Horticulture Challenge Classes

During the showing of roses in an ARS Rose Show, the show committee will create 4 or 5 special exhibit classes that are designed to challenge your eye for displaying special blooms.

A typical ARS Show is divided into exhibit sections:

• Specimens – these are the usual horticultural exhibits of one stemmed roses, sometimes vases with 3 stems – and also the large multi-bloom sprays.
• Challenges – these are more complex entries, using multiple stems or creative containers in various ways.
• Rose Arrangements – these are the creative flower designs, but specifically using roses. The judging here can be more subjective than the exhibits
• Novices – a special section for the beginning exhibitors so they can compete against each other without worrying about “the big guys”.
• Special Classes – usually where Juniors, Non-members, etc. can find classes for their roses.

There might be other Sections that are unique to your local society. Every exhibitor honors the rules outlined in the printed Show Schedule from the Rose Show committee. That will tell you exactly how to display your beauties.

Some of the large exhibit vases are displayed as masses of color on the tables above – but at the next table are single miniatures that might be a challenge class too. Generally, though we put the challenge class entries on the outside row of tables.

These can be displays of garden roses as they grow, like a spray of floribundas – or they can be tightly displayed as color splashes in a black painted picture frame. Many rose societies will use elegant bowls to highlight single blooms also.

In the Tacoma Rose Society, we have a nice selection of display tools for you to work with: bowls, picture frames, artist pallettes, and even English boxes for tea roses & another for miniature roses.

You’ll find that the judges in the morning will spend more than average time evaluating these entries. Their rules are stricter than the main exhibit categories like the single spray or single stem ones.

The results are always a big hit when the public streams in after noon & the judging is finished. People do realize the amount of work it takes for bold presentations like these to win a blue ribbon . . .

TRS has many structures like these for displaying at our show. It’s a fun part of the morning work when you see a challenge entry going in through the rear doors. Give it a try . . .