Fly and Flourish: A flower show in fine weather

The Shreveport Garden Study Club will have its ducks in a row when it partners with the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce to host a flower show on Wednesday, April 2, from 2 to 5:30 p.m. in the Chamber’s historic Roman Villa.

The show — free and open to the public — is a component of the 2025 Annual Zone IX Meeting of the Garden Club of America, hosted by the Shreveport Garden Study Club.

“Fly and Flourish” will highlight the critical role of wetlands in supporting migratory bird populations.

By raising awareness, the Shreveport Garden Study Club hopes to inspire individuals to become stewards of these habitats, ensuring their preservation for generations to come. “Together, we will protect the interconnected web of life that depends on these vital ecosystems,” said Kathy Rasberry, chair. She said the show is a conduit for conveying an educational message.

The flower show will feature hundreds of entries from a five-state area (Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee), including divisions in floral design, horticulture, botanical arts, needle arts and photography. A best in show prize will be awarded.

Certified judges will judge the entries from the Garden Club of America, an organization founded in 1913 to stimulate the knowledge and love of gardening. Rasberry said that principles of elements and designs will be applied in the judging.

The avian theme will be carried out throughout the competition, such as in floral design classes, to name a few, “Birds of a Feather,” “What’s Quacking,” “A Little Bird Told Me” and “Peek-A-Boo.”

The “Fly By Boutique,” featuring local and area merchants, will be located in the lobby of the downtown Hilton Hotel, 104 Market St., and will be open Tuesday, April 1, and Wednesday, April 2, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. The merchants include Preservation Press botanical arts, Mod’s Mahal curated clothing and linens, Jules Jewelry by Julie Goodman, Rebecca Vizard’s designer pillows and bags, Harper’s Handmade by Kathy Harper and Carmen Mijalis’s Hanging by a Thread needlepoint.

The purpose of the flower show is threefold: to set standards of artistic and horticultural excellence; to broaden knowledge of horticulture, floral design, conservation, photography and other related areas; and to share the beauty of the show with fellow club members and the public.

Rasberry said Shreveport is fortunate to have this event, calling it “world-class” and a “dream.” The event also spotlights the Chamber’s 100th anniversary. It took two years to bring the show to fruition.

The chair of the zone meeting is Clare Nelson. You may follow the club, which was founded in 1996, on Instagram @shvgardenstudyclub. The club’s purpose is to stimulate the knowledge and love of gardening.