Submitted by Renee Tucci AIFD
The nation’s largest and longest-running horticulture event took place in Philadelphia, PA, March 2-10, 2024, and many of our AIFD members and CFD’s took part in bringing it to life.
GATHERED by AIFD®, organized by The North East Region
The North East region returned to the show floor to produce a featured exhibit. 2024 marks the 28th year that AIFD® has been involved with the show. To see the history of our involvement, check out this article.
This year’s exhibit was co-chaired by our perennial Philadelphia Flower Show liaison Ron Mulray AIFD, and Renee Tucci AIFD. Following the overall show theme, United by Flowers, Ron and Renee aimed to highlight the many ways that our AIFD® family is united by flowers. In doing so, the 60-person design team was broken up into mini-teams, each tasked with creating an artistic design that represented a flower growing region of the world. On display were interpretive pieces of Canada, Africa, Italy, Japan, Thailand, Australia, Holland, Colombia, Hawaii, and Peru. The centerpiece of the exhibit was filled with a secret-garden style collection of oversized urns, filled with all of the flowers from all of the different growing regions.
Members that participated came from as far west as Calgary Alberta Canada, and stretched all the way to Cornwall England. Many students from the local Education Partner school were in attendance, learning alongside our seasoned designers. The exhibit took home the bronze medal, and everyone involved was briming with pride over what was created.
For more photos, visit the North East region Facebook page
CONNECTED by Schaffer Designs, Led by Bill Schaffer AIFD & Kris Kratt AIFD
Bill and Kris launched the Legacy class this year, with their return to the show floor. After many, many years of exhibiting at the show, and winning countless awards for their efforts, the Legacy class allowed them to create for creating’s sake. There was no judging in this special exhibition category.
The Schaffer Designs team included designers from all over the world, many of them AIFD® designers. Their oversized space included an eye-catching and bright overhead canopy installation of hot pink and orange floral chandeliers, a bamboo garden, and a floating desert.
COMPETITIVE CLASSES
Valerie McLaughlin AIFD won the Blue & Gold Ribbon of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania, the Nancy Reid Clausen Award and the Helen Hope Dechert Award for her brown and green orchid piece in the All Together Now class.
Rosann Christian CFD won the Blue & Gold Ribbon of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania for her Bridging Gaps piece.
It was a successful year for everyone involved with the show, and we’re already making plans and looking forward to 2025! If you’d like to get involved, please email reneetucci@gmail.com
