The Top Ten Reasons To Be a Flower Show Judge
By Kerry Krokos
By Kerry Krokos
Post judging treat at the State Fair.
My journey from planting straggly annuals purchased at Stein’s Garden Center, to becoming an accredited Flower Show Judge, has been quite the adventure.
I joined my current NGC garden club, because my friend got tired of me asking her the names of plants when we were together. She kindly “suggested” that if I joined a garden club, I would learn plant names and a whole lot more. And she was so right.
When we were first approached about going to a flower show school, I thought it would be fun to learn details about plants. Little did I know, that there were 4 courses (with exams) which included horticulture and design classes plus writing a Flower Show schedule as well as a final exam. It was a bit intimidating at first. But what I found was that everyone involved in the schools wanted me to be successful in passing the courses, just as much as I did. They were willing to help me in any way they could. They encouraged me and were never too busy to answer my questions. They were excited every time I passed a course. And with each course I passed, I gained more confidence about knowing the material and applying it. I was amazed that I remembered facts from one course to the next, all the while building on my previous learning. I became an accredited flower show judge in April 2014. I’ve discovered that beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but design and horticulture exhibits can be judged against perfection.
So here are the top ten reasons you should consider going to Flower Show School and becoming a Flower Show Judge. These are the reasons I am so happy to be part of this group of knowledgeable and talented individuals.
You will-
1. Acquire detailed information about how specific plants grow,
2. Learn the different types of NGC designs,
3. Create designs by applying the Elements and Principles of Design,
4. Write flower show schedules while experiencing fun in doing so,
5. Develop an appreciation of different flowers and plants with an eye for details,
6. Learn how to collect and display horticulture exhibits,
7. Become knowledgeable about the different Scale of Points and how this tool is used in judging,
8. Make friends with many different people from different areas,
9. Enjoy the fun, work and satisfaction of putting on a flower shows, and
10. Most of all, you will develop a life-long learning for the beauty and abundance of our natural world.
I joined my current NGC garden club, because my friend got tired of me asking her the names of plants when we were together. She kindly “suggested” that if I joined a garden club, I would learn plant names and a whole lot more. And she was so right.
When we were first approached about going to a flower show school, I thought it would be fun to learn details about plants. Little did I know, that there were 4 courses (with exams) which included horticulture and design classes plus writing a Flower Show schedule as well as a final exam. It was a bit intimidating at first. But what I found was that everyone involved in the schools wanted me to be successful in passing the courses, just as much as I did. They were willing to help me in any way they could. They encouraged me and were never too busy to answer my questions. They were excited every time I passed a course. And with each course I passed, I gained more confidence about knowing the material and applying it. I was amazed that I remembered facts from one course to the next, all the while building on my previous learning. I became an accredited flower show judge in April 2014. I’ve discovered that beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but design and horticulture exhibits can be judged against perfection.
So here are the top ten reasons you should consider going to Flower Show School and becoming a Flower Show Judge. These are the reasons I am so happy to be part of this group of knowledgeable and talented individuals.
You will-
1. Acquire detailed information about how specific plants grow,
2. Learn the different types of NGC designs,
3. Create designs by applying the Elements and Principles of Design,
4. Write flower show schedules while experiencing fun in doing so,
5. Develop an appreciation of different flowers and plants with an eye for details,
6. Learn how to collect and display horticulture exhibits,
7. Become knowledgeable about the different Scale of Points and how this tool is used in judging,
8. Make friends with many different people from different areas,
9. Enjoy the fun, work and satisfaction of putting on a flower shows, and
10. Most of all, you will develop a life-long learning for the beauty and abundance of our natural world.
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The Wisconsin Garden Club Federation founded in 1928 is a charter member of the National Garden Club organization. As an organization, we are proud of our heritage of developing relationships with fellow gardeners, learning, and gardening for good in our communities.
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