It’s time for one of the most treasured events in Natchez, the annual Pilgrimage Garden Club Flower Show!

This year’s event is organized around the many venues for weddings in Natchez, a garden wedding at Longwood, a formal evening wedding at Stanton Hall, a wedding ceremony in one of Natchez’s lovely churches. Whatever the venue, Natchez is a magical place for a wedding — and Longwood is a magical place to hold the 2009 Pilgrimage Garden Club Standard Flower Show!

The design category is divided into the following sections:

4Traditional church wedding: For all the seasons, Natchez churches have nurtured tradition and love through the marriage of couples young and old.

4Garden wedding at Longwood: Moss-covered trees and soft breezes make Longwood the perfect setting for a garden wedding.

4Evening wedding at Stanton Hall: Rustling silks, rich velvets and sparkling satins, Stanton Hall evokes grandeur.

4The wedding party: There’s nothing more beautiful than a Southern bride in Natchez. Enhancing the radiance of the bride, Natchez seems magical.

4Bridesmaids: Youthful beauty and excitement surround the bride. Color inspired by the bride’s imagination take center stage.

4The groom: The Southern groom is an outdoorsman, a traveler, a scholar and an athlete.

Natchez is a special place to live, nurture our children and entertain good friends. Recognizing this, Pilgrimage Garden Club youth groups, beginning gardeners, intermediate gardeners and junior gardeners will have the following horticulture and design exhibits:

4Horticulture: Southern plants for a beautiful occasion.

4Design: Expression of love through flowers. There will be two sections for this category: Section A is a southern tradition, weddings of the South, and Section B is the wedding party. Section A will include Class 1 — traditional church wedding; Class 2 — garden wedding at Longwood; and Class 3 — formal evening wedding at Stanton Hall. Section B includes Class 4 — Southern bride; Class 5 — bridesmaids; and Class 6 — the groom.

4 Expression of love through flowers. There will be two sections for this category. Section A is a Southern tradition, weddings of the South, and Section B is the wedding party. Section A will include Class 1 — traditional church wedding; Class 2 — garden wedding at Longwood; and Class 3 — formal evening wedding at Stanton Hall. Section B includes Class 4 — a Southern bride; Class 5 — bridesmaids; and Class 6 — the groom.

4Special Exhibits — Southern weddings for the young at heart. There are two sections to this category as well. Section A — youth exhibitors, beginning gardeners. Section B includes the intermediate gardeners. Section A will include Class 1 — sugar and spice and everything nice; the flower girl. Section B includes two classes — Class 2 — something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue; and Class 3 — the wedding cake topper.

4 Southern weddings for the young at heart. There are two sections to this category as well. Section A — youth exhibitors, beginning gardeners, and Section B includes the intermediate gardeners. Section A will include Class 1 — sugar and spice and everything nice; the flower girl. Section B includes two classes, Class 2 — something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue; and Class 3 — the wedding cake topper.

The flower show will be performed from 3 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 25 at Longwood, 140 Lower Woodville Road.

This wonderful flower show is open to the public free of charge.

The flower show schedule includes the following categories,

4Horticulture headings: annual beauties (annuals); springtime love returning (perennials); regal family and friends (roses); love springs forward (bulbs); plans for the future (containers); foundations to grow on (shrubs); the ties that bind (vines) and colorful relatives (miscellaneous).

And a new addition this year will be a post-show viewing by ticket only that will include cocktails at Longwood.

Invite friends to join you at this lovely Longwood gathering from 5 to 7 p.m. Tickets are $5, and there will be a cash bar. Tickets to the post-show viewing available at Pilgrimage Garden Club office 601-445-4420 or pilgrimagegardenclub@yahoo.com.

The chairwomen for this event are Mrs. Michael Cates and Mrs. Glenn Green of the Pilgrimage Garden Club.

For more information, contact Eugenie Cates at evcates@earthlink.net or 601-445-7265, or Bridget Green at 601-442-1344.

Carrie Golden Lambert is a Natchez resident.