Plants are the stars in Expo Building at the Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair.

Over the first two days of November, dozens of Northeast Florida residents dropped off their entries for the Horticulture Show, organized by the Garden Club of Jacksonville.

Giant patio plants, fluffy ferns, delicate African violets, prickly cacti, juicy succulents, and much more line the tables of the show.

Judging the Entries

On November 3, four judges—Dianna Christakos, Aline Clement, Jeannine Everett, and Lois Hannabury-Deno—studied each entry to determine the best of each category. The winners are listed at the end of this blog post.

You can vote for the Audience Favorite award when you visit the Horticulture Show. That winner will be announced on November 13.

Visit the Garden Club’s Booth

The Garden Club wanted to create a welcoming space for Jacksonville Fair visitors to relax and enjoy. Karen McCombs, a member of the Board of Trustees and an accomplished landscape designer, created a lush indoor garden featuring native plants, grasses, vegetables, flowers, herbs, and magnificent magnolia trees. All of that was made possible by Doug McGregor, one of the co-owners of Earth Works, who delivered a truckload of plants and trees to display in the Garden Club’s booth.

You’ll see several “birds” making their homes throughout the garden. John Peterson, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited, provided several deluxe birdhouses to display in the booth.

The Garden Club invites you to visit our booth, get your photo taken among the plants, play a game of cornhole, build a giant Jenga tower, and take our survey.

Horticulture Show Winners

These are the winners in 11 categories. There were no entries in three categories.

Overall Best of Show

  • Clark Page

Sweepstakes Award

  • Clark Page

Sweepstakes Runner-up

  • Reagan Elia

Awards of Merit

  • Gloria Salmon #1087
  • Perri Baldwin #1091

Section A: Gesneriads (African Violet Family)

  • 1st place: Christine Mahr #1141
  • 2nd place: Christine Mahr #1142
  • 3rd place: Christine Mahr #1140

Section B: Begonias

  • 1st place: K. Skirbst #1032
  • 2nd place: K. Skirbst #1033

Section C: Ferns

  • 1st place: Clark Page #1007
  • 2nd place: Clark Page #1016

Section D: Succulents

  • 1st place: Clark Page #1004
  • 2nd place: K Skirbst #1029
  • 3rd place: Marie Merritt #1131
  • Youth 1st place: Reagan Elia #1060
  • Youth 2nd place: Reagan Elia #1065

Section E: Bromeliads

  • 1st place: Clark Page #1011
  • 2nd place: K. Skirbst #1049
  • 3rd place: K. Skirbst #1044

Section I: Special Container Plants

  • 1st place: Gloria Salmon #1087
  • 2nd place: Brenda Daly #1083
  • 3rd place: Perri Baldwin #1094
  • Youth 1st place: Reagan Elia #1066
  • Youth 2nd place: Reagan Elia #1067

J: Patio Plants

  • 1st place: Clark Page #1019
  • 2nd place: Clark Page #1006
  • 3rd place: Clark Page #1005

Section K: Fruit, Vegetable, or Herbs

  • 1st place: Clark Page #1020
  • 2nd place: Clark Page #1021
  • 3rd place: William Kiernan #1081
  • Youth 2nd place: Reagan Elia #1068

Section L: Hydroponically Grown

  • 1st place: Christine Mahr #1038
  • 2nd place: William Dorsheimer #1090

Section M: All Other Blooming Plants

  • 1st place: Clark Page #1008
  • 2nd place: Marie Merritt #1136
  • 3rd place: K. Skirbst #1034

Section N: All Other Foliage Plants

  • 1st place: K. Skirbst #1039
  • 2nd place: K. Skirbst #1025
  • 3rd place: K. Skirbst #1035
  • Youth 1st place: Linley Berry #1135
  • Youth 2nd place: Reagan Elia #1063
  • Youth 3rd place: Reagan Elia #1054