In Chillicothe, Missouri, a community garden club is inviting neighbors to dust off their pruning shears and start planning now for a celebration of homegrown blooms. The Chillicothe Garden Club's 2026 Flower Show, scheduled for June 23–24 at the Cultural Corner Art Guild & Gallery, promises to transform the gallery into a vivid showcase of what thrives in local yards and gardens—and everyone is welcome to participate, membership card or not.
This is more than just a competition. It's a public invitation to gardeners at every level to grow something beautiful and share it. The two-day exhibition will feature flowers, arrangements, and creative garden displays entirely grown and designed by community members. Organizers are encouraging gardeners to begin their preparations now, planting annuals and perennials that will be ready to shine by late June. Whether you've been gardening for decades or are trying your hand for the first time, there's a category waiting for your entry.
This year's show includes nine categories: Annual, Perennial, Rose, Hosta Leaf, Creative Container, Arrangement, Fairy Garden, Junior Single Stem, and Junior Arrangement. The Fairy Garden category is new this year, designed specifically to celebrate imaginative miniature garden displays—a nod to the creative, whimsical side of gardening that often gets overlooked. Winners will be selected in each category, with one entry crowned the overall "Best in Show." Participants can enter up to 10 items per category, giving serious growers and casual enthusiasts plenty of room to showcase their work.
The beauty of this event is its accessibility and inclusivity. There's no membership requirement to participate. All that matters is that your flowers or arrangements come from plants you've grown yourself—from your own yard or garden. On Tuesday, June 23, gardeners can drop off their entries between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. at the gallery. Winners will be announced at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24, giving the community a chance to vote for their favorite entries throughout the exhibition's hours.
The exhibition is open to the public during regular gallery hours, inviting visitors who may not be gardeners themselves to experience the diversity of what grows in their own community. It's a chance for flower enthusiasts and families to wander through displays that represent months of planning and care—to appreciate the colors, fragrances, and textures that make a garden matter.
Garden Club members hope the event continues to highlight the remarkable beauty and creativity flourishing throughout the Chillicothe area while encouraging more participation from the community year after year. In an era when many people feel disconnected from growing things, an event like this—rooted in the simple joy of tending plants and sharing them—offers something grounding and real. It's an invitation to be part of something larger than yourself, to contribute to a celebration of what you've nurtured, and to see what your neighbors have grown. For gardeners in Chillicothe, June 23–24 is the deadline to dream about what will bloom.