Dusty Tyson waters flowers for his mother, Pat, (not pictured) for the second flower show at the Wood County Fair. (Photos: J.D. Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune)

Despite a difficult growing season, the Wood County Fair’s second flower show cultivated creativity and
enthusiasm in newer entrants and old hands alike.
"I just have fun," Katherine Lawn of Bowling Green said Friday as she set up her table display
containing an arrangement of red roses, pink and white alstromeria, and gladiolus alongside white votive
candles and deep red dinner plates featuring a black and white floral design. The display was in keeping
with the table setting theme of "Valentine’s Day – A Romantic Dinner for Two."
"I wanted to do something with candles," she said. "I wanted it to have different
layers."
This was one of 13 entries made by Lawn in the second show. She has been entering flowers in the fair for
the past three years.
"But there’s still a lot of stuff I’m learning."
A 25-year veteran of the fair, Brenda Rathburn, Bowling Green, has eight entries in the current show,
among them her folding niche depicting Cinco de Mayo, the theme for that category.
"It’s supposed to be light colors," she said. The design, prominently featuring sunflowers, is
backed by a sombrero.
"Well, I had this really cute, large sombrero," she said of her inspiration for the display,
"and a neat little bull for the bull fighter," and put it all together.

Linda Allen of Portage sets up roses for the second flower show at the Wood County Fair.

"The competition is exciting," she said of her reasons for continuing to enter after a
quarter-century. A member of the Country Village Garden Club out of Pemberville, she also appreciates
the connection with other club members that entering brings.
"It was so wet in my garden, I couldn’t get my glads planted," lamented Elaine Moenter of
Luckey, who has entered for more than 40 years. "So I did kind of miss entering those." After
the wet weather this spring, she noted that the subsequent oven-like heat over the past month caused
plants to wilt.
She has 14 entrants in the second show, all specimens, including zinnias, day lilies, chrysanthemums,
phlox and, despite the inclement conditions, two gladiolus.
The weather has caused a mighty invasion of weeds, she said. "They grow whether it rains or
not."
Perrysburg’s Chuck Hablitzel, who has entered flowers for the past decade, had 178 entries in the first
show and "well over" 100 in the second.
"I have everything from begonias to zinnias," he said. "What used to be a hobby is kind of
an obsession."
"I’ve always liked them," Hablitsel said of his zeal for flowers, noting that his father always
gardened. He saw flower displays when he attended the fair each year and "one year I just thought
‘Give it a try, see what happens.’"
"I was hooked."

Carol Kurfis of Bowling Green sets up a table display for the second flower show at the Wood County Fair.

Hablitzel was able to exhibit such bounty in spite of the difficult growing year.
"It was horrible. It was so wet in the spring. Had a hard time even getting things in. Then the
heat, boy, it was kind of a double whammy."
Among the artistic design categories available to entrants, all centering around holidays, are
"Dreaming of a White Christmas," "Halloween Mask" and "Father’s Day."
Juniors got to depict "Easter Candy" and "Halloween Ghosts."
Laura Nelson, Bowling Green, has been entering for 18 years, since she was 4 years old, and was setting
up her advanced artistic arrangement depicting a "New Years Eve Party."
The display showcased white snap dragons and mums, as well as red alstromeria, among dark green foliage
and white LED lights, all atop a clear red glass candlestick.
"It just kind of came together," she said. "I guess the candlestick was the biggest
inspiration."
"I just really love doing it," she said of what’s kept her entering. Taught by her mother and
grandmother, entering flowers each year is a family affair: the three of them, plus a sister and cousins
all display flowers at this year’s fair.
While Tom Bressler, Bowling Green, has been growing flowers since his marriage 53 years ago, this marks
the fourth time he’s competed at the fair. This year he’s entered black-eyed Susans, ornamental grass,
and tea roses.

Cheryl Menard of Maumee sets up miniature roses for the second flower show at the Wood County Fair.

"We’ve been planting flowers and I usually just have a little garden, not much," he said.
"I just enjoy it. It’s interesting to watch the stuff grow."
The current show, with a very healthy total of 797 entries, includes 694 specimens and 103 arrangements.
It will remain on view until Monday night.