In full bloom – Milli Faircloth’s talent as beautiful as her flowers

Published 5:59 pm Saturday, July 23, 2016

THOMASVILLE, Ga. — Milli Faircloth’s talent is like the beautiful flowers she works with — colorful and comes to full bloom in a unique way.

Dating back to the 1940s, Faircloth has been a member of various garden clubs.

“I wanted to get in something that I could feel like I was bettering myself,” she said. “Knowing about plants, flowers and how to do it.”

At 96, Faircloth still produces the vivid table demonstrations she has come to be known for, designs that have garnered numerous ribbons in different flower competitions. The designs range from functional designs, which are table designs made for having meals on, and exceptional design, which are similar to a store display.

Faircloth and her son Tom Faircloth, who helps, won so many ribbons, they do not have a grand total. Part of the reason, he said, is because his mother would return ribbons to the local show if ribbons did not have her name on them.

At the Standard Flower Show in April, Faircloth won in three of six divisions. She also won the most blue ribbons among all contestants. Faircloth won best in show for the first time. She entered a combination of 32 entries. In flower competitions, blue ribbons are for first place, and red is for second place.

Faircloth said she could not have won so many ribbons without her son’s help.

“The first ribbon I ever won was an honorable mention,” she said. “And I just thought I won the top award with it and was so proud of it. But, then it went on from that to the best in the show.”

The showmanship Faircloth gives her designs and arrangements, is the same whether she wins the blue or red ribbon. She said she would put in the same amount of work and dedication to earning a red ribbon, as she would a blue ribbon. This led Tom Faircloth and his wife to creating the Milli Faircloth award several years ago. The award spotlights the best runner-up or second place.

With all the ribbons for her table designs, Faircloth still prepares each table design in the same unique way.

“The first thing you would do is get a piece of china,” she said.

Once she picked out the colors she wanted to use in her design, she would carry a salad or dessert china plate everywhere she went.

“She had great vision about what she wanted,” her son said.

This vision for design also ties into prominent part of Faircloth’s life — her sense of fashion.

Tom Faircloth said his mom has always had an impeccable fashion sense, as she loves colors and coordinating colors, a love that has transpired into her table designs.

“When you think about the beauty of nature, I think my mom appreciates that to a great degree, probably more than most,” Tom Faircloth said. “She sees beauty even in some weeds.”

An abundance of ribbons are not Faircloth’s only feats as a lifelong member of garden clubs. In 2001, she was the “Year of the Rose” chairman, and signs of roses were erected throughout Thomasville. She also was the life membership chairman of the district, and had the highest number of people joining garden clubs in the state, her first year. Faircloth also was president of the Talisman Garden Club and Thomasville Garden Clubs Inc.

She said her favorite aspect of garden club is “meeting people” because she said “that’s how you get to know things.”

Marge Willis, member chairman of Thomasville Garden Club Inc., views Faircloth as the guru for table design.

“She’s absolutely one of the best table designers for flower shows you’ll ever, ever see,” Willis said.

Willis pointed out Faircloth’s many positions throughout her membership in garden clubs.

“You name it, she’s done it,” Willis said.

Tom Faircloth gets to see his mom’s love for flowers firsthand. This love allowed him to give her one of her fondest memories: a trip to Europe. During their trip, the pair visited London, Paris and Amsterdam. On their final day in Europe, the two spent the whole day visiting Keukenhof Gardens in Amsterdam.

Faircloth’s love for beautiful flowers has transcended into various aspects of her life — everything from her sense of fashion to her sense of showmanship in her table arrangements.

“I love plants,” Faircloth said. “I love flowers, and I like to show them off.”

Reporter Jordan Barela can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820.