From the May 12 edition of the Notheast Times Flower show in full bloom By Jeannie O’Sullivan If author Lewis Carrol were alive, he probably would have liked the Deer Meadows Retirement’s Community’s first flower show, which debuted on May 4. His book, Alice in Wonderland, was the theme for the three-day event. Hundreds of plants and flower arrangements beautified the halls, rooms and gardens of the campus during the week before Mother’s Day. Artwork, created by Northeast High and J. Hampton Moore School students, graced the walls with colorful interpretations of the story. During the opening reception, chief executive officer Michael Jacobs unveiled the show’s centerpiece, a garden replica of – what else? – Alice’s Wonderland. The sight of live rabbits greeted the guests as they entered the famed “rabbit hole”, a paradise of flowers, birds, waterfalls and wall murals that surrounded props from the classic tale. Alice’s tears spilled down into a turquoise pond of live goldfish from a fountain above as parakeet’s chirped happily and serene music played. Across the way, the Mad Hatter presided over his papier-mâché tea party surrounded by geraniums, petunias and tulips. Down the path, other characters amused visitors; the Cheshire Cat, Alice’s voice of reason, grinned from a video monitor; the wise caterpillar, perched contentedly from his huge toadstool; near the exit, a croquet game had been set up in a garden of toy hedgehogs and flamingos. The magical scene was flanked by “book covers” – the room’s appropriately decorated doors. A team of volunteers had worked on the masterpiece for six weeks. “We even had the execs digging and mulching,” said creative art designer Colleen Hart, who managed the project and painted the massive wall murals. The Wonderland was designed in tune with the therapeutic, “Eden”-like environs of Deer Meadows, said Hart. Gardening and wellness programs are available to residents of the independent and assisted-living care facility, formerly the Baptist Home of Philadelphia. “We chose key scenes that would incorporate the ‘subculture’ of Deer Meadows,” said Hart. Residents also were a big help in putting the show together, said Liz Harbison, director of marketing and public relations. She said the results were as pleasing to the residents as well as the visitors. “This is the first of an annual event,” said Harbison.