^Mrs. Pamela Johnson wife of the Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States Anthony Johnson at left admires Jamaica’s floral exhibition which was on display at the 67th Annual Flower Mart held at the National Cathedral n Washington, D.C May 2-4, at right is Mrs Marigold Harding head of the Jamaican floral exhibit team and Mrs. Unis Morrison.

Jamaica was featured as the only Caribbean country at the 67th staging of the Annual Flower Mart 2008; the premier outdoor festival for garden and floral enthusiasts from the mid-Atlantic United States region, which was held from May 2 to 4 in Washington, DC.

The event was staged on the grounds of the historic Washington National Cathedral, as a tribute to South Africa some seventeen countries displayed floral arrangements and had as its theme 'Flowers Around the World.' The exhibitions from several countries, particularly in Western Europe and Jamaica, displayed exhibits featuring arrangements, utilizing native plants and display materials.

Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, Anthony Johnson who visited the show said “the continued participation of Jamaica in this historical event is signal recognition of the important role which Jamaica plays and Jamaica is indebted to Mrs. Marigold Harding and her assistant Mrs. Unis Morrison who continues to represent Jamaica at this prestigious event”.

Well-known local floral designer, Marigold Harding, who headed the Jamaican exhibit team, with support from the Embassy of Jamaica in Washington told JIS News “this is the second year that Jamaica was invited to participate by the organizers and we see it as a very important invitation for Jamaica to participate”.

Mrs. Harding who is the wife of the president of the senate Dr. Oswald Harding said, “for Jamaica to be the only Caribbean country to participate in this important flower show gives us an opportunity to highlight Jamaica and to show to the rest of the world what we can do, how we can participate in an international exhibition and for us to have a presence”.  Jamaica will continue to participate in the show as long as we are invited Mrs. Harding added.

The 2008 Flower Mart, attracted thousands of patrons, is a fixture on the Washington spring calendar and is a key component of an array of events staged in the District of Columbia, designed to attract a diverse tourist population to the American capital.