Please enjoy the results of our May Annual Show!
Our final show of the 2025-2026 season. The beautiful table arrangements are always outstanding, with this year’s theme in celebration of America’s 250th Birthday in July. Congrats to all participants and to our award winners!
STAGING
MARION MORAN, JANE ORR
PASSERS
FLORAL: BARBARA BATTING, TAPHY HARCSAR, LOUISA RENN
HORTICULTURE: SARAH FLEMING, CYNTHIA LABRECQUE
PHOTOGRAPHY: GAIL VAN WINKLE*
CLERKS
FLORAL: SUSAN SOROKOLIT, AMY MCCOOEY
HORTICULTURE: LAURA WALLACH, MACHIKO MAKI, (ELAINE EADON)
PHOTOGRAPHY: BONNIE TORCIVIA, ULANA JOSLIN, GAIL VAN WINKLE*
(GCA) JUDGES
FLORAL: SUKY BRACKEN, LISA GADSEN, WOODNEY WACHTER (PROSPECTIVE), SUSAN D’AMOUR (CLERK)
HORTICULTURE: ANNE GATES, KATHLEEN BOURKE, HEATHER CADRANELL, CATHERINE WEDGBURY (CANDIDATE CLERK)
PHOTOGRAPHY: JULIE TENNANT, ELENA FISTI, SUSAN VAN TASSEL, JILL MUDGE*
*NOTE THAT THE PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW WAS JUDGED AT BINGHAM HALL ON MAY 18TH
FLORAL DESIGN
Designing for Formal Dining
A Patriotic Colonial Celebration
(GCA Judges)
MARY OWEN BORDEN BOWL
A silver bowl awarded to the member with the best formal dining table design. The exhibitor awarded Best in Show from among the first-place winners will be designated the winner of the Mary Owen Borden Bowl.
Class 1: Create a Period Design* for an imagined dinner and ball held at Philadelphia’s Independence Hall in 1776 celebrating the signing of the Declaration of Independence by the 2nd Continental Congress. Design is to be staged on a 66” round diameter by 30” high dining table covered with a floor-length white tablecloth. Accessories, properly treated fruit, and multiple containers are allowed. Viewed and judged from all sides. Limited to (6) Entries
Results: 1st: Louisa Renn | 2nd: Laura Haaren | 3rd: Betsy Ford | HM: Barbara Batting
Class 2: Novice. Same as above, however, design to be staged on a 6’ long by 30” wide by 30” high rectangular table covered with a floor-length white tablecloth. Exhibitors are given a staging space of 30” width by 30” depth. Accessories, properly treated fruit, and multiple containers are allowed. Viewed and judged from all sides. Limited to (6) Entries
Results: 1st: Sarah Fleming | 2nd: Ulana Joslin | 3rd: Kathleen Onieal | HM: Amy McCooey, Marion Moran
*Period Designs are designs with characteristics typical of a historic period; plant material need not be authentic but must interpret the class dictated by the schedule. FS & JG, Book 5, p. 9.
HORTICULTURE
(GCA Judges)
All entries must be properly identified with species and cultivar information.
RITCHIE-MOORE TROPHY
Class 1: Open to all members. Any plant propagated since June 2025. Clay or plastic pots are permitted. Pots not to exceed 4” in diameter. Maximum three pots per member. Points from October 2025 and May 2026 exhibits will be combined to award the Ritchie-Moore Trophy in June. Propagation cards are required.
Results: 1st: Heather Robinson | 2nd: Betsy Ford
MARY OWEN BORDEN AWARD
Class 2: Open to all members. Four different kinds (genera) of flowering specimens. One stem or branch of each, to be displayed in four RGC containers. A 4”X6” white key card is required. This Class may not be subdivided.
Results: 1st: Cynthia Labrecque | 2nd: Sarah Fleming, Laura Haaren | 3rd: Heather Robinson, Susan Olson
CONTAINER GARDEN AWARD
Class 3: Open to all members. A silver bowl awarded to the member exhibiting the best Perennial container garden wintered over in a pot outside. Bulbs may be included. Must be owned since November of 2025. The maximum size 14” measured height and width. To be judged by point scale listed below. A 4”X6” white key card is required. This Class may not be subdivided.
Results: 1st: Laura Haaren | 2nd: Betsy Ford
PAEONIA (PEONY)
Class 4/4a (Not White/White): One stem, disbudded*, with foliage, to be displayed in a RGC container.
(Not White) Results: 1st: Elaine Eadon | 2nd: Heather Robinson, Cynthia Labrecque | 3rd: Teresa McGuire, Susan Olson, Ibby Hertz
(4a White) Results: 1st: Joan Lynch | 2nd: Susan Sorokolit, Sarah Fleming
Class 5: Novice. Same as above. This class may be subdivided.
Results: 2nd: Stephanie Hoitt | 3rd: Ulana Joslin
SYRINGA (LILAC)
Class 6: One branch with foliage not to exceed 18” from lip of container to tip of branch, to be displayed in a RGC container.
Results: 1st: Susan Olson | HM: Susan Sorokolit
ALLIUM
Class 8: One stem to be displayed in a RGC container. Flower head up to 4” in diameter.
Results: 1st: Sarah Fleming | 2nd: Betsy Ford | 3rd: Elaine Eadon, Teresa McGuire | HM: Susan Olson, Laura Haaren
Class 9: Novice. Same as above.
Results: 3rd: Marion Moran
Class 10: One stem to be displayed in a RGC container. Flower head larger than 4” in. diameter.
Results: 1st: Betsy Ford | 2nd: Heather Robinson, Sarah Fleming | 3rd: Elaine Eadon, Teresa McGuire, Susan Olson
IRIS
Class 12: Bearded
Results: 1st: Sarah Fleming | 2nd: Laura Haaren, Bonnie Torcivia, Betsy Ford | 3rd: Cynthia Labrecque, Elaine Eadon
Class 14: Non-bearded
Results: 2nd: Laura Haaren, Betsy Ford | 3rd: Cynthia Labrecque, Susan Olson
FANTASTIC FOLIAGE
Class 16: One leaf or stem of a herbaceous plant grown primarily for its foliage. (Heuchera, Lamb’s Ears, Artemisia, etc.) This class may be subdivided.
Results: 1st: Susan Olson | 2nd: Heather Robinson | HM: Elaine Eadon, Susan Sorokolit, Cynthia Labrecque, Teresa McGuire, Laura Haaren, Bonnie Torcivia
Class 17: Novice. Same as above.
Results: 2nd: Marion Moran
Class 18: Three different varieties of Hosta leaves displayed in three separate RGC containers. A 4”X6” white key card is required.
Results: 2nd: Heather Robinson, Susan Olson | 3rd: Laura Haaren
RHODODENDRON
Class 20: One truss (flower cluster); should be shown half in blossom and half in bud; Leaves should entirely surround the bloom.
Results: 1st: Heather Robinson | 2nd: Susan Sorokolit, Betsy Ford
Class 21: Novice. Same as above.
Results: 1st: Gail Van Winkle | 2nd: Marion Moran
NATIVE** PLANTS
Class 22: Three different flowering native plant stems or branches, arranged in ONE RGC container. A 4”X6” white key card is required.
Results: 1st: Bonnie Torcivia | 2nd: Elaine Eadon, Heather Robinson, Susan Olson
** Native plants, for the purpose of this schedule, will be defined as “native to New Jersey” according to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center or the JerseyYards.org Native Plant Database. Please visit those sites to verify the eligibility of your specimens.
VIBURNUM
Class 25: Novice – One stem or branch of any type of flowering viburnum. To be displayed in a RGC container. This class may be subdivided.
Results: HM: Marion Moran
Class 26: PAR — A rooted plant of exceptional horticultural merit, which does not qualify for entry elsewhere in the Horticultural Division. Please see page 12 for PAR definition.
Results: 2nd: Susan Olson | 3rd: Susan Sorokolit
PHOTOGRAPHY
250th Celebration of Red, White and Blue
(GCA Judges)
Class 1: Celebrating the semi-quincentennial of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Plants or flowers in red, white and blue. A color photo of a still life or outside in the garden.
Results: 1st: Gail Van Winkle | 2nd: Bonnie Torcivia | 3rd: Mary Jane O’Hare
Class 2: Novice. Same as Class 1.
Results: 1st: Heather Robinson | 2nd: Amy McCooey | 3rd: Betsy Ford | HM: Alex Smith
Class 3: Using the lyrics from “America the Beautiful” as inspiration: “O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountains majesties, Above the fruited plain… From sea to shining sea!”
Results: 1st: Barbara Batting (Best In Show) | 2nd: Kathy Donnelly | 3rd: Sheila Ehrenberg | HM: Bonnie Torcivia
Class 4: Novice. Same as Class 3.
Results: 1st: Amy McCooey | 2nd: Laura Haaren | 3rd: Peeka Tildesley | HM: Cionna Buckley
