Kristen Bailey
Published: April 13, 2005
A rainbow of gigantic flowers grown by PJC horticulture students greeted visitors to the Eighth Annual Emerald Coast Flower and Garden Festival on PJC’s Milton Campus. The display was part of the students’ Colossal Container Showcase.
“Students grow these [flowers] as one of their classes, and then we use them for display,” Assistant Professor of Landscape and Horticulture Management Amy Compton said. “Students that have graduated come back and sell. They’re able to make money from what they do every day.”
The funds, collected through the festival and handled by the Friends of the Gardens of Northwest Florida, are placed into a $30,000 scholarship fund for horticulture students.
“Our colossal container showcase is one of the exhibits out here,” horticulture student Jackson Wood said. “It’s a big deal to me. The horticulture students as a whole have put a lot of hard work and effort into this showcase.”
Student Margaret Black was equally grateful for the display of the showcase. “We started [growing the plants] from scratch: empty pots, soil, and seeds. Only four of us and a teacher.”
The festival itself was a conglomeration of stands and exhibits set up by numerous different garden clubs throughout the Pensacola and Milton areas.
“Many garden clubs are here; Pensacola has a gazillion garden clubs,” daylilies representative T. Morris said. “They’re here to promote membership to the clubs and promote the flowers.”
The Milton campus layout is especially suited to play host to the festival, organizers say.
“The Milton campus was set up to accommodate horticulture,” Compton said. “It has greenhouses and botanical gardens supported by the Friends of the Gardens of Northwest Florida.”
Hurricane Ivan had an impact on this year’s show.
“Normally they have a big flower show, arrangements, in the gym,” Morris said. “You’re generally required to bring fresh flowers, but everyone’s gardens here have been destroyed by Ivan.”
Nonetheless, recent rains did not hinder the masses from coming out to see the plants ranging from shrubs, herbs, and perennials to garden accessories and musical entertainment.
“Normally we have 10,000 people. There’s always nice weather; it’s always great,” Compton stated. “Except now since the rain, instead of having all those people in three days, they’re coming in two.”
