How to show...CUT FLOWERS

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• Cut flowers should be the number of stems specified in the class, displayed in the vases provided by the Garden Club, unless the class allows your own container.

• Stems should be as long as possible depending on the species.  Cut them as fresh as possible and let them have a good drink of water before bringing them to the show.

• The leaves should be in good a condition as possible, but lower damaged or dying leaves can be removed.

• Flowers should ideally be in their prime: open but not shedding petals.

• Identical-looking specimens are the ideal, but pick the ones which are as near to identical as possible.

• Pansies and violas are displayed on a card.  The card should be white with small holes pushed through at even internals, them the stems carefully passed through so the petals lay flat on the card.  Place the card over a container (eg. a shall glass bowl) containing enough water to allow the stems to sit in.

• Sweet peas should have long straight stems with as many flower heads as possible.  Some varieties will specify 'good for showing', but general varieties can still win prizes!  The judge is looking for quality of blooms, not just quantity.

• Gladioli can be mixed colours, but 3 identical perfectly-formed single colour blooms are ideal.  The judge will look for undamaged flowers which can be fully open at the bottom of the stem and partially open as the stem goes up.  If necessary, carefully remove dead or dying flowers from the bottom of the stem.

• Annuals:  these are flowers which last for year only.  Examples are Cosmos, Cornflower, Godetia, Verbena and Zinnia.

• Perennials: these are flowers which come back year after year.  Examples are Echinacea, Delphiniums, Heliopsis and Penstemons.

• Flowering shrubs: examples are Hydrangea, Hypericum, Philadelphus and Buddleia.

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