjoy.
This was written by a great-grandmother of the flower child generation who thought picking flowers from a ditch and putting in a Mason jar was fancy. My heart smiles real big hearing this grandmother’s legacy wondering what mine will be.
In the PGC news, Letitia King has been named GCM Award #2 Garden Education Center Chairman as Shirley Lynchard stepped down.
Letitia also gave a presentation on Amaryllis — the many varieties, colors and origins. Briefly, the Amaryllis originated in South Africa; traders from Spain and Portugal began their export. Today, 10 million Amaryllis are imported to the U.S. yearly. There are 600 hybrids and they can live up to 75 years.
Hostesses Jennifer Flautt and Sara Wilson served a fall table of delightful goodies complete with a pumpkin- shaped cheese ball. The floral arrangement was front and center among the refreshments and was still fresh for Sunday service at the Presbyterian Church.
