Garden Club of Newtown flower arranging program

PRESS
RELEASE

THE
GARDEN CLUB OF NEWTOWN

The February meeting of The Garden Club of Newtown
will feature long time club member Pat Benkovich  demonstrating Twenty Minute Arrangements You
Will Use All the Time at the Cyrenius H. Booth Library at 1pm on
Tuesday, February 26th.

She will show how to make a basic vase arrangement,
a long and low design for a dinner party and a traditional mass arrangement
that can be large or small depending on the container.  According to Mrs. Benkovich, there may be
another surprise design or two as well.

She will talk about conditioning techniques for
longer flower life and the importance of proportion, line and balance in any
design.  On the subject of containers she
will give suggestions about what to look for in a vase as well as how to
achieve harmony in the selection of vase and floral material. There will also
be a discussion of some supplies that she feels an arranger really needs, such
as her favorite kitchen shears that she uses for everything.

A winner of many ribbons in both creative design and
horticulture in local flower shows and at the CT State Flower Show, Pat was
first a gardener and then became interested in the art of floral design because
she wanted to bring her flowers inside and enjoy them there as well. She worked
as a professional florist for three years, and has done many hands-on workshops
for groups, has been an instructor for the Newtown Congregational Church Altar
Guild and presented a program on wildflower cultivation for the Newtown Women's
Club.  Currently, she provides monthly
arrangements for the Newtown United Methodist Church and creates floral designs
for small weddings and other special occasions from time to time.

Twenty
Minute Arrangements You Will Use All the Time
will take place in the first floor meeting room of the library and the arrangements
will be raffled following the program. The public is encouraged to attend and
there is a guest fee of $5 for non-members of the club. Registration is not
required. This meeting will not be held if the Newtown Public Schools are
closed for weather-related reasons.  Call
203 512-7320 for more information.