w/pic Guest speaker Doug Kohler addressed members of the Bud ‘n Bloom Garden Club recently. The presentation took place at the home of his mother, Nancy Kohler.

The Bud ‘n Bloom Garden Club has had a very busy early summer this year.

For their June meeting, members were entertained by co-president Nancy Kohler of Fredonia on Lake Erie.

Arriving at her Parkview home, the members were delighted with displays of marigolds, lilies, hydrangea and a large snowball bush.

Upon entering the sun room of the home, the guests were amazed at the 1 ½ year-old poinsettia plant in full bloom and very healthy.

As they entered the living room, the 7-foot tall fern arrested the attention of all there. Evidently, this healthy plant was one hundred years old and members of the gardening family have taken cuttings from the plant to carry on the family tradition.

Overlooking Lake Erie, a variegated spider plant with 30 smaller “spiders” growing enjoyed the windows that overlooked the patio facing the serene body of water. On the patio was a lovely stained glass design and three flower boxes containing seven bright red mandevilla plants – loving the sun.

A huge purple wisteria supplied a lovely aroma and was found crawling under the patio and popping up on the patio.

Back inside, the serving table was set with a creme-colored linen tablecloth and a floral display of yellow, lavender and pink mums. From this, Kohler served strawberry shortcake, in season, which was delicious.

The main event was the guest speaker, her son, Doug Kohler, a retired 10th-grade teacher and the Erie County Historian. With his delightful, interesting manner and the slide presentation, he brought to life the Pan American Exposition held 125 years ago in Buffalo. It was held for 16 days, and then it moved to Chicago.

It was a cultural event, with some beautiful and some shocking displays from other countries. Thinking back, most people did not have electric lights, but they were everywhere in the Expo. A huge 15-foot Ferris wheel was a big success, and it moved to Chicago also.

There were patriotic buildings, horticultural buildings, military displays, roads, bridges, a gondola ride and gardens everywhere.

Chautauqua County displayed wines and fruits of the season.

Every state was represented. Around the outside of the main perimeter were displays by South American and Central America.

This year’s Great American State Fair 2026 event will last 16 days.

The group hopes to have Kohler return to hear his talk on old cemeteries. Being an excellent speaker, Kohler will bring to life stories of the past.

Ladies, led by Barb Joy, planted flowers in the pots and urns at the Dunkirk Lighthouse. This service project has continued for years now.

The next meeting will be held at Marie Zambotti’s fabulous flower garden and elaborate patio. Members will create bouquets to be donated to local public places.

New member Laurie Berkshire will demonstrate some basic skills and tips when making flower arrangements. Berkshire is originally from Fredonia but now lives in Derby where she works at a local flower shop. She is also a professor at ECC (SUNY Erie Community College).