Excerpt-Show Rules: The show is open to anyone; however competition is limited to amateur growers or club members. This show conforms to the requirements established by The Gardeners of America/Men's Garden Clubs of America and to the rules of the National Council of State Garden Clubs for a merit flower show. A merit flower show is one in which each flower or plant is judged solely on it's own merits, and not against the other entries (other than Best of Show and similar awards of "the best of the best". The show is open to the public on Saturday from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. and on Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Entries will be accepted on Friday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. and on Saturday from 8:00 to 9:30 a.m. at the Austin Area Garden Center in Zilker Botanical Garden 2220 Barton Springs Road, Austin, Tx unless otherwise noted in Schedule Exceptions on Page 1 of the show schedule. Entries received later than 9:30 a.m. on Saturday will be marked "not for competition". Entries may not be removed earlier than 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, but must be removed by 5:00 p.m.
Entries must be free from diseases, insects and any other type of pest. Entries deemed hazardous to other entries will be removed from the show. As a courtesy to other exhibitors, please inspect your plants carefully before bringing them to the show. Entries for which there is no classification may be marked "For Exhibition Only" and will not be judged for the competition. Entries in classes that specify a specific quantity or range must comply or will be ineligible for competition.
All entries must have been grown by the exhibitor and should have been in exhibitor's possession for at least 60 days prior to the show. For cut specimens, uniform containers will be furnished for specimen classes. Each exhibitor must furnish his/her own containers for collections, sprays and branches.
Plants must be clean, properly groomed and exhibited in clean containers. All containers belonging to individuals should be labeled on the underside. Exhibitors are not permitted to treat plants with oil, lacquer or dressing. Artificial support is discouraged. The merit system of awarding ribbons will be used in all divisions. All ribbons will be awarded on the basis of merit. Entries judged to have less than 70 points will be marked "Judged" and received no ribbon.
The scale of points for such ribbons is:
Point Range |
Ribbon Color |
90 - 100 |
Blue |
80 - 89 |
Red |
70 - 79 |
Yellow |
Gold Rosettes, indicating Best of Section, may be awarded to the best exhibit, that merited a blue ribbon, in each section (with the exception of the club cultivars and Youth exhibits). The best exhibit of a club cultivar (one in Division I and one in Division II) will receive a Special Award. Any entry getting a blue ribbon and a merit score of 95 or more points is awarded a Green Thumb designation, youth entries excluded. All decisions by the judges will be final.
Last updated 05/18/2008 dc