Hill City Flower Show July 27

In just a few weeks the public will enjoy the whimsy and wonder of the annual Hill City Flower Show Saturday, July 27, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

“Hill City Evergreen Garden Club (HCEGC) has been sponsoring this flower show since the 1970s for the purpose of showing the community the beautiful flowers that grow in this area as well as supporting the local Boys & Girls Club with our donations,” said Lori Enders, who is the HCEGC co-vice president along with Mary Braley. 

“It’s a great day,” said HCEGC president Sherry Liddell. “It’s an opportunity to enjoy beautiful displays and the local flare for gardens.” 

This year’s theme, “It’s Raining Violets,” will celebrate the myriad shades within the color purple and the “blessed kiss of rain on the earth that nourishes these beautiful things.” It was suggested by HCEGC member Merle Glenn and inspired by the song “April Showers” sung by Frank Sinatra. 

For the first time ever the flower show will be held at the Hill City Center as a central location in the community. 

On the front lawn there will be pop-up tents with children’s activities for all ages. At one station, children can make natural birdfeeders with pinecones and peanut butter. Then at the other station children can make pressed-flower bookmarks with gardening quotations. Club members have been busy collecting local wildflowers and pressing them for this activity. 

Children can make one or both, and the stations will be open throughout the show for the public to enjoy.

Inside, there will once again be a raffle to raise money for the Hill City Boys & Girls Club (HCBGC). Around 14 items were donated, and several items were donated from Rapid City. Raffle tickets are six for $5 or $1 each. The winners will be announced at 3 p.m. that day. 

“Just come and support your local Boys & Girls Club by purchasing raffle tickets,” said Liddell.

Another new feature this year is the silent auction. Liddell said they decided to hold an auction in hopes of generating more donations for the HCBGC. 

The first item is a framed limited edition print titled “High Pasture” valued at $285 and donated by Lori Nonnast of Jon Crane Gallery & Custom Framing and Jon and Gail Crane Watercolors. Originally painted in 2010, this piece features an old truck in a pasture of lupines. It is signed by Jon Crane, numbered 13 of 195, comes with a certificate and has timeless protection. At 12 1/2 inches by 10 inches, this painting is the perfect size to display anywhere, according to Liddell. 

The second item is a fusion glass piece titled “It’s Raining Violets,” which was handcrafted specifically for the show by Enders. This one-of-a-kind whimsical piece pictures two children playing in the rain. It took 15 to 20 hours to make and is valued at $250. 

For the flower show  the categories include annuals, perennials, wild flowers, Violet Dream Gardens, container gardens, African violets, arrangements inspired by the theme, table place settings, business or organization displays and a children’s division. 

All the information and rules regarding these categories will be posted on the HCEGC Facebook page and the Hill City Happenings Facebook Page. 

“We want to encourage the businesses to participate,” said Liddell. “The businesses can express their mission, their message or their services with a floral display.”

Along with this, Liddell said her favorite category is the children’s division. 

“The plan is for the future gardeners to continue the excitement and the curiosity in wanting to grow the different things,” said Liddell. 

“It gives people an opportunity to grow flowers for a purpose,” said Enders. “Members of the club and community will plant flowers with the theme in mind of this flower show. It makes it fun for them that they can express themselves through flowers.”

Entries are accepted from 8 to 10 a.m. July 27. There is no cost or limit of entries per person and entrants do not have to be members of the garden club or live in the area to participate. 

“We’ll have volunteers to help people get their displays ready. We always have volunteers walking around that will help people get to the right category, get to the right table or help them carry in their displays from the street,” said Liddell.

The flowers will be displayed throughout the Hill City Center with hanging baskets on the patio. 

This is a juried show so all the entries will be judged and receive a ribbon. This year the judges are master gardeners Colleen Lewis and Cheryl Rudel with assistants Sherryl Alexander and Merlene Broer.

Along with the ribbons, there will be a Best of Show award presented for each category. There is also a Judges Award, Special Award, Business Award and People’s Choice Award. 

Light refreshments will be served during the show. 

“We encourage the public and we hope that tourists will come and enjoy the free flower show,” said Liddell. 

Posters for the show are going up around town and in the surrounding area. There will also be a banner hung between the Jon Crane Gallery & Custom Framing and the Tin City Saloon advertising the show on Main Street. 

Anyone interested in volunteering to help greet, sell raffle tickets, set up or clean up at the show can contact Liddell at 409-781-8993.

“We always need more volunteers,” said Liddell. 

People can also contact Liddell to learn more about the HCEGC. Currently, there are around 60 members, and they are always looking for more. Liddell said it is a great way to share your experience as a gardener and learn from other gardeners, especially for those new to the area.

The club’s mission is “to protect and conserve the natural resources of the planet earth and promise to promote education so we may become caretakers of our air, water, forests, land and wildlife.”

With this in mind, they maintain gardens around Hill City including Mangiamo, the Patriarch, Tracy Park, the HCBGC and even some at Crazy Horse Memorial. 

“We beautify the community,” said Liddell.