WAKEFIELD GARDEN CLUB members Diane Kelley, Leila Tutela and Barbara Carino sold beautiful geraniums at Floral Way Festival on Saturday, May 21. (Gail Lowe Photo)

WAKEFIELD GARDEN CLUB members Diane Kelley, Leila Tutela and Barbara Carino sold beautiful geraniums at Floral Way Festival on Saturday, May 21. (Gail Lowe Photo)

Published in the May 23, 2016 edition.

By GAIL LOWE

WAKEFIELD — Now in its 85th year, the Wakefield Garden Club has hosted Floral Way Festival every May, and this year was no exception. Saturday, May 21 turned out to be a Goldilocks day for the event – not too hot and not too cold – just right.

As in the past, this year’s Festival was held on the grounds of the Colonel James Hartshorne House on Church Street.

Former Garden Club President Leila Tutela, current Co-President Maryanne Carmody and newcomer Gema Miller, Maureen Coughlin, Martha Philbrick, Cynthia Stone, Jan Thomas and many other members were at the event to sell beautiful annual and perennial flowers, including day lilies, vinca, hosta, geraniums and petunias, among others, and serve coffee and refreshments to shoppers from Wakefield and surrounding towns.

Club member AnnMarie Gallivan donated a pretty purple chair, perfect for using as a plant stand. The chair was being auctioned off to raise funds for the Club.

The Wakefield Garden Club is always looking for new members and Gema Miller, a native of Turkey and now of Greenwood, sang the Club’s praises.

“If not for Maryanne encouraging me to join a year ago, I would not be a member,” said Miller, who came to the U.S. in June 2000. Carmody joined in, saying that she enjoyed the sociability of the Club.

“If you want to know who lives in town, being a member of the Garden Club is a good way to get to know people. Everyone in the Club has something to share about gardening,” said Miller.

On occasion, speakers such as author Kerry Ann Mendez, are brought in to talk about gardening and how, when and where to plant.

For further information about the Wakefield Garden Club, call Jan Thomas at 781-245-4649.