The 18th Annual Franklin Carr Iris Growers Competition is set to return Mother’s Day weekend to Bordentown City.
The competition honors Bordentown native Franklin Carr, a renowned hybridizer of Iris’s and a master judge for the American Iris Society. The event features speakers, carriage riders and floral design displays.
Carr won 28 international awards for his flowers, some of which are in the Vatican Gardens in Rome, the Buckingham Royal Gardens in London, the Palengraden in Frankford, Germany and the personal gardens of the late Princess Grace of Monaco.
Jackie Reed, Iris Competition coordinator for eighteen years has worked with the Downtown Bordentown Association to continue the legacy of Franklin Carr and his hybrid Iris’s which reside today in the Franklin Carr garden built by volunteers under direction of George Karousatos a neighbor of Carr and has since been maintained by Bordentown residents Ellen Kosar and Diane Burroughs.
The annual Iris Growers competition is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 10.
The day’s festivities include carriage rides to see the beautiful blossoms of Bordentown City, speakers on gardening, fresh flower and garden décor vendors and local artists showcasing floral designs from paintings to jewelry.
Third generation orchid grower Beth Davis is set to present Orchids Are Different But Not Difficult 1 p.m. at Jesters Café.
Davis will be presenting basic culture information as well as doing a hands-on potting demonstration. She will have plants for sale.
Burlington County Master Gardener Frank Victor is set to present Native Plants and Wildlife Habitats – Perfect Together 2 p.m. at Old City Hall, 11 Crosswicks St., Bordentown City.
Victor and his wife Marie have their property at their Hainesport home into a wildlife haven with an emphasis on butterflies. His garden in has achieved the Certified Wildlife Habitat, Monarch Waystation, and Certified Butterfly Garden awards.
Artists Arlene Marcoe, Susan Winter and Joe Rademan are set create plein aire paintings of the garden and Iris Festival scenes. After they are finished, they will be display their paintings at Farnsworth Gallery located in the Bonaparte Antiques building, 375 Farnsworth Avenue.
A limited amount of Tall Bearded Iris plants, nurtured by the Garden State Iris Society, are set to be on sale after 11 a.m. at the Friends Meeting House, 302 Farnsworth Avenue for $10 per plant.
