FLORICULTURE
Superintendent: Jeanne Yeoman
Horticulture Team: Master Gardeners and others that make this come together.
All people residing in Scotts Bluff County are encouraged to enter and exhibit their horticultural and agricultural products at the County Fair. The attractive display creates interest and demonstrates the quality and productivity of the region. There are two ways to exhibit in the Exhibit Hall: by group or individually.
Enter flowers Tuesday morning, July 29. All flower entries received from 8:30a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Please fill out the Floriculture tag (available on-line) before arriving at the fairgrounds.
Fair management is not responsible for loss or breakage of vases or containers. No exhibitor will have more than one entry in any one sub-class. Any person who is 14 years and under will be entered in the youth division. The youth division will be noted with a “Y” before the class (e.g. Class Y1901 - Ageratum).
Exhibits will be released Sunday, August 3, 2025 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m..
General Information
1. No exhibit will receive a premium on more than one entry in any one class.
2. All entries listed for premiums will be of the current year’s crop or crops harvested after the previous year’s fair.
3. Exhibits will be released Sunday, August 3, 2025 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Premium payments will be distributed at time of pick up of released exhibits.
4. While the Fair Management (Extension Staff and area superintendents) will use all reasonable precautions against damage, loss or disappearance of any displays or exhibits, they will in no way be responsible for any such damage, loss or disappearance.
5. Follow the guidelines in “Selecting and Preparing Vegetables, Herbs and Fruits for Exhibit” 4H 226 (revised 2022) (Free Download - https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/scottsbluff-morrill/SelectingPreparingVegHerbFruit%204H226-2022.pdf).
6. Premiums will be paid on the number and worth of entries in order that the total premiums will not exceed the fair budget. Group awards amounts are listed.
7. Please fill out the Horticulture tag (available on-line) before arriving at the fairgrounds.
8. No canned goods.
Group Exhibits
Groups, clubs or organizations have the opportunity to display their products in the Exhibit Hall. Displays may include flowers, vegetables and agricultural products. All groups entering will be evaluated against each other as units.
Premiums for Group Exhibits are:
First Prize - $40.00
Second Prize - $30.00
Third Prize - $20.00
Fourth Prize - $15.00
All space will be assigned to each group exhibiting in the Events Center. Please contact the Superintendent of the Agricultural section for a space assignment by July 25. Each group exhibiting will be responsible for the displaying and dismantling of their exhibits. Each exhibit or entry in the group exhibits will be considered collectively as being in Open Class. It will be the responsibility of the group to appoint someone as clerk to assist in listing all entries displayed in the group exhibit and to assist the judges in locating entries during judging. Contact the Superintendent of exhibit numbers to be used in each group exhibit.
Group exhibits will be scored according to the following criteria:
a) Decoration, attractiveness, arrangement, neatness of exhibit 1-10
In scoring under this head, the judges will consider color effect, artistic arrangement of materials, effectiveness of expressing the central idea, neatness, attractiveness and other points of influencing general appearance.
b) Quality - 1-10
The judges will consider the quality of all entries making up the collective exhibit. The care shown in the selection of the entries is reflected in their uniformity or individuals, trueness of type, color and size.
c) Varieties of Entries Making up the Exhibit - 1-10
The number of varieties or classes displayed will be the sole factor in judging this division.
d) Quantity - 1-7
The number of entries, regardless of varieties, will be considered. (Each chairman of the exhibit will have the number of entries counted by the judges.)
Preparing Flowers for Exhibit
Flowers not exhibited properly will be dropped one ribbon placing. All fresh cut flowers grown in the home garden are acceptable. Place flowers in a glass jar or similar container. Greens are optional. Containers will not be judged, however should be adequate in size and neutral in color. The quantity is the number of stems to be exhibited. Judging will be based on quantity, freshness, clarity of color and condition. Follow the guidelines in “Preparing Cut Flowers for Exhibits” 4H227 (Free Download) when preparing entries for the fair.
Awards will include Best of Show Cut Flowers, Best of Show Arrangements, Best of Show Houseplant, also Best of Show Cut Flowers, and Best of Show Arrangements under 14 years.
Premiums: Grand Champion - $6.00, Reserve Champion - $5.00, Double Purple - $4.00, Purple $3.00, Blue - $2.00, Red - 1.00
Cushion or Ball shaped (5)
Class 1901 - Ageratum
Class 1902 - Chrysanthemum
Class 1903 - Carnation
Class 1904 - Geranium (1 stem with at least 5 blooms)
Class 1905 - Marigold
Class 1906 - Poppy
Class 1907 - Verbena
Class 1908 - Zinnia
Class 1911 - Other
Daisy Type (5)
Class 1912 - Aster
Class 1913 - Bachelor Buttons
Class 1914 - Coneflower
Class 1915 - Coreopsis
Class 1916 - Cosmos
Class 1917 - Daisies
Class 1918 - Dianthus
Class 1919 - Dahlias (3)
Class 1920 - Dahlias - Plate (1)
Class 1921 - Dahlias - Pom Pom (3)
Class 1922 - Gaillardia
Class 1923 - Black Eyed Susan
Class 1924 - Sunflower
Class 1925 - Gazania
Class 1926 - Other
Spike Flowers (3)
Class 1927 - Celosia
Class 1928 - Delphinium
Class 1929 - Gladiolus
Class 1930 - Larkspur
Class 1931 - Salvia
Class 1932 - Snapdragons
Class 1933 - Stock
Class 1934 - Status
Class 1936 - Butterfly Bush
Class 1937 - Bluebird Bush
Class 1938 - Canna
Class 1939 - Lilly
Class 1941 - NE State Flower-Golden Rod
Class 1942 - Other
Roses
Class 1943 - Miniature (3)
Class 1944 - Rose (1)
Class 1945 - Floribunda (3)
Class 1946 - Tea Rose (1)
Class 1947 - Long Stemmed Rose (1)
Class 1948 - Old Fashioned - 3 stems
Class 1949 - Grandiflora - 3 stems
Class 1950 - Other (1)
Miscellaneous (5)
Class 1958 - Alyssum
Class 1959 - Nasturtium
Class 1960 - Pansies (stems)
Class 1961 - Petunias
Class 1962 - Phlox
Class 1963 - Scabiosa
Class 1964 - Sweet Pea
Class 1965 - Hollyhocks
Class 1966 - Lisianthus
Class 1967 - Moss Rose
Class 1968 - Moon Flower
Class 1969 - Hydrangea
Class 1970 - Begonia
Class 1971 - Hibiscus
Class 1972 - Unlisted Other
Bouquet (Greens and accessories are optiona)
Class 1973 - Mixed bouquet
Class 1974 - Bouquet of one variety
Class 1975 - Perennial bouquet (1 variety)
Class 1976 - Other
Flower Arrangement
Arrangement must include fresh flowers. Decorative inserts can be used. Containers will be considered in judging. Judging will be based on originality and artistic ability.
Class 1977 - Company Coming to Dinner- Formal
Class 1978 - Wild West - use wild flowers
Class 1979 - All Those Sunflowers
Class 1980 - Patriotic - Red, white & blue
Class 1981 - Cornhuskers - Red & white
Class 1984 - NE State Floral Arrangement
Class 1985 - Scotts Bluff County Arrangement
Class 1986 - Other
Novelty
Class 1987 - Container Garden
Class 1988 - Live Plants-perennial
Class 1989 - Live Plants-annual
Class 1990 - Dried Flower Arrangement
House Plants (Accessories optional)
Class 1951 - Flowering Potted Houseplant(s)
Class 1952 - Foliage Potted Plant(s)
Class 1953 - Hanging Basket
Class 1954 - Dish Garden
Class 1955 - Fairy or Miniature Garden
Class 1956 - Desert Garden
Class 1957 - Terrarium