How to Enter the Design Division: click here!
Design Exhibitors' Meeting
Design Exhibitors Meeting to view staging, ask questions and preview Rosecliff will be held on Monday, May 19, 2008 at 10 a.m. on the terrace of Rosecliff. Exhibitors' packets will be distributed at this meeting.
Design Division Classes
Class 1 “Precious Cargo” Foyer – 4 Entries
As man began to travel the globe, he took plants to new continents and sent exotic plants back to his homeland. Many of the flowers, trees and shrubs we grow in our gardens today came from Europe, Asia and beyond, sent as precious cargo. First in the form of seeds and later as tender specimens, plants were sent to nurserymen and avid collectors to be grown and propagated for sale. Modern day plant hunters continue to search out exciting new species and varieties to satisfy our passionate love of plants.
A Pot-et-Fleur staged on a 30” cube, painted Rosecliff White.
Class Consultant: Chase Carrick (401) 245-1322
cwcarrick@hotmail.com
Class 2 “Beauty of the Bloom” Salon – 4 Entries
In 1629, English botanist John Parkinson published the first modern gardening book, “Paradisi in Sole Paradisus Terrestris” (Park-in-Sun’s Terrestrial Paradise), subtitled “A Garden of all sorts of pleasant flowers which our English ayre will permit to be noursed up." This book gives a full 1,000 species and emphasizes as never before admiring flowers for beauty rather than cultivating only for their use in medicine.
A hat created of fresh and/or dried plant material to be staged on a mannequin head in a niche. Each niche has a lattice front with an oval opening 35” high by 28” wide. The Committee will supply the mannequin head.
Class Consultant: Mary Huntoon (978) 468-7544
jrhunt@verizon.net
Class 3 “Tradescant’s Garden” Salon – 4 Entries
17th century English gardener and botanist John Tradescant traveled widely in Europe, Russia and Algiers, taking botanical notes and gathering plants. He was appointed gardener to Charles I and was succeeded by his son, John Tradescant the Younger. Tradescant the Younger traveled to America and introduced numerous plants from Virginia. Both Tradescants were known for collecting “all things strange and rare.”
A mass design of all fresh plant material on a pedestal 42” high, 14” square top, painted soft green. The exhibitor must have grown all plant material used in the design.
Class Consultant: Janice Panoff (508) 695-2174
janicepanoff@post.harvard.edu
Class 4 “Plant Hunter’s Paradise” Ballroom – 4 Entries
Passionate plant hunter Frank Kingdon-Ward traveled extensively in the wilderness of western China, Tibet, Burma and India during the first half of the 20th century. A 1911 expedition to the Yunnan Province of southwest China to collect plants for an English nursery firm began an extraordinary career of 25 expeditions over nearly 50 years. He is credited with introducing a vast number of plants, flowers, seeds, and bulbs, among them the beautiful and unusual slipper orchid, the famous Himalayan blue poppy, and numerous varieties of rhododendrons, lilies and primulas.
A design in a cascade style staged on a pedestal 38” H, 14” square top painted soft green. Designer may choose to elevate the pedestal with an optional 12” H cube under the base. The Class will be staged in front of a large mural of the Chinese wilderness.
Class Consultant: Anne Elwell Reardon (781) 749-4560
anne.elwell@comcast.net
Class 5 “Cook’s Voyages” Ballroom – 4 Entries
Captain James Cook explored the South Pacific, New Zealand, Australia, Antarctica, and the Hawaiian Islands, in addition to mapping nearly the entire West Coast of North America. The plant explorers Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander accompanied him on one voyage, collecting more than 3,000 species between them.
A creative design staged on an 18” cube painted soft green. Emphasis is on fresh plant material with other components optional.
Class Consultant: Chase Carrick (401) 245-1322
cwcarrick@hotmail.com
Class 6 “Botanical Pleasures” Ballroom – 4 Entries
Jane Colden (1724 – 1766) was America’s first great woman botanist at a time when there were very few women scientists. She corresponded with many of the noted botanists of the time and was highly respected in her field. Colden was the first scientist to describe the gardenia, which she named after American naturalist Alexander Garden.
A functional tea table for four on a 48” round table provided by the Committee. Tables will be grouped around the Rosecliff piano in front of the fireplace. Table coverings and all components provided by the exhibitor.
Class Consultant: Anne Elwell Reardon (781) 749-4560
anne.elwell@comcast.net
Class 7 “A Visit to Monticello” Ballroom – 4 Entries
President Thomas Jefferson was a scientist, naturalist, gardener and avid plant collector. The diverse vegetable and flower gardens at Monticello included American native species collected by the Jefferson-sponsored Lewis and Clark expedition in addition to hundreds of unusual varieties of annuals, perennials, fruits and vegetables from Europe. Visitors to Monticello were treated with views of Jefferson’s vast collections of artwork, artifacts, gardens, orchards and more.
A design suitable for a visit to Jefferson’s Monticello, staged on a pedestal 42” H, 20” square top with a 30” H railing placed in front of each pedestal. Pedestal and railing are painted Rosecliff White.
Class Consultant: Chase Carrick (401) 245-1322
cwcarrick@hotmail.com
Class 8 “Intrepid Plant Hunters” Ballroom – 4 Entries
The original “globe trekkers,” passionate plant collectors, traveled the four corners of the globe collecting rare and wonderful specimens, often enduring fevers, pirates, robbers, storms, accidents and more.
A design interpreting a continent explored by the plant collectors. The design will be staged on a drum, 30” D, 30” H painted sage green. Continent to be named by the exhibitor on a first-come, first-served basis. Design will be viewed from all sides.
Class Consultant: Janice Panoff (508) 695-2174
janice.panoff@post.harvard.edu
Class 9 “Miss Willmott’s Ghost” Dining Room – 4 Entries
Englishwoman Ellen Willmott (1858 – 1934) was independently wealthy and a passionate gardener. In 1897 she shared the Royal Horticultural Society’s Victoria Medal of Honor with Gertrude Jekyll. In 1901 she sponsored an expedition to Central Asia and was a generous benefactor to plant hunters. Miss Willmott had a peculiar habit: she carried seeds of the silvery-blue Eryngium giganteum Bieberstein and scattered them in other people’s gardens where ever she went. This large pale sea holly is often called “Miss Willmott’s Ghost.”
A design in a parallel style, staged on the dining room table in a space not to exceed 30” W by 40” L.
Class Consultant: Mary Huntoon (978) 468-7544
jrhunt@verizon.net
Class 10 “Bartram’s Travels” Dining Room – 4 Entries
In 1791, American botanist John Bartram published his book “Travels” which was enthusiastically received in Europe. The Europeans thought America was an exotic land. In his book Bartram described the scenery, the natural history and even the original inhabitants in clear and illuminating detail.
Judge’s Challenge Class. A design using at least three components supplied by the Committee, staged on a console 42” H by 43” W by 17” D painted Rosecliff White. Each exhibitor will be given five components, supplied by the Committee. Components will be provided at the exhibitors’ meeting. The exhibitor must use at least three of the five supplied components in the design. Components may be enhanced, painted, manipulated, etc. by the exhibitor.
Class Consultant: Anne Elwell Reardon (781) 749-4560
anne.elwell@comcast.net
Class 11 “In the King’s Favor” Dining Room – 4 Entries
Botanists and plant hunters often found themselves in the employment of the king. John Tradescant was appointed Keeper of His Majesty’s Gardens under King Charles I. John Parkinson served as the Royal Apothecary to King James I. Dr. Robert Morison returned to England from France at the bequest of Charles II as King’s Physician and Keeper of the Royal Garden at Oxford.
A brooch, composed of all dried plant material and incorporating some seeds. Brooch will be staged on a bust provided by the Committee.
Class Consultant: Janice Panoff (508) 695-2174
janicepanoff@post.harvard.edu
Class 12 “Rarities Discovered” Library – 4 Entries
In 1663, John Josselyn of London came to Maine to visit his brother and stayed eight years. During this time he studied all the natural rarities of this new world. In 1672, he published “New England’s Rarities Discovered” describing 1,000 new species.
A contrived plant form of all dried plant material, illustrating a “new” plant species of the designer’s imagination. Created on a 7” round mounting board, the contrived plants will be staged in an individual niche 12” W x 12” D x 18” H with a peephole 6” in diameter. The niche is fitted with an individual electric light with a dimmer switch.
Each niche is black and will be placed on a 42” H black pedestal with a 20” square top. The Committee will provide the round board and the niche to the exhibitors in advance. The exhibitors may enhance the round mounting board.
Class Consultant: Mary Huntoon (978) 468-7544
jrhunt@verizon.net
How to enter the Design Division--click here!
Thank You Cruise – Design Exhibitors
As a special thank you, exhibitors in the Design Division Classes are invited on a Newport Harbor Tour aboard the 1929 Rum Runner II, courtesy of Classic Cruises Newport. This outing will take place on Friday morning after your designs are completed. You will be transported by trolley from Rosecliff at 10 a.m. The boat will leave at 10:30 a.m. and the tour will last one hour. Accommodations on the boat are limited to 34 adults. Please contact the Newport Flower Show Office at (401) 847-1000 ext. 120 in advance to sign-up for the Thank You Cruise
