Exhibiting Roses
...So What are The Judges Looking For?

When you decide to try your hand at exhibiting roses, and you make contact with your local Rose society and it's Rose Show, your entry will be judged by a team of trained judges. Your bloom will be judged on a number of things, a list if you like, with each item on the list assigned a numerical value. As the total adds up to 100, we can say we are dealing with percentages.

The items that your bloom will be judged on are: Form (25%), Color (20%), Substance (15%), Stem(s) and Foliage (20%), Size (10%), Balance and Proportion (10%).

Before judging takes place a few items should be checked. Is your rose in the correct category according to the show schedule and is it in the correct form? (i.e. is it supposed to have side buds for example?) Also, before entering, make sure you have the correct rose in the correct category displayed in the way required by the show. Are you allowed to use packing material in the vase to keep it straight, for example. You can check the exact spelling of the name and the exact color assigned, by looking in the A.R.S. handbook! When exhibiting roses, consider the following six points; these are what the judges are looking at!

1.FORM 25 points:
The shape of the bloom. The exhibition quality hybrid tea, for example, should be symmetrical with petals unfurled evenly in a circular pattern. From the side it should be triangular, with a high pointed centre. The centre should be one clearly defined spiral, not "confused" or "double"; and 1/2 to 2/3 open is best. Damaged outside petals can be removed. Sepals should be down.

2. COLOR 20 points
This must be typical for the variety. Clear, clean color without aging or a "muddied" look. There should be no rain damage, fading or color streaking, unless the variety is of that type!

3. SUBSTANCE 15 points
This is the texture of the petals. It's really the moisture in the petals or what I call the "starch". Make sure they take up plenty of moisture and have a velvet, "thick" feel.

4. STEM and FOLIAGE 20 points
The stem should be very straight and about 7 times longer than the height of the bloom itself. Foliage must be clean, free of insect damage, free of spray residue and have nice spacing or balance. No oils can be used to shine the leaves; I use a soft, damp cloth and/or my fingers! Torn leaves can be trimmed with scissors. Badly damaged leaves can and should be removed.

5. SIZE 10 points
This must be typical for the variety. Larger blooms seem to win over smaller ones. They are a product of early fertilizer and water, water, water!

6. BALANCE and PROPORTION 10 points
Look at the rose on the stem. The proportions must look balanced. They must look "right". Are all the leaves on one side or balanced? Is the bloom leaning to one side?

Don't forget that the judge is not comparing your entry with the one next to yours, but with the ideal, or what your variety should look like at it's best. Exhibiting roses is comparing your bloom to the ideal bloom in your class.

And don't forget to have fun, take notes, look closely at the winners and see what you can improve or adapt for the following year. Take pictures, write notes in the show catalogue, and you can always talk to the judges....... good luck exhibiting roses.

Be careful however......exhibiting roses can become addictive!

www.rose-works.com, helping you get the most from your roses.

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