The Mother’s Day Flower Show
The Portland Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society is hosting our annual Mother’s Day Show & Sale! Chapter members and the public alike are encouraged to enter plants from their garden for the chance to win a ribbon and/or trophy.
Saturday, May 9th and Sunday, May 10th
Show & Sale Hours: 12pm-5pm (Saturday), 10am-5pm (Sunday)
Flower Entry Drop Off: 7:30am-9am
Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden
5801 SE 28th Ave, Portland, OR 97202
See below instructions for how to prepare your entry!
Step 1: Selecting Your Entry
Choose your entry at peak bloom. Look for flowers and leaves that are free of damage / bug holes and leaves that are even in size and spacing. It’s recommended that you cut your entry the morning of the show (the top of the plant will have straighter stems). Trim truss stems to 4" with one ball of flowers and one whorl of leaves below. Sprays must be no wider than they are long.
*A truss is the ball of flowers with a whorl of leaves below. A spray is a multi-branched collection of flowers originating from a single stem. Most rhododendrons will display best as trusses and most azaleas will display best as sprays, although there are exceptions for some azaleas, species rhododendrons, etc.
Step 2: Cleaning Your Entry
Clean your entry by removing spent flower casings and gently wiping dirt off leaves. Tweezers and a soft, damp towel or cotton round can be helpful.
Step 3: Identifying Your Plant
If you know the name of your plant, use the Classification Key to find its class and group. The PDF linked above can be downloaded and is searchable so you can easily find your plant.
If you don’t know the name of your plant, no problem! Just make sure to arrive to the show early, so we can take a little extra time to help you identify it!
Step 4: Bring Your Plant to the Show!
Bring your entries to the Exhibit Hall at Crystal Springs on Saturday, May 9th between 7:30–9:30am.
When you arrive at the gate, let the Crystal Springs staff know you’re there for the ARS Portland Mother’s Day Show. Then head down the path to the Exhibit Hall. If this is your first time entering, be sure to tell the volunteers so your flowers can be entered in the novice category!
Trophy categories for the show are as follows — Novice, Best Pink, Best Red, Best White or Cream, Best Yellow, Best Purple, Best Blue, Best Orange, Apricot, Salmon, Best Blend or Bi-color, Best Protected, Best Azalea, Best Species, Best Hybrid, Popular Vote (only ribbon and accolades).
Questions?
If you have any questions relating to the show or how to enter, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us via our Contact Form!