Please enjoy the results of our April Show!
We had an enormous display of daffodil entries due to members having the option of two entries per class. So many beautiful varieties, as well as gorgeous displays of floral design to admire this month. Congrats to all participants and to our award winners!
STAGING
NATASHA HALBOUT, MARIA KOLARSICK, MARY ANN MCDONALD
(*CATHY SMITH AND BETSY FORD STEPPED IN FOR LISA AND LAURA)
PASSERS
FLORAL: CATHY SMITH, LOUISA RENN
HORTICULTURE: SUSAN OLSON, PEEKA TILDESLEY, PARI HARRISON
CLERKS
FLORAL: ANN ROSSBACH, AMY MCCOOEY
HORTICULTURE: JANE ORR, MARY ANN MCDONALD
(GCA) JUDGES
FLORAL: SUKY BRACKEN, WOODNEY WACHTER (PROSPECTIVE), LIZ CLARK (CLERK)
HORTICULTURE: KATHLEEN BOURKE, ANNE GATES, LYNN BOYAJIAN, CATHERINE WEDGBURY (CANDIDATE)
FLORAL DESIGN
April is Blooming with Conservation!
(GCA Judges)
“To leave the world better than you found it, sometimes you have to pick up other people’s trash.” – Bill Nye
Class 1: Create Earth Day 2026 – Create a Parallel Design*. Use recycled material for your container and accessories; Multiple containers are allowed. Staged on the Riverhouse’s 42” high wooden bar with lip. A 26” high white cloth backdrop and a staging space of 24” width x 18” depth are provided for each design. Viewed and judged from three sides. A Title or Statement of Intent is required. Limited to (4) Entries
Results: 1st: Louisa Renn | HM: Mary Jane O’Hare
Class 2: Novice. Same as above. Limited to (4) Entries
Results: 1st: Jane Orr | 2nd: Amy McCooey | 3rd: Machiko Maki
“In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be bent, contorted in weird ways, and they’re still beautiful.” – Alice Wade
Class 3: Arbor Day 2026 – Create a Parallel Design* expressing important elements or features of a tree. Multiple containers are allowed. Staged on the Riverhouse’s 42” high wooden bar with lip. A 26” high white cloth backdrop and a staging space of 24” width x 18” depth are provided for each design. Viewed and judged from three sides. A Title or Statement of Intent is required. Limited to (4) Entries
Results: 1st: Betsy Ford | 2nd: Bonnie Torcivia | 3rd: Taphy Harcsar
Class 4: Novice. Same as above. Limited to (4) Entries
Results: 1st: Marion Moran | 2nd: Ulana Jostin | 3rd: Alex Smith
*Parallel Design: a design in which plant material (and other components, if not prohibited) are placed in strongly parallel groupings with open space between; may be vertical, horizontal, or diagonal. Additional components may be placed at any angle at the base as connectives. Multiple containers may be used, but design must appear as a single unit. FS & JG, Book 5, p. 9.
HORTICULTURE
(GCA Judges)
All entries must be properly identified with species and cultivar information.
DAFFODILS
Class 1: Three different varieties to be displayed in separate RGC containers. Properly identified with daffodil code and division*
Results: 1st: Maya Speelmans (Best in Show winner) | 2nd: Betsy Ford, Susan Olson, Heather Robinson | 3rd: Elaine Eadon, Jane Orr
Class 2: Novice. Same as above. — No Entries
Class 3: Three daffodils of the same variety to be displayed in one RGC container. Properly identified with daffodil code and division*
Results: 1st: Ann Rossbach | 2nd: Elizabeth Lilleston, Tilden Brighton-Wilt, Heather Robinson, Sarah Fleming, Ann Rossbach, Susan Olson | 3rd: Mary Jane O’Hare, Betsy Ford, Maya Speelmans
Class 4: Novice. Same as above.
Results: 1st: Marion Moran | 2nd: Jane Orr
Class 5: One single daffodil of choice to be displayed in one RGC container. Properly identified with daffodil code and division* (class was subdivided)
Results: 1st: Susan Olson | 2nd: Maya Speelmans | 3rd: Tilden Brighton-Wilt, Missy Falkenberg
5A Results: 1st: Betsy Ford | 2nd: Heather Robinson (2 entries) | 3rd: Elaine Eadon, Tilden Brighton-Wilt | HM: Mary Jane O’Hare
5B Results: 1st: Susan Olson | 2nd: Elizabeth Lilleston, Betsy Ford
Class 6: Novice. Same as above.
Results: 1st: Jane Orr | 2nd: Marion Moran, Amy McCooey
Class 7: One miniature daffodil to be displayed in one RGC container. Properly identified with daffodil code and division*. A miniature is classified as having a bloom less than 2 inches.
Results: 1st: Elizabeth Lilleston | 2nd: Heather Robinson, Maya Speelmans | 3rd: Susan Olson
Class 8: Novice. Same as above. — No Entries
THE ELLWOOD-WINMILL DAFFODIL AWARD
To be awarded to the member who garners the most points in the April daffodil show.
THE MARIE APPLEBY SEVERANCE TROPHY
To be awarded to the Novice member with the most points in the April daffodil show.
SPRING BULBS
One single stem properly identified, to be displayed in a RGC container.
Class 9: Muscari (Grape Hyacinths)
Results: 1st: Elaine Eadon | 2nd: Heather Robinson | 3rd: Elizabeth Lilleston
Class 10: Novice. Same as above.
Results: 3rd: Marion Moran
Class 11: Tulipa (Tulip)
Results: 1st: Teresa Maguire | 2nd: Tilden Brighton-Wilt, Elaine Eadon | 3rd: Elaine Eadon
Class 12: Novice. Same as above.
Results: 1st: Ulana Joslin
Class 13: Other BULB
Results: 1st: Susan Olson | 2nd: Mary Jane O’Hare | 3rd: Elaine Eadon
Class 14: Novice. Same as above. — No Entries
FLOWERING BRANCH
Class 15: One flowering branch not to exceed 30” in length from the lip of the container to the tip of the branch. To be displayed in members’ own clear glass container (this class may be subdivided).
Results: 1st: Bonnie Torcivia | 2nd: Susan Sorokolit, Bonnie Torcivia, Heather Robinson | HM: Sarah Fleming, Missy Falkenberg
Class 16: Novice. Same as above. — No Entries
Class 17: Camellia Japonica (Camellia) one stem not to exceed 12” in length from lip of container to tip of the branch.
Results: 1st: Sarah Fleming | 2nd: Susan Olson | HM: Elaine Eadon
Class 18: Novice. Same as above. — No Entries
NATIVE SPRING FLOWERS
Class 19: One stem of a native** spring flower. Can be bulbs, herbaceous or woody. To be displayed in a RGC container.
Results: 1st: Heather Robinson | 2nd: Susan Sorokolit, Bonnie Torcivia (2 entries), Betsy Ford, Heather Robinson | 3rd: Missy Falkenberg, Susan Olson, Elaine Eadon
Class 20: Novice. Same as above. — No Entries
Class 21: PAR – A rooted plant of exceptional horticultural merit, which does not qualify for entry elsewhere in the Horticultural Division. Please see page 12 of Handbook for PAR definition.
Results: 3rd: Natasha Halbout
