Flower show welcomes first certified judge

WORLAND - The Washakie County Fair flower show welcomed Denise Fink of Cody, a certified flower judge, to judge the flower and design entries this year. This is the first year Washakie County has ever had a certified flower judge, according to flower show supervisor Jane O' Connor.

According to the American Institute of Floral Designers, certified flower judges train proficient evaluators and judges, provide opportunities for personal educational enhancement, raise the level of professional expertise, and provide opportunities for leadership development.

Fink said there are several organizations that certify flower judges such as Extension, National Garden Club, Garden Clubs of America and all of the societies including, dahlia, rose, Irish and African violet. "You go through different schools for up to four years that have their own scoring systems and then take a certified test," she said.

In flower show school you learn how to get the best horticulture, the best quality plant, and how to preserve that plant but, you also learn design. There are three traditional designs and 38 creative designs, according to Fink.

"I was retired for 13 years and I had too much time on my hands that's ultimately why I became a judge. I've lived all over the country and I've always grown things," Fink said.

She lived in Glendive, Mont., for 18 years and had a garden in clay soil. "It was the hardest thing I've ever done and so I joined the garden club because it's where the experts are. Our garden club was affiliated with the National Garden Club and so they told me I should go to flower show school," Fink said. Fink has been a certified judge since 2001.

"When judging a flower, you look at the substance of the flower, how healthy and green the leaves are, if there is any damage to the leaves from bugs, hail or wind. You look at the flower, and ask , is it at its prime? Are the petals in the center? Are they the right color or starting to raise? You also examine how many flowers the plant has," Fink said.

She said, "We have rules like no leaves under water because at fair it has to last three or four days and when there are leaves under the water they start to rot. You also want to look at the difficulty of growing the plant."

Fink said they like to encourage education so one of things she likes to do is have the actual scientific name of the plant.

Fink is one of two certified flowers judges in the state of Wyoming.

O'Connor said she heard through Phyllis Lewis in Extension that there was such a person as a certified flower judge in the Big Horn Basin.

"We have had all kinds of judges. It's hard to find a judge because all the county fairs are at the same time. We're thrilled to have her. We can ask her a lot of pointed questions and learn a lot," she said.

The sections of competition available are annuals, perennials, scrubs, vines, roses and indoor potted plants.

According to O'Connor entries are down from previous years.

"The most popular flowers this year are marigolds and black-eyed Susans. Usually petunias are popular as well but there aren't as many entries this year," O'Connor said.

"We have a beautiful display of designs this year which is way up from previous years," she said.

The themes for design this year were green and white, fair day picnic, bountiful harvest and cowboy boots.

The 2016 Washakie County Fair flower show was the 31st annual show. O'Connor said the show started in 1985 and she has been the supervisor for 11 years.