​​If you’ve never been to a National Garden Clubs flower show, think of it as part art gallery, part agricultural fair, and part science museum. It’s a free public event where garden club members display beautiful plants, creative floral designs, prized horticultural specimens, and educational exhibits―and compete for awards.

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Our show, “A Century in Bloom,” celebrates the Garden Club of Montclair’s 100th anniversary. Every category reflects a different era or idea from the past century.

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How the Show Is Organized

Our flower shows follows rules established by National Garden Clubs (NGC), Inc. The exhibits are organized into Divisions, Sections, and Classes. This simply means that similar entries are grouped together and judged by the same standards. The requirements for each category are listed in the show’s comprehensive Schedule. The brochure you  received as you entered is an abbreviated version of the complete Schedule.

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Our show includes five Divisions, details of which are reached from the QR codes in each room:

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• Horticulture: Plants and flowers displayed at their best.

• Design: Creative arrangements made with flowers and other plant materials.

• Education: Displays that teach visitors about flower design, gardening, nature, or related topics.

• Botanical Arts: Nature-inspired crafts and photography.

• Youth: Gardening and creative projects by young people.
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How Are Exhibits Judged?

Judges evaluate each entry against a standard of excellence—not simply against the other entries. They look at things such as quality, creativity, design, craftsmanship, and whether the entry follows the rules for its class.

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Ribbons are based on scores:

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• First: Blue = 90 or above

• Second: Red = 85 or above

• Third: Yellow = 80 or above

• Honorable Mention: White = 75 or above (There may be more than one of these.)

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A blue ribbon does not simply mean “best of the bunch.” It means the entry reached the required standard of excellence. Judges may choose not to award a ribbon if no entry meets that standard.

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A 90+ sticker means the exhibit earned enough points to qualify for a blue ribbon. However, another exhibit in the same class might score even higher, pushing the other 90+ awards down to red or yellow.

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The judges will also present certain special club awards, such as best in division, and best in section.

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Summary of What Judges Look For

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QR codes in the different rooms provide more details of these divisions.

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In Horticulture, look closely at the plants. Judges consider their health, maturity, appearance, correct botanical name, and presentation.

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In Design, notice how the flowers, colors, shapes, textures, and spaces work together. Judges consider balance, proportion, rhythm, creativity, and how well the design expresses its assigned theme.

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In Education, look for displays that clearly and creatively explain a topic. Botanical Arts includes nature-inspired crafts and photography. Youth exhibits showcase gardening and creative projects by young people.

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Most of all, enjoy the show! You don’t need to know the rules to appreciate the beauty, creativity, and skill on display.