Recommended Resource Books

Every club should have a copy of the Handbook for Flower Shows, 1997 Edition and it would also be of great educational value to have a copy of The Encyclopedia of Judging and Exhibiting. These two books can be of great assistance when you are asked to judge the monthly exhibits of other clubs.

The Qualities of a Good Judge

Rare and Endangered Plants (Conservation List)

Rare and endangered plants, many of which are Virginia Native Plants, need protection.

Plant material on the conservation list cannot be used in an arrangement unless it has been grown by the exhibitor, and this must be noted on the exhibit card.

These plants may be used in flower shows only as follows:

1. In educational exhibits, if nursery or garden grown. Such plants must be rooted and labeled.
2. ALL plants may be used in artistic design, horticultural classes, or any other class not specified as education, only if grown by the exhibitor and must be labeled to this effect.

Point Scoring

Many clubs request that you point score the exhibits.

This is most difficult when you have not had the training.  Point scoring is one of the most difficult parts of a judge's training when going to flower show school.  Even when you have completed all of the courses and have your certificate, you must audit the schools and point score arrangements to make certain that you are "keeping up" with the new trends and designs.

Study the scale of points that you will be working with so that you can do the best judging possible.

Arrangements

If a club wishes to have arrangements point scored, check their yearbook or schedule for the scale of points they want you to use.  If they do not have one, check the one in the Flower Show Handbook that would apply to the arrangement you are judging.

If 30 points are allotted for design, give each principle 5 points.  If the design is slightly off balance, you do not take off the total 5 points, you might take off 1 or 2 points. Then go on through the rest of the principles to determine how much you will take off under design.

When condition is not listed in your scale of points, deduct points under distinction for wilted flowers, insect, dirt, or mechanical damage to foliage or flowers.

When reviewing the schedule or classes or arrangements to be judged, make certain to note if an accessory may be used, or if something is to be FEATURED.  If it is to be featured, it must be the dominant or prominent part of the design.  If used as an accessory, it is secondary and is used to carry out the theme.

NEVER TOUCH AN ARRANGEMENT... You judge it as you see it.  Ideal viewing distance is about three feet away.

Horticulture

Again, check the schedule.

Make certain that just one stalk or stem or bloom is being exhibited unless, or course, it is a spray of some type - such as azalea or chrysanthemum - but it would still have just one central stem or stalk.

The stem must always be in water.  It is also suggested that we cut our horticulture stems on a slant.  Again, this is a recommendation, and points would not be deducted because a stem has been cut across.

If the yearbook says, "exhibit in coca cola bottles," this is only a suggestion; do not take off points if the exhibitor uses another type of bottle.

NEVER REMOVE A SPECIMEN FROM A BOTTLE... If you feel you must have a closer look, ask the exhibit chairman or clerk to remove it for you.

Deduct points for specimens that are dirty or have spray residue.

Damage by weather can be tolerated much more than poor grooming. Badly groomed specimens seem to be one of the major faults when exhibiting. We must all learn to groom and condition our horticulture before exhibiting.

Refer to Handbook for Flower Shows - Scale of Points: