Afton Flower Shops

Afton NY News

Aug 17, 2018

Deep field set for Bridge of Flowers 40th anniversary

Bridge of Flowers in 2016 in 39:03.Another major challenger is newcomer Aisling Cuffee, who graduated from Stanford but now lives in North Grafton and runs for Saucony under coach Ray Treacy. Cuffee has a 15:11 personal record in a 5K.The third, fourth and fifth-place finishers from a year ago also return in the women's field. Apryl Sabadosa, of Westfield, took third. Karen Bertasso, of Albany, New York, is a two-time Bridge of Flowers winner. She was fourth last year. The fifth-place finisher from a year ago was Jenna Giglioti, of Northampton, who joins Sabadosa as two of the top female runners in the Western Mass. Distance Project.Another person to keep an eye on is newcomer Kim Nedeau, of Leverett, who is a top hill runner in New England and placed second at the Mount Washington Road Race in 2016.Ashley Krauss, of Easthampton, recently placed eighth at the James Joyce 10K in Dedham, which served as the U.S. championship for the Master's (ages 40-49) Division. Sidney Letendre, of Florence, returns after running an 8:11 pace on the course last season at the age of 62.

Apr 6, 2018

Eagle Scout creates garden boxes for Willows at Willard

Jones, who is a junior at Midview High School in Grafton, said he found out that most senior citizens love to plant their flowers and tomatoes, however they are unable to “knee down” to dig in the dirt. He made the boxes so the residents could stand up to plant their favorite items.He also designed gardening boxes for residents who may not be able to stand and need to do their planting while seated in their wheelchairs. These particular boxes are extremely accommodating for the residents. The boxes provide great satisfaction along with a sense of accomplishment. Jones also worked with the physical therapy team at the Willows to help create the boxes, as their use aids in the residents therapy.Jones and his scout troop, No. 236 in Berlin Heights, have had a partnership with Norwalk Elks Lodge No. 730 for the past six years.He secured his gardening box funding through a scholarship application from Elks Ohio. Jones, the son of Rachel Jones and Jason Gilles, will have his Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony in May. (Norwalk Reflector)

May 7, 2017

From a single Mother's Day carnation to a riot of flowers

Credit for our Mother’s Day holiday goes to Anna Jarvis, who in 1908 had her mother memorialized at St. Andrew’s Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia. Decades later the church took advantage of the occasion by becoming incorporated as the International Mother’s Day Shrine — something to visit should you ever inexplicably find yourself in Grafton.Jarvis chose white carnations to put on her mother’s grave because they were her mother’s favorite flower. With the success of the Sunday service, Jarvis campaigned for a national Mother’s Day. It took a lot of work but by 1914 Woodrow Wilson signed a presidential proclamation designating the second Sunday in May as a national holiday to honor mothers.Florists and card companies loved the idea and quickly touted their respective offerings as gifts. Jarvis was not amused. She argued that Mother’s Day was to be a moment for personal remembrance and acknowledgement — make your own cards and gifts — and not a money maker for others. When the nonprofit American War Mothers, founded in 1917, started selling Mother’s Day carnations to raise funds, Jarvis took to the streets and was arrested for disturbing the peace.Flower sellers quickly leaped upon the language of flowers, a concept known as floriography. While various attributes have been assigned to flowers for thousands of years, modern marketers carefully selected those for carnations.White carnations were said to symbolize the attributes of motherhood: purity, faithfulness, charity, and beauty. That seems a bit much, but these flowers are only to be used for mothers who have died and, thus, placed on their graves. Shou...

Feb 23, 2017

Tammany Times: Garden shows and sales are in season

Parks and Recreation Complex, 13505 La. 1085 in Covington.This is one of the many community service projects Master Gardeners provide, said Will Afton, county agent for the LSU Agricultural Center. A new class of 29 trained gardeners graduated in November with a commitment to offer 40 volunteer hours, he said.Afton will speak at Spring Forward on common landscape problems and their solutions. Former Covington Mayor Keith Villere will speak on native plants, and Ron Straham, associate professor of the LSU School of Plant, Environment and Soil Sciences, will speak on weed control.Master Gardeners will host a panel discussion on spring garden and provide what they call Table Talk booths. Table topics will include bees, birdscaping, hydroponics, native plants, African violet propagation and a booth where the public can ask questions about their particular gardening needs.Registration is requested by March 3; the fee is $20. A box lunch and snacks are included. Registration and Table Talks begin at 8:30 a.m., and the program starts at 9 a.m. Forms are available at the LSU AgCenter offices, 1301 N. Florida St. in Covington, or mail the fee with your name, address, email and phone number to P.O. Box 5438, Covington, LA 70434.SHOW & SALE: Another highlight of the Master Gardeners' year will be the 2017 north shore garden and plant sale to be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 17-18 at the St. Tammany Parish Fairgrounds in Covington. The event is held under the pavilion, rain or shine, and features more than 60 vendors.The... (The Advocate)

Jul 27, 2016

Grandview Medical Center receives $1M gift | www ...

Nan Whaley, helped cut the ribbon in front of the new beautification project. The monument sign and garden can be seen as drivers approach the Grafton Hill and Five Oaks communities on Grand Avenue, heading west. The monument is meant to “create an aesthetic entrance to the neighborhood,” Hall said. The flowers and garden symbolize “growth and prosperity” in the area. Hospital employees, as well as community leaders and members, helped fill the garden with flowers after the ribbon-cutting. Thursday’s dedication also aligned with the celebration of Grandview Medical Center’s 90th anniversary. The medical center is one of the largest osteopathic, community-teaching hospitals in the U.S., according to the Kettering Health Network. (MyDaytonDailyNews)

Jun 10, 2016

Antiques, arts and flowers: five fab things to do, see and shop in Cambridge this week

From a selection at Accessorize, Petty Cury and The Grafton, Cambridge. Read more: Take a virtual tour of Soham's most stunning garden Clever cloth This is brilliant. Fashion designer Isobel Ridley – the brains behind British brand Lavender Hill – has launched a line of clothes and accessories which are as eco-friendly and ethically sound as they are lovely to look at. Made from a bespoke-woven blend of cotton and Modal – a carbon-neutral fibre derived from sustainable beech forests – the T-shirts are a sure-fire wardrobe staple: super-soft yet promising to be tough as old boots, they come in various necklines and sleeve lengths and every shade of neutral, from white to cream to grey to black. The collection also includes a selection of linen-mix striped scarves; a nice finishing touch. Show time If you're an art-lover, we've got a couple of diary dates for you. Cambridge Book and Print, the gallery on Newnham Road, has got a pair of exhibitions coming up – and both sound splendid. First up (June 17-30) is a Michael Randall retrospective: a local artist with an international reputation, he's exhibited his colour-saturated paintings everywhere from Mayfair to Paris. A showcase of the finest French prints will follow (dates to be confirmed); all published by Parisian lithographic studio Mourlot Freres, they will include works by modern masters Chagall, Picasso, Matisse and Miro. Told you they sounded splendid. Call (01223) 694264 for details. Read more of today's latest stories here and don't forget to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to get the latest news direct to your social media stream. Download our Evening Edition app for the latest news, sport and entertainment news delivered to your phone or tablet at 5pm Monday to Friday. It's in the Google Play store and available for iPhone/iPad in the App Store. (Cambridge News)