Kanawha Garden Club pays homage to ‘Motherland’ in upcoming floral show

Members of the Kanawha Garden Club show flowers in 2021. The group will host a flower show on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 at the Clay Center.Photo byCity of Charleston

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A local garden club will celebrate Appalachia's flora in a free two-day flower show in the capital city.

“Motherland: Appalachian Beauty,” hosted by the Kanawha Garden Club, will kick off on Monday, Sept. 30 at the Clay Center in Charleston. The flower show continues through Tuesday, Oct. 1. The free event is open to gardeners, naturalists, students, artists, and members of the general public alike.

“’Motherland’ pays homage to the unique setting of the Appalachian Mountains,” organizers note in the flower show’s official program. “The majestic mountains and abundance of rivers create a diverse assemblage of flora and fauna.”

Exhibits at the event are designed by members of the Garden Club of America’s (GCA) Zone VII Member Clubs, which includes affiliated organizations in Kentucky, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. Various flower-related specialties, including floral design, horticulture, photography and botanical arts, are represented in the show.

"Motherland: Appalachian Beauty" flower show takes place from 3:30-5 p.m. Sept. 30, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 1, at the Clay Center.Photo byKanawha Garden Club

Many of the show’s displays have West Virginia themes. One floral exhibit showcases arrangements in Fiestaware ceramics, according to the event program.

Fiestaware is a line of china first produced by the former Hancock County-based Homer Laughlin China Company. It is well beloved – and often collected -- throughout West Virginia and beyond.

Other flower displays at the show give nod to river rafting and quilted arts, among other state-themed subjects.

The Kanawha Club, for its part, is well-rooted in service to the local area. The organization has routinely installed flower displays throughout the capital city. In 2023, members of the club commemorated the passing of one of the group’s longtime gardeners, Sandy Thomas, with a donation to the city.

"Sandy loved Charleston and its people,” Charleston City Council Member Becky Ceperley said at the time. “Even when her health was declining, she was still working to make her city beautiful."

The “Motherland: Appalachian Beauty” flower show takes place from 3:30-5 p.m. Sept. 30, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 1, at the Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences, 1 Clay Square in Charleston. For more information, email marjoriecooke2019@gmail.com.

Michael Ramsburg is a Kanawha County communities reporter. He can be reached at ramsburgreports@gmail.com or by calling 304-370-3067.