SAUGUS — For Lee Dyment, who has spread joy with her intricate floral creations with the Garden Club for more than 25 years, the Books in Bloom event is a chance to share her passion with a younger generation.
“We have all age groups and we enjoy each others company,” said Dyment, 90. “We show the younger members who to entertain, how to set a beautiful table, all kinds of things.”
The club’s youngest members are in their 20s, she said.
Dyment created a handful of the dozens of floral arrangements that have sprouted up at the Saugus Public Library. Created by several of the Garden Club’s 68 members, the arrangements represent either the theme of their favorite books or mimic the design on the cover.
The creations are displayed throughout the library for patrons to enjoy.
Dyment created a design based on “Cats Claw” by Susan Witting Albert, a book on herbs. Her creation included a miniature herb garden complete with wheelbarrow and sign figurines.
Lorraine DiMella didn’t stop at combing colorful roses, lavender, and greens to reflect the cover of her book “Red Hat”by Damon Wayans. She also designed a floppy red hat to add to her display.
Members involved children in the fun, helping them create their own pieces using paper flowers as part of the library’s Nature and Garden Club program. The program won The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts’ Mitzi Belitsy Award for excellence in children gardening. About a month before the show’s opening, the kids picked some of their favorite reads, including “Charlotte’s Web” and “Tales of Peter Rabbit and Flopsy Bunnies,” and let their imaginations run wild. Using colors from the books covers and props, like big black spiders and furry rabbits, they tackled the challenge.
“The Garden Club is just here all the time enriching people’s lives,” said Children’s librarian Amy Melton
The show will be open Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
