Garden Club Of Fair Haven Continues To Beautify During New Normal

FAIR HAVEN, NJ - Even cold weather and the COVID-19 pandemic can’t deter these dedicated gardeners from making beautiful displays of vibrant flowers.

The Garden Club of Fair Haven, a decades-old fixture aimed at beautifying the borough, hasn’t stopped contributing fanciful creations for the municipality. In fact, amid coronavirus restrictions, the club has reinvented its pace and design to accommodate for socially distant floral design competitions and virtual floral design workshops.

“The Garden Club of Fair Haven, like all clubs, has to limit member interactions because of the COVID virus. Through small group activities and technology the club is successfully keeping their club spirit alive,” the club wrote in a news release.

Led by talented floral design winners and master gardeners, Garden Club-sponsored workshops are designed to educate the members and encourage participation in design and horticulture events, according to club president Lee Davidson.

Recently, experienced designers Cassy Abel and Terry Simboli taught a workshop on American flower design from the colonial period (1607-1720). The Grover House in Lincroft opened their doors to allow a small group of garden club members to take this workshop from a safe distance. Two weeks later the participants entered their designs in a judged competition that took place at the office of local chiropractor Dr. Chris Storti. National Garden Club Accredited Life Judge, Marina Kerber, critiqued the designs and gave positive feedback. The final winners were Mary Maas (first place), Paula Thorogood (second place), Beth Ruda (third place) and Pat Corboy (honorable mention).

A workshop on spring bulbs for winter enjoyment was presented by Master Gardener Elizabeth Lilleston at a virtual November club meeting hosted on Zoom. After Lilleston conducted a demo from her kitchen, club members picked up bulbs and soil at a designated location to try winter bulbs for themselves. Co-chairs Linda Vaccaro and Mary Maas designed the safe and fun activity to ensure all members could participate with limited contact.

Those interested in joining a workshop can contact Lee Davidson at lzilincar@aol.com. You do not have to live in Fair Haven to be a member.

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