How to Enter Plants
in the
PHS Philadelphia Flower Show
Flower Show Competitive Classes
Artistic & Design
Classes
Hamilton Horticourt
(Horticulture Classes)
There’s a new Show almost every day!
The Hamilton Horticourt—from this…
To this!
And this!
It all starts here…
• Published in September.
• Mailed to last year’s
exhibitors.
• Available online or by mail.
• To request a copy, send
an e-mail to
[email protected]
or write to
Shows Department
PHS
100 N 20th St, 5th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
or here…..
theflowershow.com
Use pull-down list to find “Exhibit at the Flower Show”
Lots of links
Posted as they become available
• Exhibitor’s Guide
• Entry Forms
• Arrangement
Classes
Staging Diagrams
• Botanical
Database
• Horticulture Point
Scales
• Artistic Workshops
• Videos
• More to come….
Who can enter?
• Anyone can enter the Show. You don’t need to be a
member of PHS or a club/organization to enter.*
• There’s no fee for entering.
• If you pre-enter, you can make unlimited entries—there
is no penalty for not exhibiting as many entries as you
anticipated. (Pssst! Exhibitors often pre-enter the same
plant in several appropriate classes and then—on entry
day—decide where it has the best chance.)
* Of course, we’d be happy to have you become a member of PHS.
Why pre-enter?
• Unlimited entries! For most classes, you may enter
up to three entries per class, as long as they are
different. (For some classes, you may have only one
entry per class.)
• If you provide your plant names in advance, PHS
volunteers can check them prior to the Show.
• PHS can anticipate the number of prospective entries
in a class and plan ahead for staging space.
• You can print out your entry list from FSDB.
• You will receive entry credentials by mail in February.
• You (and your club/organization) will receive points
for any entries that actually come to the Show.
How and when to enter
Pre-entries must be received no later than January 31.
• Enter online: register.theflowershow.com
(easy—like shopping online; entries confirmed
as you enter).
or………
• Submit paper entry form from Exhibitor’s Guide.
Last-minute entries? You can still post-enter!
• Bring entries to the Show on entry days (see
Exhibitor’s Guide for dates and times)—up to 6
post-entries per day.
Plants must be in your possession by December 1, 2016.
Enter online via FSDB
register.theflowershow.com
Or on paper
available in center of Exhibitor’s Guide or online
Paper forms must be
received by January 31;
no phone, fax, or e-mailed
entries.
Decide what to enter
• Look around your house for appealing plants
(spectacular, rare, unusual, or simply wonderful plants).
• Make a list of possible entries, with botanical names*
and pot sizes.
• Use the Exhibitor’s Guide to determine appropriate
classes to enter
– Beginner’s Luck : _599 – 1st time exhibitors only
– Novice Classes: Never won a blue before current
year
* Need help with names? Look up plant names in Flower Show Botanical
Database (register.theflowershow.com/botanicalview.aspx)—over
20,000 names, plus links to online photos.
Check the guidelines about containers!
(see Exhibitor’s Guide)
Measure your pots!
Inside measurement
Tip: After you
measure the pot,
mark the size on
the bottom with a
waterproof marker.
(Use a silver pen
for dark pots).
Pots over 4" – ½" leeway
Pots 4" and under - ¼" leeway
Look up a plant name
http://register.theflowershow.com/Botanicalview.aspx
or use link on the website
The PHS Flower Show Plant Database contains more than 20,000 botanical
names of plants that have been entered in the Flower Show. Nomenclature
volunteers have verified the accuracy of these names.
Use the drop-down list
(type the plant name without quotes)
Find out even more!
How about a “challenge” plant?
In these classes, all exhibitors start with the same plants and grow
them for competition. Only plants purchased from PHS are eligible
to be entered.
Plants are available starting in September—first at the Members’
Plant Dividend and then at PHS Meadowbrook Farm. See the
Exhibitor’s Guide for details.
Before—on sale
After—at the Show
Horticulture entry/judging days
• Judged on Friday, March 10
– Enter on Thursday, March 9, 1:00-5:00 p.m.
and/or Friday, March 10, 7:00-9:30 a.m.
– Remove on Monday, March 13, 6:30-7:00 a.m.
• Judged on Monday, March 13
– Enter on Monday, March 13, 7:00-9:30 a.m.
– Remove on Thursday, March 16, 6:30-7:00 a.m.
• Judged on Thursday, March 16
– Enter on Thursday, March 16, 7:00-9:30 a.m.
– Remove on Sunday, March 19, approx. 6:30-8:00 p.m.
All about classes
• Friday Hort class numbers start with 2; Orchid classes start with 5.
• Monday Hort class numbers start with 3; Orchid classes start with 6.
• Thursday Hort class numbers start with 4; Orchid classes start with 7.
• Some classes repeat on each entry day. In the Exhibitor’s Guide, they
are listed with an underscore—for example, _322. The Friday, class is
2322, the Monday class is 3322, and the Thursday class is 4322.
• In addition to the repeating classes, there are special classes for each
entry day. See the Exhibitor’s Guide.
• Novice classes are open only to exhibitors who have not won a blue
ribbon in that section of the Show prior to the current year. (If you win
a blue in a Novice class early in the Show, you can still enter Novice
classes later in the week.)
• Beginner classes are for first-time exhibitors in the Show.
Enter All Days (EAD)
• For EAD entries, you don’t need to come to the Show on
entry days to remove, re-groom, and re-enter them.
• Note: Not all repeating classes are EAD classes. EAD entries may
be made only in classes designated “eligible for EAD” in the
Exhibitor’s Guide—generally plants requiring no additional grooming
during the Show.
• All EAD entries must be pre-registered by January 31.
Post-entries are not eligible for EAD.
• Make entries on Thursday, March 9, 1:00-5:00 p.m.
and/or Friday, March 10, 7:00-9:30 a.m.; remove them on Sunday,
March 19, between 6:30-8 p.m.
• You must agree to the EAD regulations (see Exhibitor’s Guide)—
e.g., you may not move the entry on a subsequent day or substitute
another plant.
Reminders
• Pre-entries must be received at PHS by Jan 31.
• Add or change plant names for entries in FSDB until
midnight on March 5.
• Post-entries at the Show—up up to 6 entries per day.
• You may substitute another plant for one that has been
pre-entered.
• Unless otherwise specified, only one plant per pot.
• Identification of every plant is required.
• Your name must be on the bottom of each pot.
Now it’s time to get ready
for the Show.
Plan ahead…prepare your plants
• Groom the plants.
– Make sure they are free from pests and disease.
– Remove dead and broken leaves.
– Make sure they have a pleasing shape—full and
symmetrical.
– Fertilize regularly according to need.
• Repot if necessary.
– Do containers conform to Show guidelines?
– Are plants in proportion to their containers?
– Are they appealing to a judge’s eye?
Make a grooming kit
for home and at the Show
Suggested contents
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Flashlight
Magnifying glass
Scissors, tweezers, bent tweezers,
needle-nose snips
Tiny paint brushes
White chalk (mark pots at home but bring
extra)
Cotton balls, Q-tips
Small pieces of sandpaper, lint-free rag,
mineral oil, small spray bottle with water
Exhibitor’s Guide, printout of entries from
PHS (or print your own from FSDB)
Extra blank 4"x6" cards, just in case
Small quantities of top dressing
And a snack!
Plan ahead…prepare containers
• Get containers into “Show shape.”
• Clean any encrusted terracotta pots.
– Sandpaper (fine-medium).
– Rub lightly with mineral oil
• Consider double potting.
– Works well for plants grown in plastic pots.
– Watch pot size.
– Use top dressing to conceal inner plastic pot.
• Put your name on the bottom of your pots with
waterproof marker (hint: use a silver pen on dark pots).
Plan ahead…top dressing
• Top dressing gives your entry the finishing grooming
touch.
• Use natural material only—brown, black, gray, or tan.
• Avoid lightweight material, since it will float.
• Suggested materials
– Aquarium gravel
– Turface® – sport field clay-based soil conditioner
– Fine orchid bark
– Sphagnum moss (only for bulbs and orchids—see
Exhibitor’s Guide)
Examples of good top dressing
Exhibitor entry cards
• Make two 4"x6" cards for each entry for each day.
• Print your name and contact information on one side.
• Print the plant name and class number on the other side.
HORS CHESTNUT
Cell: 215-555-5555
[email protected]
THE GARDEN CLUB OF
PHILADELPHIA
FRONT
Best phone to reach you
at the Show.
The judges see this side.
PHS card
what the public sees….displayed after judging
(cards for pre-entries are waiting at each class)
BEGONIA ‘FLUFFY RUFFLES’
Each entry has a
unique PHS ID.
First digit
indicates day.
Plan ahead…
the week before the Show
• Determine best arrangement of boxes in your vehicle
(test with empty boxes).
• Familiarize yourself with the Horticourt Floor Plan sent
with your exhibitor packet.
• If you have multiple entries, plan an efficient route for
making your entries.
• Schedule ample time to groom before packing the plants
for transport.
• Remove water spots – a 50-50 milk/water solution with
cotton balls is very effective.
before the Show (continued)
• Groom plants at home. At the Show, grooming should
only be last-minute tweaks.
• Two days before packing—water thoroughly.
• Pack the plants in boxes.
• Don’t forget your grooming kit.
• If you have numerous entries, use popsicle sticks
marked with class and plant names to keep track of
them.
• Put your parking pass, entry credentials, and grooming
kit in the car.
• If it’s cold out, warm up the car.
Then what?
• If you have pre-entered, you will receive a packet
in mid-February containing a map of the Horticourt,
buttons or tickets, and a parking tag.
Exhibitors
needing multiple
admissions to the
Show.
Exhibitors and
helpers working
only during set-up
or tear-down.
Maintenance
pass (one
use only)
See tags and Exhibitor’s
Guide for entry times.
How to get there; how to get in…
(see the Logistics section of the Exhibitor’s Guide)
Sample floor map
(check for a new one each entry day)
Materials for transporting entries
• Strong cardboard boxes.
• Plastic crates.
• Plastic dry-cleaning bags.
• Bamboo stakes to elevate bags off plants.
• Plastic bags from newspapers and produce
to secure top dressing.
• Dollies, carts, and wagons
(be sure to put your name on your cart).
• Helpers, if you have numerous entries.*
* Request credentials for helpers by February 15; see Exhibitor’s Guide.
At the Flower Show
• Enter the PCC parking garage though the 12th Street
entrance, just past the light at Race St. (Your car must
be moved out by 9:30 a.m.)
• Have your entry credentials readily available (hang-tag,
button, or ticket).
• Carefully* open the car and unload your plants and
grooming kit.
• Pick up a revised floor map at the freight elevator.
• Take the elevator to the Show level.
• Proceed to the grooming and passing tables.
* This tip is from an exhibitor who lost entries when they fell out of her car
as she opened the hatch—the plants had shifted towards the rear.
Class entry process
• After any last-minute grooming, move your plant to the
passing table for the class.
• Present your two 4″x6″ exhibitor cards to the passer and
recorder.
• The recorder will complete the paperwork for your entry.
• The passer will examine plant to ensure that it is of Show
quality, meets class requirements (name, pot size, etc.),
is free of insects, and has a chalk mark on the back of
the pot.
• The passer may suggest additional grooming to improve
the plant’s appearance and chance of winning.
Class entry process
(continued)
• The recorder will document that your plant has actually
entered the Show.
• You must stay with the plant until passing and recording
are finished.
• Stagers will move plants from the passing table to the
display bed. You may not touch the plant once it has
been passed.
Passers and recorders at work
After you have entered your plants
• Gather all materials and return to your car—before 9:30
a.m.*
• Exhibitors are not allowed in the Horticourt during judging.
– Relax.
– See other parts of the Show.
– Use the Members and Exhibitors Lounge on the
Concourse to wait for results.
– Unless you have an Exhibitor button, remember to get
your hand stamped before you leave the Show level.
• Usually by the evening of judging you can go online and
view your results in your FSDB account.
* All cars must be out of the garage before the Show can open
to the public.
Behind the scenes…volunteers
Hort & Orchid
Judges
Hort Chairs
& Vice-Chairs
Hort Clerks
Exhibitor
Aides
Barrier Aides
Post-Entry
Aides
Special Panel
Judges
Recorders
Special Panel
Clerks
Passers
Cards & Ribbons
Runners
Typing Booth
• Nomenclature
• Typists
Stagers
(new cards, moves, etc.)
“Points”
Trophies
Behind the scenes…the “Typing Booth”
Nomenclature checkers review plant
names to be sure they conform to
current practices.
“Typists” update PHS cards by adding
plant names or making changes in
class number. Later they are involved
in the Points process—scoring and
proofreading.
Behind the scenes…judging
Flower Show judges come from all across the
country and even from outside the US at their
own expense to judge at the PHS Philadelphia
Flower Show.
What do the judges look for?
•
Cultural Perfection: Vigorous, healthy appearance including foliage,
flowers or fruit, and form characteristic of a well-grown plant. There should
be no indication of pests or disease.
•
Distinctiveness: Meritorious in aesthetic appeal; noteworthy in size and
relationship to container.
•
Bloom: Quality and quantity of bloom, including freshness and substance;
mass effect if appropriate to the class.
•
Fruit: Quality and abundance of fruit, if appropriate to the class, including
color and mass effect.
•
Maturity: Size of plant and foliage characteristic of a mature specimen.
•
Difficulty: Challenging to grow (and bring to bloom, if applicable to the
class); requiring specialized growing conditions, skill, and care.
•
Rarity: Seldom grown and exhibited by amateur horticultural enthusiasts.
The judging criteria for specific classes can be found in the Horticulture
Scales of Points, available beginning in December at
http://theflowershow.com/get-involved/exhibit-at-the-flower-show.
Behind the scenes—“Points”
Points are awarded for entries and awards in all Competitive Classes. At the end of the Show,
sweepstakes awards go to exhibitors and organizations accumulating the most points in a
particular area of the Show (e.g., Horticulture) or in all categories (grand sweepstakes).
Clubs and organizations receive points based on their club entries plus points earned by their
members. See the Exhibitor’s Guide for a list of awards.
AWARD POINTS
SPECIAL AWARDS
Ribbons, rosettes, and trophies are awarded by special panels of judges (PHS panels,
plant-society panels, etc.). Points range from 7 to 25.
ENTRY POINTS
Each pre-entered plant that actually comes to the Show receives an entry point.
ADDITIONAL ENTRY POINTS
Each pre-entered plant receives an additional entry point on Thursday as an incentive
to keep the Show fresh for the second weekend. Post-entered plants entered on Friday
and Monday do not receive entry points. However, post-entered plants on Thursday
now receive the additional point, again as an incentive.
By the numbers…
Hort entries per year
Online links
http://theflowershow.com/get-involved/exhibit-at-the-flower-show
Videos
Check back here to download additional resources
(e.g., Hort classes point scales, how to use FSDB, etc.)
as they become available.
PHS Mission
We connect people with horticulture,
and together create beautiful, healthy,
and sustainable communities.
Proceeds
from the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show
benefit the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
and its initiatives,
including the PHS Plant One Million
tree campaign and PHS City Harvest,
which provides locally grown, fresh produce
for underserved families.
For More Information
• PHSonline.org
• theflowershow.com