Horticulture Division
How to enter the Horticulture Division--click here!
Horticulture Exhibitor's Reception
Get Growing!
Thursday, March 18, 2010, 5:30 pm
The Breakers Greenhouses
Bateman Avenue, Newport
Potential horticulture competitors are cordially invited to a cocktail reception hosted by the Horticulture Committee at the Preservation Society's beautiful greenhouses. Learn more about the competitions, enjoy good food and good conversations, and begin planning your winning entries!
Please RSVP by March 5, 2010 via email to Events@NewportMansions.org, or by phone to (401)847-1000 ext. 169.
Division Consultant: Jim Donahue (401) 683-1267
jdonahue@newportmansions.org
(After June 21, please call (401) 847-1000 ext. 169 and leave a message for Jim Donahue)
Passing and Registration for Entries in Division I
Thursday, June 24, 2010 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Class 1: Morocco
For centuries, the Mediterranean climate of this northwestern African country has produced spices, herbs and essential oils for international trade. Mint, rosemary, scented geraniums, thyme and artemisia, among others, are gathered from the wild and offered for sale in bazaars from Casablanca to Tangier.
Create an aromatic, mixed herb and spice planting. A Moroccan-style planter is optional.
Class 2: The Sahara
While “desert” conjures images of cacti, in fact cacti are indigenous only to the New World. On the African continent, extreme heat and dry conditions have molded the evolution of euphorbia. Both cacti and euphorbia share survival strategies: minimal leaf surfaces reduce transpiration, slender upright forms minimize exposure to harsh sun rays and both store what little precipitation they are able to gather.
Design a container incorporating strictly drought-tolerant plants. Your planting must incorporate a euphorbia and may include other succulents and cacti. Floral color is optional. For a listing of euphorbia varieties, please visit www.desert-tropicals.com.
Class 3: The Serengeti
Tropical grasslands are characterized by year-round warmth and cyclical rains, which produce a biome supporting huge numbers of hoofed browsers and predators. After the rains, the African plains and rolling hills burst into bloom with Osteospernum, Gazania, Gerbera and other wild flowers.
Plant a container, incorporating ornamental grass, African wild flowers, and other ornamentals. Please relate your color scheme to one of these Serengeti animals and name your container accordingly: Zebra (black & white,) Blue Wildebeest (silvers/blues,) or Giraffe (oranges/yellows.)
Class 4: The Congo
Most of the northern two-thirds of the Republic of Congo is dense, tropical rain forest. Rubber trees of various species, coffee plants, cotton, and various palms are indigenous. Native fruits such as banana, plantain and coconut are found in abundance. A canopy of exotic and valuable hardwood trees, like mahogany, ebony and teak, not only provides a home for epiphytic bromeliads and orchids, but also spurs extensive deforestation.
Create a mixed container which represents the lush, endangered Congo rainforest. Plant material need not be limited to African natives.
Class 5: Zimbabwe
Formerly the British colony of Rhodesia, Zimbabwe has been called “The Jewel of Africa.” Home to Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world and the verdant Zambezi River valley, Zimbabwe’s fertile, well irrigated soils once made it the “breadbasket of Africa.”
Grow a mixed planting of edibles in a rustic, lined basket.
Class 6: Victoria Falls
Dr. David Livingstone arrived in Africa in 1840 as a missionary and physician, but spent his life exploring the African continent. He was the first European to view Victoria Falls in 1855.
Combine three or more moisture-loving plants creatively in a terrarium, Wardian case, or other closed container.
Class 7: Johannesburg
With the discovery of gold in 1886, this tiny settlement in South Africa experienced an unprecedented population explosion. Immigrants from across Europe, especially the English and Dutch, along with African natives, settled Johannesburg, ultimately creating a culture which is a European/African hybrid.
Create an English style planting, in a traditional container, incorporating at least one plant native to South Africa. An accessory may be included within the planter. South Africa is one of the most diverse floristic regions on earth, home to: Agapanthus, Aloe, Arctotis, Clivia, Crocosmia, – the list goes on and on. For an extensive, alphabetical listing of South African plants, please visit: www.plantzafrica.com.
Class 8: Par Class
A container of three or more different species which does not qualify for entry elsewhere in Division I. To be judged on design and horticultural merit.
DIVISION I - Invitational Classes
Class 9: Safari Flora & Fauna
Five commercial firms, landscapers, estate gardeners or garden centers will be invited to create a garden on Rosecliff’s front lawn. Each garden will feature a life-size topiary frame, provided by The Newport Flower Show Committee, representing an African Safari animal: lion, giraffe, zebra, elephant and crocodile.
Class 10: Tribal Drums
Twelve garden club “tribes” will be invited to plant a traditional African Djembe drum, to be displayed on Rosecliff’s terrace steps. Six will be planted in the style of Class 1, Morocco and six will be planted in the style of Class 2, The Sahara.
Class 11: Zulu Warriors
Six commercial firms, landscapers, estate gardeners or garden centers will be invited to plant one of the ornamental cachepots on Rosecliff’s seawall balustrade. Each pot will feature an over-scaled, Zulu shield, provided by The Newport Flower Show Committee. Competitors must include at least one plant native to the Zulu homeland. For an extensive, alphabetical listing of South African plants, please visit: www.plantzafrica.com.
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