Pasquaney Garden Club to host florist Bailey Caristi

BRISTOL — Pasquaney Garden Club will host florist Bailey Caristi on Tuesday, June 18, at 1 p.m. in the conference room of the Minot Sleeper Library in Bristol.

Caristi is Bristol’s newest florist. For the Garden Club workshop, she will demonstrate techniques and the use of floral materials and arrangement. This type of program has always been a favorite and the club is delighted to invite the community to share the experience.

Since her purchase of the former Renaissance Florals last year, Caristi has immersed herself in not only the art of florals and plants, but has expanded the array of crafts, jewelry and gifts for her shop.

Caristi said it was an exciting adventure to start her own business but having grown up in Bristol, and now living here it was a commitment she really wanted to make for her family as well as herself. She said this is truly home for her. Customers were particularly fond of the littlest member of the Botanist crew, Elle, Bailey's now 21-month-old daughter. Elle is spending fewer hours in the shop these days as her growing activity needs expanded.

Caristi said, in addition to her love of floral art, she pursued crafting from a young age creating cards, birthday boards for kids and invitations for formal events. Most of her previous career was spent in healthcare, human resources administration and managing an anesthesia practice which actually helped build a good foundation for what it would take to own and run a business; something she had always wanted to do. The Bristol Botanist has allowed her to marry her worlds.

Moving along through spring, it has been a busy time for Pasquaney Garden Club. Volunteers and gardeners distributed and planted community planters and gardens during the week before Memorial Day. The club held another very successful annual plant sale and reports the community support was wonderful.

Planter maintenance and gardening will continue through the summer months and helpful hands are always welcome. Upcoming dates for meetings, programs and Butterfly Garden Workdays are as follows:

• Wednesday, July 17 - Tour of Tarbin Gardens, Franklin, 1-2:30
• Tuesday, August 20 - Tour of Sweet Pea Farm, Plymouth, 1-2:30
• Butterfly Garden Workdays - 9-11:00, Tuesdays, June 11, July 9, Aug. 6, and Aug. 27.

For more information, carpenb3@gmail.com.