Design

Oakville Horticultural Society Flower Shows

May 2026 Show Schedule

DESIGN – EMOTIONS

  1. Class of Distinction “Bent Out of Shape” – a design
  2. Chairman’s Trophy “Changing Directions” – a design
  3. General “Swirling Undercurrents” – a design with visible use of water42
  4. Novice “Going Around in Circles” – a design
  5. Miniature “Strike a Balance” – in a niche 5″h x 4½″w x 3″d

Special Exhibits – Emotions

6.“All Bottled Up” – a terrarium,35 no larger than 30.5 cm (12”) x 30.5 cm (12”)  x 30.5 cm (12″)

 

Guidelines:

  • Only one entry per exhibitor is permitted in each section for which the member is eligible. The exhibitor must make the entry.
  • Unless otherwise stated, materials may be obtained from any source.
  • Unless otherwise stated, any type of plant material may be used, including fresh-cut flowers, branches, decorative wood, dried or treated wood, dried flowers, fruit and foliage. No soil is allowed in any design.
  • A minimal use of painted material is permitted, but no artificial materials allowed.
  • Wiring of flowers is allowed but wire and other mechanics must not be visible.
  • Accessories (for example, drapes, candles or stones) may be used to enhance the design unless stated otherwise but should not become the primary focal point.2
  • Entries will be displayed on a 30″ deep table; no other space restrictions unless stated in the show schedule.
  • Entries must conform to any size constraints stated in the schedule. They should attractively fill the table space or niche. Because designs larger than the allowed size may be disqualified, careful measurement is important.
  • Entries that are to be displayed in a niche will be so designated in the show schedule (large niches are 36″ high by 24″ wide by 20″ deep; miniature niches are 5″ high by 4½” wide by 3″ deep).
  • For a description of design classes, please refer to the last page of this booklet.

 

Helpful Hints:

  • Use a dictionary or Thesaurus to get ideas for a design title or help understand the word(s) in the title.
  • Purchase your own copy of the “Ontario Judging and Exhibiting Standards” from the show chairs to help you better understand how to design and how to display horticulture entries.

 

Please Note:

All show entries — design, horticulture, photography — must be in place in the hall by 7:20 pm, prior to commencement of judging.

Definitions

  1. Abstract: a design in which plant material and other components, together with space, are used as design units, e.g., line, form, colour, and texture, to create original images free from unnecessary additions. Some natural growth pattern may or may not be apparent.
  2. Accessory: An inorganic object(s) used in a subordinate manner to enhance a design of plant material. (An object that dominates a design is a feature.) A design incorporating an accessory should appear incomplete if the accessory is removed.
  3. AOC: “Any Other Cultivar” means cultivar/variety/species not listed in the schedule.
  4. Biennial: A plant that requires two growing seasons to complete its life cycle. Leaves are formed during the first year, flowers and seeds the following season and then the plant completely dies away.
  5. Collage: An abstract design, created by gluing plant material and usually other objects on a flat surface. The collage is typically done in low relief. Depth is implied and achieved by overlapping planes, changes in value, and/or juxtaposition of colour, pattern, and/or texture. Painted mediums may be incorporated. There should be no visible spaces under any of the materials.
  6. Cultivar: A coined term meaning cultivated variety. Varieties of plants originated and maintained only in cultivation which, when reproduced, retain their distinguishing features. Includes most named, cultivated garden plants e.g., Petunia ‘Sugar Daddy’, Rosa ‘Peace’. See variety also.)
  7. Dining Table Centrepiece: A design suitable for a functional dining table and viewed from all sides. Height should not obstruct cross table views.
  8. Disbudding: The removal of surplus buds along the stem or in the axil of the plant to promote growth of a terminal bud.
  9. Dish Garden: A miniature landscape in an open, shallow container.
  10. Fairy Garden: A miniature scene in a single container, often reminiscent of children’s stories. Plants may be alpines, miniatures, or parts of larger plants, but must have similar growing requirements. Accessories permitted.
  11. Foliage Design: A design in which foliage predominates.
  12. Frame Design: A design in which a structure or frame encloses a design or part of a design. The frame defines the design space.
  13. Functional Table Segment: A Show Table on which components, for one place setting only, are placed in a logical and utilitarian manner for the actual service of food. No cutlery should be included. Must include a decorative unit that may be placed anywhere on the table but should interpret the theme and be compatible with the whole design.
  14. Hand-tied Bouquet: A design of plant material making use of its own stems, which are usually tied with string, raffia, or ribbon. It can be hand-held or inserted in a container.
  15. Interpretive: a design where a given theme, idea, occasion, mood, atmosphere, etc., is suggested by the selection and organization of the design elements.
  16. Jewelry: A piece of jewelry (necklace, bracelet, broach, etc.) made with plant material, dried or fresh. The underlying structure need not be made from plant material.
  17. Kinetic: An abstract design in which movement (e.g. mobile, stamobile) or the illusion of movement (stabile) is dominant
  18. Landscape: a realistic style capturing a moment from nature. It can be completely naturalistic or stylized.
  19. Line: A design in which a linear pattern is dominant.
  20. Mass: A design with a large quantity of plant material arranged in a closed silhouette with few or no voids.
  21. Mobile: A kinetic, abstract design suspended from one point, composed of linked shapes, each of which is capable of movement. Mobiles are based on the art form developed by Alexander Calder. They are abstract compositions of balanced moving parts suspended from above. Interest must be equal throughout all parts of a mobile. It must be able to move freely in gentle air currents.
  22. Modern: A design with no preconceived patterns, few components, new shapes, sculptural qualities, dynamic balance, movement, bold colours, constantly changing and elegant in composition.
  23. Modern Mass: A design of 3-5 groups of plant material, (each group composed of one variety of plant material), juxtaposed to give a sculptural effect. It may be solid mass or a mass with space.
  24. Parallel: A design in which three or more groupings are placed in a parallel manner with open spaces between the groupings. Parallel direction may be vertical, horizontal, or diagonal. Design is in one container, or containers combined to appear as one unit.
  25. Pavé: A technique of placing groups of plant material, that have been cut short, close together to form undulating mounds of colours, textures, shapes and sizes. Any plant material. e.g., flowers, foliage, cut stems, fruit, vegetables, moss, etc., may be used.
  26. Planter: Several different kinds of plants artistically grouped in a single open container. Window boxes are a type of planter.
  27. Plants and Flowers: An exhibit of growing plants with fresh-cut flowers and/or foliage. Any other plant material and/or accessories may be included.
  28. Pot-et-fleur: An exhibit of plants, in or out of pots, packed lightly with moisture retaining material, plus cut flowers in tubes of water, oasis or other material, all assembled in one container. Moss, decorative wood, and rock may be included. No cut foliage is permitted. However, cut flowering and /or fruited branches may be used.
  29. Satellite: A creative design, with a smaller design of the same colour, form and/or texture, placed near its base, having a curving connective line that becomes a vital part of its rhythmic pattern.
  30. Small: A design from 5½” – 10″, must not exceed 10″ in height, width, or depth, and will be exhibited in a 12″ space.
  31. Stamobile: A kinetic, abstract design, fixed at the base with moving parts. It is a combination of mobile and stabile but is a fixed design with extension(s) or attachment(s) that actually move. The moving parts must form a related and rhythmical unit with the stabile. As in mobiles, the moving parts must be seen to glide when in motion and to float when motionless, rather than just hanging in space.
  32. Stabile: A design fixed at the base, in which movement is only implied. (See mobile also)
  33. Still Life: A design in which plant material and inanimate objects are grouped to tell a story or interpret a theme. Objects used must be true to function and realistic in size, form and colour. Some plant material must be included but is subordinate to the objects.
  34. Synergistic: A contemporary (any style that is considered current) design in which several containers are used in a composition. Each container may hold a complete or partial arrangement, and the combined units create a unified whole.
  35. Terrarium – A miniature landscape using a number of different plants artistically grouped and growing in a covered, transparent container other than a bottle. (A bottle is defined as having an opening too small for the hand to pass through.) Plants must be completely confined within the container and have horticulturally compatible requirements. No cut plant material is allowed.
  36. Transparency: A design including see-through material(s) that permits some components to be viewed through others. The see-through materials may be transparent, translucent, diaphanous, open grid or mesh and may be plant, plant based or man-made materials. Depth is emphasized by placing some solid material in front, and some behind the see-through material.
  37. Tray: A tray is always functional with components placed for eating. It should contain at least three dishes placed at different heights, a napkin, and a floral decorative unit. Components should be well-proportioned to limited space and should be in scale with each other. Everything must be stable as a tray would be carried. Colour and texture should be compatible so overall effect is one of harmony.
  38. Under Water: A design with part(s) placed under water to create interest. Although the design must have part(s) under water, no definite percentage is required. The entire design may not be under water.
  39. Up-cycled: A design that incorporates items which have been used and/or made for a certain purpose but, with imagination, are now part of the design (re-purposed).
  40. Variety: The named variation of a plant species e.g., Trillium erectum album, the white variety of wake robin or red trillium.
  41. Vertical: A formal, geometric line design. The all-important feature is bold plant material set vertically to form a central axis.
  42. Visible use of Water: A design that must include water that is clearly visible. Any design in which water is an important component. May be water-viewing, underwater etc.
  43. Water-viewing: A traditional line design, adapted in Canada in the 1960’s with a dominant line of plant material and great use of space, in a shallow container, with one-half to two-thirds of the container surface showing water. Modern line design does not fit this definition but could be used in a design calling for the Visible use of Water.