Chuckanut District, A Small-Standard Flower Show

The FLOWER SHOW SCHEDULE for the February 28th District Event is here.  (updated version Feb 6th)

 Link to Updates of the Flower Show Handbook.



                                        TIPS FROM THE JUDGES

                                                      Horticulture

Judges look for cultural perfection in judging horticultural exhibits. The specimen should be free of insect damage, turgid and well groomed.

Judges look for conformance to the schedule requirements: length of stem, number of blooms, etc.  Specimens should be displayed in clear, uncolored glass containers of  appropriate size, wedged to achieve the best pose and with no leaves or debris in the water.

A specimen with Binomial labeling is scored higher than one with only the common name. Family names and common names may be used in addition to binomial names

Design

Your design will be judged by how well you have applied the Principles of Design to the Elements of Design in an artistic and imaginative way.

Principles of Design are balance, contrast, dominance, rhythm, proportion and scale.   These are achieved by the artistic use of the Elements of Design, which are line, form, color, texture, pattern, size, space and light.

Artistic Concept is the skill to produce an original, creative design expressing beauty, harmony and expression resulting in a design with distinction.  This is achieved by the imaginative selection of components appropriate to the assigned design type and their use in the construction of the design.

Your judges have studied each of these concepts, and their application in depth, at Flower Show Schools I – V and the Symposiums required to maintain their judging skills and status as judges.

This same information is available to you in the  NGC Handbook for Flower Shows and Designing  by Types;  Betty Belcher's  Creative Flower Arranging, among others.

Study these sources and you will learn what judges look for in judging your design.

Perhaps you are one of the fortunate few who are blessed with inborn artistic skills, who seem to effortlessly create a design conforming to NGC requirements.  The rest of us struggle along, studying and practicing to achieve a design with distinction.

Expression is an individual response to the Class title, which is there to jog your creativity. Literal interpretation may detract. Avoid the trite. A fairy may be suggested by a dainty flower, snow by white blossoms or branches, love by red roses, an arrow by creative use of line material.

BE CREATIVE !

FOR RESEARCH ON MONO-BOTANIC DESIGNS:

a. Books:  1. Dictionary of Plant Names for Gardeners by Sterns.

                 2.  Scientific and Common Names of 7000 Vascular Plants in the U.S. by Lois                                           Branko, Amy Y. Rossman & David F. Farr.

b. Internet:  1. http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/data/genlist.html

                  2.  http://theseedsite.co.uk/class.html

                  3.  Google, Yahoo 

                            – or other search engine: 

Type in “Genera and families of Plants.”

This will bring up a list of sources: 

#8 Royal Botanical Gardens. 

Click on  “list genera within a family.”

From the list, click on the desired family name.