How to Enter the Horticulture Division
Entering is easy and everyone is welcome! You do not have to be a member of a garden club or a horticultural organization. There are horticulture classes for all levels of gardener – from the weekend dabbler to the experienced horticulturist. So, bring your favorite plant, your prettiest cut specimen or plant something completely new, inspired
by this year’s flower show theme.
When to Enter
Horticulture Divisions I & II: Container Plants
Thursday, June 21, 2012 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Division I, Classes 1 – 11 will be passed and staged in front of Rosecliff in the Cour d’ Amour. All other container entries must be brought to the Passing Tent, on the back lawn at Rosecliff, adjacent to the parking lot. Exhibitors must allow sufficient time to complete registration and entry cards as well as for the passing process for each entry. Exhibitors with multiple entries should allow an hour or more for the process. Passing for Divisions I & II closes promptly at 12:00 p.m. No entries will be passed after this time. Assistance will be available to move large containers.
Horticulture Division III: Cut Specimens
Thursday, June 21, 2012 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
All cut specimens must be brought to the Passing Tent on the back lawn at Rosecliff, adjacent to the parking lot. Exhibitors with multiple entries should arrive no later than 3:00 p.m. Cut specimen passing closes promptly at 4:00 p.m. No entries will be passed after this time. Cut specimens must be properly conditioned in order to survive the entire (un-air conditioned) run of the Show. The Newport Flower Show reserves the right to remove wilted cut specimens.
The Passing Process--Registration and Entry Cards
Each person entering the Horticulture Division must complete one horticulture registration card and an entry card for each container or cut specimen entered. Cards are available in advance at the reception desk at The Preservation Society of Newport County’s Office at 424 Bellevue Avenue, Newport and at Green Animals Topiary Garden, 380 Cory’s Lane, Portsmouth, or by calling the Special Events Office at 401 847-1000 ext. 140 before Friday, June 15, 2012.
You may also download and print horticulture entry cards here.
On Thursday, June 21, 2012, cards will be available in the Passing Tent at the Show. But we encourage you to complete registration and entry cards at home.
All completed cards should be taken to the Registration Desk in the Passing Tent, where Horticulture Registration cards will be collected and entry cards will be reviewed, marked with an “R” and returned to the exhibitor.
Having registered, please visit the grooming station, and for cut specimens choose an appropriate vase provided by The Newport Flower Show. Be sure to give each cut specimen or container entry one last thorough inspection before proceeding to the appropriate passing table for your class number. Here your entry card and entry will be
reviewed and each entry card will be marked with a “P”. All entries will be given to runners to be staged in the Show. Thank you for competing in The Newport Flower Show!
Horticulture Division Rules
1. Amateurs and professionals are eligible to enter any class; however, entries may not be entered under a commercial or business name. This rule does not apply to invitational classes, 11 and 12 which are designed to be promotional opportunities. There are no entry fees.
Amateur: An exhibitor who does not derive any income from horticulture.
Professional: An exhibitor who derives income from horticulture.
Novice: An exhibitor who has never won a blue ribbon in a major flower show.
Newcomer: A first-time exhibitor who has never entered the Horticulture Divisions of The Newport Flower Show.
2. Entries in Divisions II & III must have been owned and/or grown by the exhibitor for a minimum of three months prior to the Flower Show and must be of show quality and free of all pests and diseases.
3. Entries in Division I will be judged for horticultural excellence and interpretation of the stated theme. Entries in Divisions II & III will be judged on horticultural excellence only.
4. The standard ribbons will be: 1 blue awarded for first place, 1 red awarded for second place and 1 yellow awarded for third place. In classes where entries are exceptionally competitive, more than 1 red and/or yellow ribbon may be awarded, at the discretion of the judges.
5. There is no limit to how many classes each exhibitor may enter or how many entries are allowed in each class, except Division III Cut Specimens, where up to 3 entries per class are permitted. Multiple entries, by the same exhibitor, must not be duplicates and should represent different species, varieties or planting combinations
(except where noted.)
6. Exhibitors are responsible for identifying entries with correct botanical and common names. The American Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants and The New Royal Horticultural Society Index of Garden Plants are two recommended resources.
7. A Plant Key Card is required when entering Division I: Creative Outdoor Containers and any class of three or more different varieties, except Class 104. The exhibitor must provide a 4" x 6" white index card with a numbered listing of
the botanical and common names for each plant corresponding to a numbered diagram of the planting.
8. Once your entry is passed, maintenance of the entry becomes the responsibility of The Newport Flower Show Committee. You may groom and/or water your entries only before they have been passed.
9. Wild-collected plants of endangered species are strictly forbidden 10. Entries must be well-balanced, sturdy and able to withstand inclement weather conditions.
11. Entries may not be so large or heavy that they cannot be moved or staged with ease.
12. Containers must be clean, compatible and proportionate to the planting within.
13. Pot size is measured as the longest inside dimension across the top of the pot; rectangular pots will be measured on the diagonal.
14. Disguised, double-potting is permitted. The interior pot is the one that will be measured if necessary.
15. No dried, treated or artificial plant material is permitted, with the exception of dried moss used to disguise double-potting.
16. No fresh-cut stems are allowed to supplement potted entries.
17. The Newport Flower Show Committee may divide, subdivide, withdraw or combine classes at their discretion.
18. The Newport Flower Show, Garden Club of America and National Garden Club awards will be presented at The Awards Ceremony on Sunday, June 24, 2012 at 3:30 pm.
19. Horticulture Division entries and ribbons must be picked up between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 24, 2012. Beyond this pick up time, The Newport Flower Show Committee is not responsible for entries.
20. Exhibitors are required to present an Exhibitor’s Receipt to retrieve container entries in The Newport Flower Show. Exhibitors will receive a receipt for each container entry passed.
21. In Division I: Creative Outdoor Containers, Classes 1-11 will be passed and staged in front of Rosecliff in the Cour d’ Amour. All entries in Divisions II and III, Classes 13-104 will be passed in the Passing Tent on the back lawn.
22. Division II: Ornamental Plants Grown in Containers. If your ornamental plant requires watering during the three day show please provide a compatible saucer.
23. No hanging containers except in Class 4.