Westborough Florist Helps Bring Organic Produce to Families in Need

A fundraiser Sunday to provide families with fresh organic produce featured floral table arrangements reminiscent of the 1920's.

They were made and donated by Melissa Horne, owner of Westborough's The Plant Bazaar Florist.

The Downton Abbey-inspired Garden Party that the Massachusetts Horticultural Society held at Elm Bank in Wellesley supported the organization's Garden to Table program, which "provides fresh, organic produce to families in need," according to the society's website.

Horne said she made and donated six larger table arrangements, and 12 high-top arrangements, for the festivities after event co-hostess Leslie Mann approached her. They had worked together before.

"She loves my work, so she asked me if I would help support this event, which I was more than happy to," Horne said.

Horne said she developed the arrangements, and "I found all these beautiful antique silver containers," having been inspired by the link to the show's website, which Mann sent her.

"You can just look at the way that they're dressed, and I visualized that this is very 1920's inspired," Horne said.

An event Horne has organized for Oct. 5 seeks to promote awareness of Westborough's self-employed artists and crafters.

The first Eclectic Arts will run from noon to 5 p.m. at Horne's shop, at 50 East Main St.

"We were just talking, as the summer is slow for all of us artists. It was just a way of getting some business," Horne said.

"We have a web designer who's coming. We have someone who makes jewelry. We have photographers. We have painters. 

"We have 20 vendors coming. And everyone is raffling a free item."

Horne said she has rented a bouncy and hired a sitter for the event, enabling parents to shop there. There also will be a psychic, and a disc jockey.

Horne, a Westborough native, will celebrate her seventh year as the shop's owner in October. She began working there in 2001.