Shows
Flower Shows
Our Society sponsors 3 shows each year as part of the members’ meetings in April, June and September. In these shows, flowers and vegetables grown by our members are submitted as entries in a friendly competition to promote knowledge and quality of our gardening skills. Awards and trophies are available for the winners of both individual and cumulative points awarded for various entries.
Annual Trophies
Our Society is very lucky to have 6 trophies and 3 awards.
Bristow Trophy. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bristow, who were active members and competitors in the Society, donated a silver trophy bowl in 1958. It is awarded for the Most Total Points earned in the current year in the horticulture class.
Colwyn Trophy. This trophy was generously donated by the Colwyn Poultry Show Group in 2009. The trophy is awarded to a Novice Designer for the most points earned in Design in the current year. A Novice Designer is an exhibitor with less than three years of exhibitor experience.
Congratulations to the winners of the 2024 Trophies!
Bistrow – Michelle Goff
Rose Bowl – Jude Dowling
Pioneer – Sharon Oughton
Mabel Reid – Michelle Goff
Colwyn – not awarded; no novice entries
John Carter – Michelle Goff
2025 April Flower Show
Division 1: Horticulture
Section A: Bulbs
Class 1 Tulip – 1 bloom, single
Class 2 Tulip – 1 bloom, double
Class 3 Tulip – 5 stems
Class 4 Narcissus (Daffodil) – 1 any kind
Class 5 Muscari (Grape Hyacinth) –3 stems
Section B: Flowers
Class 6 Iris – 1 stalk, any colour or species
Class 7 Peony – 1 Bloom, any colour or species
Class 8 Hellebore – 1 stem
Class 9 Primrose – 3 stems
Class 10 Flowering branch –1 branch, not to exceed 24” in height from the table (no flowering vines)
Class 11 Dicentra (Bleeding Heart) – 1 stem
Class 12 Spring flowers – 3 different species, not listed above
Class 13 House Plant – Blooming
Class 14 House Plant – Not grown for blooms
Class 15 Bedding Plants – cell pack, 1 cultivar, grown from seed, Named (minimum 4 plants)
Section C: Fruits & Vegetables
Class 16 Rhubarb – 2 stalks (pulled, not cut, leave sheath on, cut leaf in a 1″ triangle)
Class 17 Fruit or Vegetable – 3 same species
Division 2: Design
Section A: Novice (less than 2 years of showing)
Class 18 Welcome Spring – small design in a teacup (14 cm to 25.4 cm/5.5″ to 10″)
Class 19 Pick and Plunk – seasonal, garden grown, plant material picked and artfully plunked into a container of your choice “Keep it Simple”
Section B: Experienced
Class 20 Welcome Spring – small design in a teacup (14 cm to 25.4 cm/5.5″ to 10″)
Class 21 Pick and Plunk – seasonal, garden grown, plant material picked and artfully plunked into a container of your choice “Keep it Simple”
Class 22 Blast from the Past – Design in an old container
Division 3: Photography
Class 23 Spring Flower(s)
Class 24 Goodbye Winter
One 4 x 6 print may be submitted in each category. Print must be taken in 2024 or 2025. If fewer than 3 entries are submitted for a category, the prize awarded will be at the Judge’s discretion.
Special Award
Pioneer Trophy – Rienk and Roberta Vlietstra donated this trophy for the annual award for the “Best in Show” exhibitor in the May Show.
2025 June Flower Show
Division 1: Horticulture
Section A: Iris
Class 1 1 stalk, any colour or species
Section B: Peonies
Class 2 1 bloom – double
Class 3 1 bloom – single
Class 4 3 blooms – your choice
Class 5 1 bloom floating in water
Section C: Roses
Class 6 1 bloom or spray – miniature
Class 7 1 spray – Rugosa
Class 8 1 spray – Floribunda
Class 9 1 bloom – Hybrid Tea
Section D: Miscellaneous
Class 10 Alliums – 1 bloom
Class 11 Aquilegia (Columbine) – 1 stem
Class 12 Delphinium – 1 stem
Class 13 Dianthus Barbatus (Sweet William) – 3 stems
Class 14 Dianthus (any other variety) – 3 stems
Class 15 Geranium (perennial) – 3 stems
Class 16 Heuchera (Coral Bells) – 3 stems
Class 17 Hemerocallis (Daylily) – 1 stem
Class 18 Lupin – 1 stem
Class 19 Perennial/biennial (not listed above) – 1 stem
Class 20 Poppy – 1 stem
Class 21 Collection of 5 flowering stems, different species, 1 container, named
Class 22 Foliage – 3 different species
Class 23 Fern Fronds – 3 different species
Class 24 Flowering tree/shrub (no flowering vines) – 1 branch max 24” from the tabletop
Section E: Fruits and Vegetables
Class 25 Rhubarb – 2 stalks (pulled, not cut, leave sheath on, cut leaf in a 1″ triangle)
Class 26 Fruit or Vegetable, not listed above – 3 same species
Division 2: Design
Section A: Novice (less than 2 years of showing)
Class 27 Just Blooming – Traditional Line design
Class 28 Joy of June – Mass design
Section B: Experienced
Class 29 Just Blooming – Traditional Line design
Class 30 Joy of June – Mass design
Class 31 L’il Bits – miniature design not to exceed 12.7cm/5.5″ in any direction
Division 3: Photography
Class 32 Terry Fox Garden Flower(s)
Class 33 Critters in the Garden (pet/insect)
One 4 x 6 print may be submitted in each category
Print must be taken in 2024 or 2025
If fewer than 3 entries are submitted for a category, the prize awarded will be at the Judge’s discretion.
Special Awards
Mabel Reid Memorial Trophy – Mabel Reid was an active competitor in all the shows in every category. She especially loved Design and Arrangements. When she died in 2004, the Society created an award in her honour. The trophy is awarded to the winner of the Best Design in the June Show.
Rose Bowl Trophy – In 1971 the Red Rose Tea Company donated trophies to Horticultural Societies to be awarded for the best Rose. The Fergus Society decided to award this silver bowl trophy for the Best Rose in any category in the June Show.
2025 September Flower Show
Division 1: Horticulture
Section A: Flowers
Class 1 Anemone – 1 stem
Class 2 Aster, perennial – 1 spray
Class 3 Coleus foliage – 1 stem
Class 4 Dahlia – any colour, under 10.3 cm/4″ 1 stem
Class 5 Dahllia – any colour, over 10.3 cm/4″ – 1 stem
Class 6 Hydrangea – Arborescens (Annabelle)
Class 7 Hydrangea – any other variety, named
Class 8 Phlox, paniculata (Summer Phlox) – 1 stem
Class 9 Rose – 1 bloom
Class 10 Rose – 1 spray
Class 11 Sedum – 3 stems
Class 12 Echinacea/Rudbeckia – 1 stem
Class 13 Ornamental grass – 3 stems, different species
Class 14 Flowering Branch – 1 branch not to exceed 24”
Class 15 Any annual, 3 different species – 1 stem each
Class 16 Any perennial – not listed above, 1 stem
Section B: Vegetables & Fruits
Class 17 Tomato, mini, ripe – 5
Class 18 Tomato, red – 2
Class 19 Garlic – 2
Class 20 Any other vegetable – not listed above, 1 large, 2 medium or 4 small
Class 21 Fruit – 1 large, 2 medium or 4 Small
Class 22 Collection – minimum 4 fruits and/or vegetables, 2 of each, exhibited for cultural perfection
Division 2: Design
Section A: Novice (less than 2 years of showing)
Class 23 Spooked – a carved or painted pumpkin, accessories are permitted
Class 24 Along the Road – Bouquet of roadside wildflowers
Section B: Experienced
Class 25 Spooked – a carved or painted pumpkin, accessories are permitted
Class 26 Along the Road – Bouquet of roadside wildflowers
Class 27 Garden Market – a design of your choice which includes a basket
Division 3: Photography
Class 28 Fergus Garden – maintained by the Society and with a Fergus Horticultural Society signage
Class 29 Fantastic Foliage
One 4 x 6 print may be submitted in each category
Print must be taken in 2024 or 2025
If fewer than 3 entries are submitted for a category, the prize awarded will be at the Judge’s discretion.
Special Awards
Special Monetary Awards of $5 for the September Show:
Champion Dahlia Award
Champion Echinacea/Rudbeckia Award
Harry Conklin Rose Award
John Carter Trophy – In 1996, John Carter donated a trophy which he had won in lawn bowling. The bowler on the top of the trophy was replaced with three roses. This trophy is awarded for the best Fruit and/or Vegetable Collection in the September Show.
General Rules for Flower Shows
Adult competitions are open to all paid members of the Fergus & District Horticultural Society over the age of 16.
All entries must be placed on the day of the Flower Show between 4:30 – 6:00 pm at the Fergus Legion, 500 Blair St., Fergus.
All flowers and vegetables must be grown by the exhibitor.
For the design classes, material need not be grown by the exhibitor but fresh garden flowers and greenery are to be used unless otherwise stated.
Exhibitors may make only 1 entry in each class and are responsible for their placement.
If 2 exhibitors sharing a garden wish to compete in the same horticultural class, they must enter different varieties.
Entry tags are available at the meeting prior to the show or from the Show Chairperson and must be placed with the entry and be clearly visible.
Exhibitors should include on the entry tag the botanical name (genus and species) or the common name/variety of all specimens where possible.
Exhibitors must supply their own containers and white paper plates for fruit and vegetable classes.
All designs must be the sole work of the Exhibitor.
For the purpose of the Design Classes, a Novice is a person who enters a competition for the first time and may place entries in the Novice Design classes for two years. Please place your entry in the correct section of the design classes.
An Exhibitor must have had a house plant in his or her care for 3 months before the show.
The show will be closed to all persons except for the Show Committee and clerks while exhibits are being judged.
No exhibit will be entitled to a prize unless it possesses merit, and no award will be made to an unworthy exhibit, even if it is the only entry in the class.
Judges decisions in all cases will be final.
Society Officers reserve the right to adjust the prize amount shown in the Yearbook prior to judging.
The Society will not be held responsible for the loss or damage to any exhibit or container.
Exhibits must not be moved until the show is declared closed.
Judging will be conducted according to the Second Edition OJES 2019 Horticultural Judging Standards, Publication #34/2993 OMAFRA which may be obtained for $10.00 from show chair, Kathy Bouma
Prizes
Horticultural Points Value
1st place 3 points $3.00
2nd place 2 points $2.00
3rd place 1 points $1.00
Design Points Value
1st place 10 points $10.00
2nd place 8 points $8.00
3rd place 6 points $6.00
Photo Points Value
1st place 3 points $3.00
2nd place 2 points $2.00
3rd place 1 points $1.00
Ontario Judging Standards Information
Judging is in accordance with the Ontario Judging and Exhibiting Standards 2019. Substandard entries may not necessarily be awarded prizes.
These are a few of the definitions and helpful information to be found in The Ontario Judging Standards for Horticultural & Floral Design, which may be obtained at our monthly meetings for $10.00.
Definitions
Accessory – An object used in a subordinate manner to enhance a design. An accessory may be made of non-plant material, or plan-based material. A design incorporating an accessory should appear incomplete if the accessory is removed (Pg 129 Publ#34/2019)
Basket – A container usually made of plaited, slatted or woven natural plant materials, with or without a handle. Baskets made from man-made materials such as glass, pottery, metals, etc., may also be used, but their form should resemble a basket.
Bloom – an individual flower, one to a stem. Specimen blooms should be disbudded for exhibition purposes. No leaves unless attached.
Bud – An undeveloped growing point which may become a shoot, leaf, or flower.
Collection – A specified number of different cut flowers, foliage, potted plants, branches, fruits, vegetables, or nuts, exhibited for cultural perfection. Individual items in the collection should be named.
Container – Any receptacle for plant material. In design classes, it becomes an integral part of the design.
Pick and Plunk – Seasonal, garden grown, plant material picked and artfully plunked into a container of your choice. “Keep it simple”
Display – A combination of cut flowers, potted plants, cut foliage, herbs, branches, fruits, vegetables, nuts, etc., exhibited for artistic effect as well as cultural perfection. The schedule should state the nature of the display including the numbers of specimens required, the type of containers(s) and the space allotted.
Specimen – An individual exhibit in a show, eg. fruit, cut bloom, etc.
Spike – An upright stem carrying several flowers which are nearly stemless, e.g., Gladiolus, Liatris.
Spray – The terminal flowering growth of an herbaceous or woody plant carried on one stem. Ideally it would show all stages of development. e.g., flowers in bloom, buds showing colour, green buds and leaves.
Stalk – The stem or main axis of a plant; any supporting or connecting part of a plant, as the petiole of a leaf, the peduncle of the flower, or the funicle of an ovule.
Iris Terminology
The standards are the upright top three inner petals.
The falls are the lower three petals.
The beards are the fuzzy caterpillar-like hairs on the falls.
Bloom Colour Categories
Bi-tone – Term used to describe shades of one colour in a flower
Bi-colour – is usually two distinct colours, one on the standard and a different colour on the falls.
Plicatas (mixed colours) has petals that are stitched or stippled or banded margin colour over a lighter ground colour
Floral Design
Design – a combination of fresh and/or dried plant materials, with or without other objects arranged to create an artistic unit. The elements of design: space, line, form, colour, texture and pattern and are used to interpret the theme.
Foliage Design – A design in which foliage predominates.
Mechanics – Devices for holding or supporting plant material such as pin holders, chicken wire, florist’s wire, aqua picks, tape, oasis, etc. Mechanics should not be visible.
Miniature – A design with maximum dimensions no more than 12.7 cm(5”) in height, width and depth including any container, base and/or accessories.