The 57th Annual Southern
Humboldt Garden Club Flower Show was held at Agnes J. Johnson
School on Sunday, May 18. The punishing heat of the days
preceding the event had left some potential entries too
sun-burned for showing, but gardeners from Southern Humboldt
north to Ferndale and Fortuna managed to find enough perfect
or near-perfect specimens to fill the school’s auditorium.
Being a sanctioned standard flower show, the SHGC had succeeded
in attracting 20 accredited flower show judges from all
over Northern California to select the winners in all categories.
Becoming an accredited flower show judge is no small thing.
There’s a two-year judging course that must be completed,
followed by a period as a student judge, and culminating
in a standard national examination which must be passed
before an accreditation is issued. Veteran flower judge
Dolores Moffat of Dublin, California, has been accredited
for many years and sometimes is invited to judge shows such
as the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show and the Portland
Rose Show. She enjoys coming to the Weott Show, she says,
because the flowers are always good and the atmosphere is
pleasant.
Red Bluff and Chico areas carpooled to the event this year.
There were also a few Humboldt County judges.
Judges are not paid for their work, but the club provides
them with breakfast and lunch. Then the gym is cleared of
everyone who isn’t a club member, and the judging
begins.
Flower show judges work in teams of two or three and are
accompanied by a clerk provided by the sponsoring club.
They come equipped with clipboards and point sheets and
take their time discussing and evaluating each entry. Something
called “cultural perfection” is a consideration,
as well as condition, grooming, display, distinction, and
creative expression.
”We take it very seriously,” says judge Kiwi
De Voy. “We know what it takes to grow these beauties
and we have to make sure we do the right thing.”
DeVoy was part of the team that judged the entries in the
iris section. She and her team members spent close to 15
minute evaluating which of the three top entries in the
tall bearded iris category was the best of the show. It
all came down to what is called “attitude.”
The winning stalk must have three blooms and all three blooms
must be at their peak of perfection and perfectly balanced
with one another.
That award this year went to Sue Tosten of Fortuna, who
earned the Duchess of Show ribbon for her Chusimy Rainbolas.
Tosten also won the Best Petite Award, Best Flowering Container
Plant and the Best Rhododendron.
Veteran gardener Agnes Tupes took first in Best Hybrid Tea
Rose and Best Floribunda Spray. Betty Teaseley won the Emma
Cathey Award for best bouquet, the Best Mini Rose ribbon,
and Best Flowering Shrub. Betty Thomas was the Sweepstakes
Winner for having earned the most points for her iris entries.
Betty Teaseley took the Christine Kemp Award for best depiction
of the show theme - Flower Power. She also won the most
points in the miscellaneous categories.
Amber McDavitt took Best Design of Show for her collection
of roses in a vase. Elizabeth Smith of Redway won the Alan
Etherington Award for Best Mixed Bouquet.
Toni Stoeffle won Best Beginner Design, and Greg of Agnes
Johnson School won the Most Fragrant Rose award. Debra Lake
won Best Container Plant for her bonsai maple tree.
Several of the judges at this show said they always enjoy
their visit to Weott and hold the Southern Humboldt Flower
Show up as an example of what can be accomplished by a small
club with many dedicated volunteers.
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