Horticulture show, contest again to be featured at Festival of Flowers

Amateur gardeners from Bexar, surrounding counties invited to participate

SAN ANTONIO – This year will be the sixth for the Alamo Area Horticulture Show and Contest, part of Festival of Flowers activities in San Antonio. It will  be held from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. May 24 at the Alzafar Shrine facility, 901 N. Loop 410 West, between Blanco Road and Stone Oak Parkway.

The show and contest are being presented by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Bexar County Master Gardeners and the San Antonio Water System, said David Rodriguez, AgriLife Extension horticulturist and show judge. Master Gardener and San Antonio Water System experts will be on hand to provide information and advice, plus give gardening demonstrations.

“AgriLife Extension, the Bexar County Master Gardeners and SAWS are proud to present the Alamo Area Horticulture Show and Contest again this year, particularly since it got such a good response last year,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said the show and contest is open to amateur home gardeners from Bexar and surrounding counties. Awards for winning entries are presented in various categories, including foliage and blooming potted or container plants; cactus and succulents; cut foliage, flowers and blooms; special displays, such as hanging baskets, dish gardens and container gardens; and vegetables and fruits.

There is no limit of entries per division per exhibitor, and all entries must have been grown by the exhibitor for at least two months prior to the show, Rodriquez said.

The show is open to amateur gardeners of all ages, with contestants 17 years old and younger to be judged separately from adult contestants. Ribbons will be awarded for first, second and third place winners, as well as for honorable mention. Only one entry will receive a Best of Show award.

Entries may be brought to the Festival of Flowers staging area at the facility from 3-7 p.m. on May 23 or from 8-10 a.m. on May 24. Carts, wagons or dollies are permitted. Judging begins at 11 a.m. on May 25, with winners announced at 1:30 p.m.

 Admission to the Festival of Flowers is $6 for adults and free for children under 10. Event parking is free.

 The fee is $5 for each contestant who enters one or more exhibits in the horticulture show and contest, and entrants receive a coupon good for free admission to the festival on May 24.

Each exhibitor must complete an official entry form either prior to the show or at the time of entering an exhibit. Guidelines, tips and an entry form can be downloaded from the Festival of Flowers website at http://safestivalofflowers.com/, which also contains information on other Festival of Flowers activities.

More information and contest guidelines can be found at this website or the website for the AgriLife Extension office in Bexar County, http://bexar-tx.tamu.edu .

For more information on the horticulture show and contest, contact Rodriguez at 210-467-6575 or dhrodriguez@ag.tamu.edu; Meg Parker at 210-287-7699; or Susan Toensing at 210-842-1967.

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