FLOWER SHOW GENERAL RULES
Timetables, Division Chairs, and Class Descriptions along with a few Guidelines are all included in the Flower Show Schedule written for each show.
Timetables need to be reviewed ahead of time pertaining to ownership, registration date, and arrival and completion times.
Division Chairs will answer questions about their division and take pre-registrations (Floral Design and Photography, generally).
Class Descriptions tend to be theme oriented. Horticulture Division does not require pre-registration (unless noted) and has no restrictions on number of entries per class. Floral Design and Photography do have restrictions on number of entries, and it is a good idea to have a second choice of class if your first choice is full.
There are Entry Cards for all Divisions and will be available at the show or can be requested ahead of the show. These must be filled out with botanical and common names for Floral Design and Horticulture Divisions. There will be committee to assist with this process during entry times. All entries must be passed by the committee. Protected and endangered species are not allowed. Questions may be directed to the Flower Show Chairmen.
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Entry cards may be found under the Members section, Flower Show Committee of the GCA website (https://www.gcamerica.org/members/flower-show) under Entering a Flower Show.
The Flower Show Schedule is the final word. Worcester Garden Club Flower Shows are based on GCA standards of Club Flower Shows. The GCA Website is a huge resource for all the Divisions of the show, as well as Flower Shows in general. These can all be found within “GCA Committee Pages” tab on the website.
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Please Note: See our Navigating the GCA Website page for help with accessing Garden Club of America information.
Floral Design Division:
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No artificial plant material nor cut fruit are allowed, and generally fresh plant material needs to dominate. All live material must be in water, and mechanics should not show unless an integral part of the design. See fine examples on the GCA website and in By Design Magazine.
Horticulture Division:
All entries must have been in the exhibitor's possession as specified in the Timetable of the Schedule. The committee or the judges may subdivide any class when needed. The Schedule will tell whether committee is supplying the bottles for cut specimens or whether entries are supplying their own. See fine examples on the GCA website and in The Real Dirt Magazine.
Horticulture Practical Advice:
Save the Plant Label when you buy a plant. Keep it safe in a folder until you have time to write it in a file on your computer. Label has Common Name, Botanical Name, size of plant, exposure needs, moisture needs, etc. You might want to exhibit it in the future and you will definitely need Common Name and Botanical name.
Cut in early morning or early evening, and the soil should be moist before cutting. All plant material should be well conditioned and at the peak of bloom. Look for straight, sturdy stems. If the stem grows with foliage attached, it must retain enough foliage to balance the stem and flowers. The length of the stem must be in proportion to the flowers. Tips for forcing branches can be found on the website. Select plant material that is as nearly perfect as possible.
Remember to thoroughly groom your exhibits. For container grown plants, remove all dead or damaged leaves and any pests. Clean the outside of your containers, and any staking should be inconspicuous.
Produce from the garden will be displayed on paper plates provided by the committee, with five small specimens to a plate, three medium and one large. Don't wash fruits or vegetables.
Photography:
The Schedule will state the sizing and mounting requirements. Staging for supporting photographs is generally a part of the committee’s responsibility. See fine examples on the GCA website and in Focus Magazine.