Be a Better Gardener, Coming Right Up: The “Grow it and Show it” Event of the Summer
Judges Jacqueline Connell and Kathy Michie discuss a Design Division entry at Berkshire Botanical Garden’s Grow Show. Photo by Robin Parow
By Thomas Christopher
Coming up on August 10-11 is the 49th iteration of Berkshire Botanical Garden’s Grow Show, an event begun in 1970 to celebrate the harvest and gather together gardeners who eagerly shared their successes and talents.
Much has changed since this event was born in 1970. Earth Day, which was then brand new, is today half a century old, and the kid who was cutting the lawn back then is approaching the age for Social Security now. Yet BBG’s high summer celebration remains as fresh as ever. Rechristened as “The Grow Show,” it still offers a regional showcase for the talents of home growers and for those who simply love flowers.
The competition for growers, the “Horticulture Division,” will follow a traditional pattern of choice flowers and herbs displayed in rows of identical glass containers; the vegetables will be laid out on white paper plates. The idea, of course, is to let the samples displayed speak for themselves and to eliminate every variable except sheer horticultural skill. With 80 different classes in which to compete, including annuals, perennials, vegetables, fruits, berries, bulbs, corms, rhizomes, tubers, and even houseplants and dish gardens, this event is an opportunity to shine for almost any gardener no matter what their particular passion.
For those whose preference is for arranging rather than cultivating – or perhaps for both – there will be the “Floral Design Division.” Each year brings a new theme for the arrangements submitted, and this one is to be “Gardens of the World,” and will comprise five classes representing gardens in Japan, India, New York City, England, and Brazil. For beginning designers, there will be a children’s class for those age 14 and under, whose theme is to be The Tale of Peter Rabbit, the classic children’s book by British author Beatrix Potter.
Judging the multitude of entries is always challenging. In the Floral Design Division, judges adhere to the guidelines set forth in the Garden Club of America’s Flower Show and Judging Guide, with additional elements suggested by the recent award-winning book: A Fresh Look at Judging Floral Design by Hitomi Gilliam and Kathy Whalen. Working in panels of three and assigned two scribes to document their comments and distribute the awards, the judges focus on principles and elements taught in their years of training. Sometimes the blue-ribbon winner is a unanimous choice, but when things get tough and the decision isn’t so clear, the judges rely on a point scoring system.
“We are always looking to see new designers enter the classes,” says design division co-chair KK Zutter. “Although many designers return year after year, there is still room for more talent, a new approach, a new interpretation.”
Personally, as someone whose talents, such as they are, lie in the growing rather than aesthetic pursuits, I gravitate toward the Horticultural Division. With so many examples of expert gardening on display — there will be hundreds of displays — I know I’ll be awed but also inspired. Given good weather, an absence of porcupines, and lots of compost and hard work, my tomatoes could be just as good next year, and that gives me something to aim at. Judging here also involves a panel of three judges and a scribe.
A familiar horticulture judge at The Grow Show, Suzanne Perry, says that first and foremost, the judge’s job is to balance an appreciation for each entry and encouragement for every grower with a real commitment to public education. Visitors can learn a lot from a display of flowers or vegetables — plant health, growth, bloom and variety — and they can always find ideas for their next year’s garden.
I’ll be interested in two innovations this year. “Considering Gardens,” a presentation of garden photography by the newly formed BBG Photography Group will be on display throughout the show. Likewise, on Saturday, August 10th, there will be “Game of Flowers,” a head to head, on-site, timed competition between three teams of floral designers working with identical selections of materials.
For more information about The Grow Show, contact the Berkshire Botanical Garden atwww.berkshirebotanical.org, or by telephone at (413) 298-3926. Hours for The Grow Show are August 10th, 1-5 p.m. and August 11th, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. This event is free with your admission to the Garden. Entries for the Floral Design competition must be registered by Wednesday, August 7th. Floral Design and Horticulture entries will be accepted and passed from 3:00-5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 9th, and from 8:00 – 9:45 a.m. on Saturday, August 10th.
Thomas Christopher is the co-author of “Garden Revolution” (Timber Press, 2016) and is a volunteer at Berkshire Botanical Garden. berkshirebotanical.org
Be-a-Better-Gardener is a community service of Berkshire Botanical Garden, one of the nation’s oldest botanical gardens in Stockbridge, MA. Its mission to provide knowledge of gardening and the environment through 25 display gardens and a diverse range of classes informs and inspires thousands of students and visitors on horticultural topics every year. Thomas Christopher is the co-author of Garden Revolution (Timber press, 2016) and is a volunteer at Berkshire Botanical Garden. berkshirebotanical.org.
