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Flower Camp Brings Bouquet-Lovers Back To Nature

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By KATHY Van MULLEKOM Daily Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 18, 2008

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - The dress code is comfortable outdoorsy.

The atmosphere is peaceful and flowery.

The goal is to make new friends, laugh and tell stories.

Welcome to Flower Camp, a 50-acre site flanking the James River in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Nancy and John Hugo of Richmond, Va., obtained the camp site in 1977 and renovated the buildings, which date back to the 1800s. Throughout the year, they offer multi-day workshops on topics such as arranging flowers and keeping a nature journal. Experts lead the sessions.

Flower designer Libbey Oliver recently walked campers through gathering zinnias, asters and goldenrod and turning them into fall arrangements.

"I love seeing people leave Flower Camp with their eyes open to more of the intricacies of nature," says Nancy Hugo, a former newspaper gardening columnist and educator at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond.

"At a recent flower arranging workshop, one camper taught me to hear the calls of raccoons, another identified an interesting moth for me and another showed me a nifty way to use bark-covered wire in arrangements. I learn as much as the campers do."

Former campers recommend the experience for the companionship and the setting, as well as the creativity.

"I am a gardener but not a flower arranger," says Diane Walker of Newport News. "I was going to sit and watch the others. But, with a little encouragement, I made my first real flower arrangement."

For Mary Lu Royall, it was a chance to break out of a rut.

"I wanted to try my hand at using new materials for arranging and hoped I would get new ideas," she says.

"I was not disappointed."

Judy Rauch rattles off a long list of camp favorites: hundreds of flowers in buckets for arrangements, oversized arrangements to welcome campers, hay bale work stations in a grove of trees near the barn, fields of wildflowers and flowers garnishing wonderful food.

Gay Huffman learned gardening and flower arranging from her mother and she's excited that her daughter is showing some interest.

"I can't wait to take her to Flower Camp," says Gay. "What a great way to get my daughter's feet wet - someone else giving the instruction, yet quality time together."

WANT TO GO?

WHAT: Flower Camp

WHERE: Howardsville, Va.

WHEN: Nature journaling, Oct. 24-26; holiday arranging, Nov. 7-9. For a partial calendar for 2009, go to www.flower camp.org.

HOW MUCH: $350-$450, including lodging, meals, instruction and materials; register at the Website or call (804) 798-6364 or (804) 339-2338

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