Dozens of Northeast Florida residents entered the 2022 Horticulture Show, organized by the Garden Club of Jacksonville at the Greater Jacksonville Agriculture Fair. Giant patio plants, fluffy ferns, delicate African violets, prickly cacti, juicy succulents, and much more line the tables of the show.
On November 2, eight judges studied each entry to determine blue-, red-, and white-ribbon winners as well as the Best of Show and Sweepstakes winners. The winners are listed at the end of this blog post.
Garden Club Celebrates 100 Years
Margie Fox, a member of the Rose Garden Circle and the Garden Club of Jacksonville, designed a booth recognizing the the past, present, and future of the organization. Framed photographs from the Garden Club’s archives are featured among lush trees, shrubs, and flowers, along with fliers promoting programs throughout the year. Giant renderings of the Garden Club’s landscape redesign by Marquis, Latimer + Halback are on display along with games of giant Jenga and cornhole.
Adult Category Winners
- Best of Show: Carnivorous, Billy Dorsheimer
- Sweepstakes Winner: K.M. Merritt
- Sweepstakes Runner-up: Christine Mahr
Section A: Gesneriads
- Blue Ribbon: African Violet, Christine Mahr
- Blue Ribbon: African Violet, Christine Mahr
- Red Ribbon: African Violet, Christine Mahr
- Red Ribbon: African Violet, Christine Mahr
- Red Ribbon: African Violet, Christine Mahr
- White Ribbon: African Violet, Christine Mahr
Section C: Ferns
- Blue Ribbon: Rabbit Root Fern, Christine Mahr
- Red Ribbon: Boston Fern, Christy Hursting
- White Ribbon: Fishtail Fern, Aline Clement
Section D: Succulents
- Blue Ribbon: Cactus, K.M. Merritt
- Blue Ribbon: Euphorbia Lactea, Patrick Vriesenga
- Blue Ribbon: Hawarthia, K.M. Merritt
- Blue Ribbon: Mexican Pepperleaf, K.M. Merritt
- Blue Ribbon: Turk’s Head, Aline Clement
- Blue Ribbon: Pencil Tree, Aline Clement
- Blue Ribbon: Ponytail Palm, Aline Clement
- Blue Ribbon: Rhipsalis Baccifera, Aline Clement
- Blue Ribbon: Snake Plant, K.M. Merritt
- Red Ribbon: Euphorbia, K.M. Merritt
- Red Ribbon: Royal Agave, Aline Clement
- White Ribbon: Cactus, K.M. Merritt
- White Ribbon: Cactus, K.M. Merritt
- White Ribbon: Mistletoe Cactus, Aline Clement
- White Ribbon: Succulent, K.M. Merritt
Section E: Bromeliads
- Blue Ribbon: Bromeliad, Vickie Vriesenga
- Blue Ribbon: Miniature Pineapple, Aly Volk
- Blue Ribbon: Nidularium, K.M. Merritt
- Red Ribbon: Giant Tillandsia, Aline Clement
Section F: Orchids
- Blue Ribbon: Orchid Vandu, Dillon Eskridge
- Blue Ribbon, Award of Merit: Orchid Vanda Ileai, Dillon Eskridge
- Red Ribbon: Jewel Orchid, Aline Clement
- White Ribbon: Orchid Papilion, Dillon Eskridge
- White Ribbon: Orchid Vanda Lamelcata, Dillon Eskridge
- White Ribbon: Orchid Wanda Wuttipanara, Dillon Eskridge
Section H: Plants Growing on Wood
- Blue Ribbon: Sophronihs Cernua, Joshua Jones
Section I: Special Container Plants
- Blue Ribbon: Fasciated Haworthia, Patrick Vriesenga
- Blue Ribbon: Rattail Cactus, Gloria Salmon
- Blue Ribbon: String of Pearls, Christine Mahr
- Red Ribbon: Spider Plant, Gloria Salmon
- White Ribbon: Pothos, K.M. Merritt
Section J: Patio Plants
- Blue Ribbon: Croton, K.M. Merritt
- Red Ribbon: Deckwith’s Gem, Gloria Salmon
Section K: Fruit, Vegetable, or Herbs
- Blue Ribbon: Parsley, K.M. Merritt
- Blue Ribbon: Rosemary, K.M. Merritt
- Blue Ribbon: Rosemary, Margo Moehring
- Red Ribbon: Lemongrass, K.M. Merritt
- Red Ribbon: Mexican Pepperleaf, K.M. Merritt
- Red Ribbon: Okinawa Spinach, K.M. Merritt
- Red Ribbon: Rose Hips, K.M. Merritt
- White Ribbon: Basil, K.M. Merritt
- White Ribbon: Dill, K.M. Merritt
- White Ribbon: Fruit Sage, K.M. Merritt
- White Ribbon: Habenero Peppers, Margo Moehring
- White Ribbon: Kumquats, K.M. Merritt
- White Ribbon: Pineapple, Aly Volk
Section L: Hydroponically Grown
- Blue Ribbon: Carnivorous, Billy Dorsheimer
- White Ribbon: Carnivorous, Billy Dorsheimer
Section M: All Other Blooming Plants
- Blue Ribbon: Swedish Ivy, K.M. Merritt
- Red Ribbon: Yellow Moss Rose, Gloria Salmon
- White Ribbon: Pagoda Bush, Gloria Salmon
Section N: All Other Foliage Plants
- Blue Ribbon: Egyptian Mask, K.M. Merritt
- Blue Ribbon: Philodendron Birkin, Christine Mahr
- Blue Ribbon: Pothos, Anne Coe
- Blue Ribbon: Prayer Plant, Christine Mahr
- Blue Ribbon: Snake Plant, K.M. Merritt
- Blue Ribbon: ZZ Plant, K.M. Merritt
- Red Ribbon: Aralia, K.M. Merritt
- Red Ribbon: Clusia, Patrick Vriesenga
- Red Ribbon: Flax Lily, Gloria Salmon
- Red Ribbon: ZZ Raven, Aly Volk
- White Ribbon: Dragon Tree, Anne Coe
Junior Category Winners
- Junior Best of Show: Dish Garden, William Remsen
- Junior Sweepstakes Winner: William Remsen
- Junior Sweepstakes Runner-up: Cynder Vriesenga
Section D: Succulents
- Blue Ribbon: Dragon Fruit, William Remsen
- White Ribbon: ZZ Plant, Linley Berry
Section I: Special Container Plants
- Blue Ribbon: Dish Garden, William Remsen
Section J: Patio Plants
- Blue Ribbon: Dracaena, Cynder Vriesenga
Section K: Fruit, Vegetable, or Herbs
- Red Ribbon: Lemon, Cynder Vriesenga
Section M: All Other Blooming Plants
- Award of Merit: Penta, Cynder Vriesenga
Section N: All Other Foliage Plants
- White Ribbon: Pothos, Linley Berry
People’s Choice Award
More than 500 fairgoers completed a ballot to vote for their favorite plant in the 2022 Horticulture Show. Nearly every plant in the competition received at least one vote.
However, one plant received an impressive 95 votes—the hanging Orchid Vanda Ileai with two impressive spikes of deep purple blooms entered by Dillon Eskridge.