January 29, 2024 • 7 mins
We spoke with Kristie Gonsalves, show organizer of the CT Flower Club and Garden Show and Karin Pyskaty, President of the Federated Garden Clubs of CT
Spring will arrive early at the 42nd “Connecticut Flower & Garden Show” from Thursday, February 22 through Sunday, February 25, 2024 at the Connecticut Convention Center, 100 Columbus Blvd. in Hartford, Conn. Dates/Hours: Thursday, Feb. 22 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday, Feb. 23 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 24 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Feb. 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Discounted admission tickets are on sale now at www.CTFlowerShow.com, $17 for Adults and Seniors.
Spring will arrive early at the 42nd “Connecticut Flower & Garden Show” from Thursday, February 22 through Sunday, February 25, 2024 at the Connecticut Convention Center, 100 Columbus Blvd. in Hartford, Conn. Dates/Hours: Thursday, Feb. 22 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday, Feb. 23 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 24 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Feb. 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Discounted admission tickets are on sale now at www.CTFlowerShow.com, $17 for Adults and Seniors.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hi, Heart Communities. Thank youso much for listening. Oh it's so
called out, so it must betime to talk about the Flower and Garden
Show, the Connecticut Flower and GardenShow. I love when we do this
interview because it makes me think ofjust bright spring, sunny, beautiful days,
and the forty second annual Connecticut Flowerand Garden Show is going to give
you just that Thursday, February twentysecond through Sunday, February twenty fifth at
(00:23):
the Connecticut Convention Center. And we'llhave all of the details about this for
you at my community access dot com. But of course you can get your
tickets and all the details now atctflowershow dot com. Please welcome into our
studio one of our favorite repeat guests, Christy Gonzaleve is, Hello, Christy,
Hello, how are you this year? I am doing great. It's
so great when I see you becauseI know all the fun things are coming,
(00:44):
so I can't wait to hear aboutall the updates and the fun things
that you're going to present to usat this event. Thank you. We
are jam packed this year. AfterCOVID, we are rebounding a lot of
great things for everyone to see anddo. All right, and you brought
along someone from It's like you're fromthe Federal the starship. You're bringing us
all the flowers here on the planetto make us think of bright, sunny,
(01:06):
warmer days. Please welcome Karen Piscatti. Now did I see your name?
Ray? You absolutely did. Oh, I am so happy. Now
tell me all about what you doand how you are the president of the
Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut. Well, we're a nonprofit organization made up of
all volunteers. There are sixty threehundred members, one hundred and thirteen clubs,
and twenty three affiliates that maintain asimilar purpose to ours. And the
(01:32):
Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut is alsoa member of the New England Garden Clubs
and the National Garden Clubs. Andyou're pretty involved with this incredible event too,
because there's judging, there's all kindsof people, advice and experts and
things like that you hand out.Oh yes, absolutely. When you enter
the show proper, immediately turn leftand you will find the NNGC Standard Flower
(01:53):
Show presented by the Federated Garden Clubsof Connecticut. You'll find up up to
two hundred prime horticulture examples, botanicalarts, photography, educational exhibits from our
affiliates, information about our schools,and finally, over sixty floral designs created
by garden club members. Oh,I cannot wait for that. And Christy,
(02:15):
I'd love for you to remind usabout this event. Now we've had
you on many time. You're theshow organizer for the Connecticut Flower and a
Garden Show. Take us through whatwe can expect from this event, because
I mean, there is something forall ages in any level of gardener,
right correct novice to advanced gardeners.My favorite thing is when you walk in
(02:36):
to the show, it's spring infull bloom. The smell, the sound,
the sites, people spend hours.They come from all over New England,
New York, New Jersey. Iactually had a group call me for
group tickets the other day from Scranton, Pennsylvania. Wait, this is actually
New England's only twenty twenty four flowerExhibition show. If it's kind though,
right, I mean, so thisis prestigious. This is something that people
come to, like you said,from all points. Yes, and it's
(02:59):
great for the tourism industry, it'sgreat for the city and the state.
I have exhibitors from all over thecountry actually international. I have the Dutch
Bold people that come from the Netherlands. This is fantastic and is this right?
Is this not a misfit? Overthree hundred booths and showcase and displays
and such. Yes, that's correct. Wow. So again we have exhibitors
(03:20):
from all over the country and sellingtheir product. Educational seminars we have over
eighty hours with some really fantastic speakersthis season. Mike McGrath is coming up
from Pennsylvania Tomato talk and raised beds. We have Charlie Nardozi who's a great
gardener as well ecological gardening and companionplanting. Sylvia Nichols, she's a local
(03:44):
author here out of Cheshire. Shejust launched a new book this season about
floral arranging. Nancy Debruel, ClementePollinators, Native plants, Tom Christopher.
So we bring in a lot ofthe local Connecticut based authors for education.
If they have books, they'll bethere signing their books and they will be
for sale. We are excited tohave the Future Farmers of America this year
(04:05):
with a larger display. That's allthe students doing corsages and they are actually
going to have a small landscape displaythis year, which is great for the
kids. I love that and Ilove like you said, it's something for
all ages, all levels of gardening, and even for you know, for
your produce, your fruits, fruitsand vegetables. There's experts there to help
the home gardener have the best garden, even when you're talking about fresh produce.
(04:29):
I have several exhibitors that not onlydo are they building a garden there,
but they also offer CSA programs.Grassick Farms ives gardens to stand out
of Cheshire. We actually have renta chicken. They'll breathe, not the
runway ladies rend of chicken eggs,Oh my gosh. So actually chickens.
(04:50):
They'll bring this little coop into youryard and I set it all up and
they are very beneficial for managing insectsin your yard. You know, do
they eat ticks and everything? Iknow that they do that. And actually
not to get you know, TMIhere, but I come from a long
line of family gardener's chicken poop isactually kind of good for you for gardening.
And I don't want to go intoit any I don't want to talk
(05:10):
about it anymore on this rug,but it is just a little sidebar,
so call it composting. Oh Icould have said that, but I'm not
as classy as you guys. I'msorry. I apologize. But now speaking,
you know, like you said,you're going to have people to talk
to, tips, advice, youcan purchase things on site, and as
far as the Federated Garden Club isconcerned, we'll be there be people there
to help say, you know,because it's a little intimidating. You see
(05:31):
these beautiful you know, roses orflowers, whatever they may be, and
you know, when you want whenI plant something, I'm like, please,
please don't die on me. Letme get through like a month.
No. Absolutely, they'll be hostson the floor to answer questions throughout the
entire show. So, and they'llbe Garden Club members from around the state.
(05:51):
Yeah, so we're very very fortunate. Well, we'll have close to
two hundred and fifty volunteers over thewhole time. Just come in as you
may. You can purchase tickets onlineat ctflowershow dot com throughout the show at
a discounted rate of seventeen dollars.At the door, it's twenty dollars.
Kids seven to twelve are five dollarsand people make a whole day out of
(06:15):
it, you know, spending fiveto six hours shopping. What I like
about my event, they're all localbusinesses, small family businesses. Yeah,
well, we love to support localand I love supporting our local growers and
farmers too because it just makes oureconomy better. And plus, you know,
know what're you're eating, know whatyou're growing, know where it's coming
from. So just it's a feelgood it's a feel good event and benefit.
(06:40):
And also if you want more informationtimes ticket pricing, like you said,
Christy, if you want to geta reduced ticket price to get them
online versus at the door, You'regoing to go to ctflowershow dot com and
all of the hours will be there. Again. It's taking place at the
Connecticut Convention Center, which is righthere in our capital city in downtown Hartford,
the forty second Annual Connecticut Flower andGarden Show Thursday Fifthbruary twenty second through
(07:00):
Sunday, February twenty fifth. Iwant to thank our guests today for stopping
by my studios. Christy Gonzalveez,which is the show organizer and cart Now
see I said your name right atthe beginning, and now I'm looking at
it and getting nervous. So andKaren Piscati, I did it very very
well. Now if I could growa rose, that would make me even
more special. But she is thepresident of the Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut.
(07:23):
Thank you for being here, andthank you for having me.
Hi, Heart Communities. Thank youso much for listening. Oh it's so
called out, so it must betime to talk about the Flower and Garden
Show, the Connecticut Flower and GardenShow. I love when we do this
interview because it makes me think ofjust bright spring, sunny, beautiful days,
and the forty second annual Connecticut Flowerand Garden Show is going to give
you just that Thursday, February twentysecond through Sunday, February twenty fifth at
(00:23):
the Connecticut Convention Center. And we'llhave all of the details about this for
you at my community access dot com. But of course you can get your
tickets and all the details now atctflowershow dot com. Please welcome into our
studio one of our favorite repeat guests, Christy Gonzaleve is, Hello, Christy,
Hello, how are you this year? I am doing great. It's
so great when I see you becauseI know all the fun things are coming,
(00:44):
so I can't wait to hear aboutall the updates and the fun things
that you're going to present to usat this event. Thank you. We
are jam packed this year. AfterCOVID, we are rebounding a lot of
great things for everyone to see anddo. All right, and you brought
along someone from It's like you're fromthe Federal the starship. You're bringing us
all the flowers here on the planetto make us think of bright, sunny,
(01:06):
warmer days. Please welcome Karen Piscatti. Now did I see your name?
Ray? You absolutely did. Oh, I am so happy. Now
tell me all about what you doand how you are the president of the
Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut. Well, we're a nonprofit organization made up of
all volunteers. There are sixty threehundred members, one hundred and thirteen clubs,
and twenty three affiliates that maintain asimilar purpose to ours. And the
(01:32):
Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut is alsoa member of the New England Garden Clubs
and the National Garden Clubs. Andyou're pretty involved with this incredible event too,
because there's judging, there's all kindsof people, advice and experts and
things like that you hand out.Oh yes, absolutely. When you enter
the show proper, immediately turn leftand you will find the NNGC Standard Flower
(01:53):
Show presented by the Federated Garden Clubsof Connecticut. You'll find up up to
two hundred prime horticulture examples, botanicalarts, photography, educational exhibits from our
affiliates, information about our schools,and finally, over sixty floral designs created
by garden club members. Oh,I cannot wait for that. And Christy,
(02:15):
I'd love for you to remind usabout this event. Now we've had
you on many time. You're theshow organizer for the Connecticut Flower and a
Garden Show. Take us through whatwe can expect from this event, because
I mean, there is something forall ages in any level of gardener,
right correct novice to advanced gardeners.My favorite thing is when you walk in
(02:36):
to the show, it's spring infull bloom. The smell, the sound,
the sites, people spend hours.They come from all over New England,
New York, New Jersey. Iactually had a group call me for
group tickets the other day from Scranton, Pennsylvania. Wait, this is actually
New England's only twenty twenty four flowerExhibition show. If it's kind though,
right, I mean, so thisis prestigious. This is something that people
come to, like you said,from all points. Yes, and it's
(02:59):
great for the tourism industry, it'sgreat for the city and the state.
I have exhibitors from all over thecountry actually international. I have the Dutch
Bold people that come from the Netherlands. This is fantastic and is this right?
Is this not a misfit? Overthree hundred booths and showcase and displays
and such. Yes, that's correct. Wow. So again we have exhibitors
(03:20):
from all over the country and sellingtheir product. Educational seminars we have over
eighty hours with some really fantastic speakersthis season. Mike McGrath is coming up
from Pennsylvania Tomato talk and raised beds. We have Charlie Nardozi who's a great
gardener as well ecological gardening and companionplanting. Sylvia Nichols, she's a local
(03:44):
author here out of Cheshire. Shejust launched a new book this season about
floral arranging. Nancy Debruel, ClementePollinators, Native plants, Tom Christopher.
So we bring in a lot ofthe local Connecticut based authors for education.
If they have books, they'll bethere signing their books and they will be
for sale. We are excited tohave the Future Farmers of America this year
(04:05):
with a larger display. That's allthe students doing corsages and they are actually
going to have a small landscape displaythis year, which is great for the
kids. I love that and Ilove like you said, it's something for
all ages, all levels of gardening, and even for you know, for
your produce, your fruits, fruitsand vegetables. There's experts there to help
the home gardener have the best garden, even when you're talking about fresh produce.
(04:29):
I have several exhibitors that not onlydo are they building a garden there,
but they also offer CSA programs.Grassick Farms ives gardens to stand out
of Cheshire. We actually have renta chicken. They'll breathe, not the
runway ladies rend of chicken eggs,Oh my gosh. So actually chickens.
(04:50):
They'll bring this little coop into youryard and I set it all up and
they are very beneficial for managing insectsin your yard. You know, do
they eat ticks and everything? Iknow that they do that. And actually
not to get you know, TMIhere, but I come from a long
line of family gardener's chicken poop isactually kind of good for you for gardening.
And I don't want to go intoit any I don't want to talk
(05:10):
about it anymore on this rug,but it is just a little sidebar,
so call it composting. Oh Icould have said that, but I'm not
as classy as you guys. I'msorry. I apologize. But now speaking,
you know, like you said,you're going to have people to talk
to, tips, advice, youcan purchase things on site, and as
far as the Federated Garden Club isconcerned, we'll be there be people there
to help say, you know,because it's a little intimidating. You see
(05:31):
these beautiful you know, roses orflowers, whatever they may be, and
you know, when you want whenI plant something, I'm like, please,
please don't die on me. Letme get through like a month.
No. Absolutely, they'll be hostson the floor to answer questions throughout the
entire show. So, and they'llbe Garden Club members from around the state.
(05:51):
Yeah, so we're very very fortunate. Well, we'll have close to
two hundred and fifty volunteers over thewhole time. Just come in as you
may. You can purchase tickets onlineat ctflowershow dot com throughout the show at
a discounted rate of seventeen dollars.At the door, it's twenty dollars.
Kids seven to twelve are five dollarsand people make a whole day out of
(06:15):
it, you know, spending fiveto six hours shopping. What I like
about my event, they're all localbusinesses, small family businesses. Yeah,
well, we love to support localand I love supporting our local growers and
farmers too because it just makes oureconomy better. And plus, you know,
know what're you're eating, know whatyou're growing, know where it's coming
from. So just it's a feelgood it's a feel good event and benefit.
(06:40):
And also if you want more informationtimes ticket pricing, like you said,
Christy, if you want to geta reduced ticket price to get them
online versus at the door, You'regoing to go to ctflowershow dot com and
all of the hours will be there. Again. It's taking place at the
Connecticut Convention Center, which is righthere in our capital city in downtown Hartford,
the forty second Annual Connecticut Flower andGarden Show Thursday Fifthbruary twenty second through
(07:00):
Sunday, February twenty fifth. Iwant to thank our guests today for stopping
by my studios. Christy Gonzalveez,which is the show organizer and cart Now
see I said your name right atthe beginning, and now I'm looking at
it and getting nervous. So andKaren Piscati, I did it very very
well. Now if I could growa rose, that would make me even
more special. But she is thepresident of the Federated Garden Clubs of Connecticut.
(07:23):
Thank you for being here, andthank you for having me.
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