I see things like this in the British magazines alot. Every year there is a competition and the winner is written up. They all have the same sized plot and have to "do" it in 2 days or so. Then it is on view afterward.
There is an amazing show in Quebec that does unusual displays to make your jaw drop.
This summer there is another one in the Netherlands.
At the local flower show competitions (of which I am not a part)the judges aren't up to the task. There is very unusual stuff happening that they don't understand at all.
Good Luck!

A diary/journal of your experience, illustrated with photos, and possibly incorporating interviews or other relevant materials about your fellow contestants might be interesting, informative, and amusing for your readers.

Ooooo, this sounds very exciting! Y'all have probably figgered out that I love a friendly competition every once in awhile. And since we can't have prizes here in GW, this is sort of like a viagracarious (intentional TYPO) prize!

Let us know if we can help. Do you have a concept yet? Will you keep us posted? Would love to see you win first place! How much do they pay for first? This is one of the coolest things I have heard all day! *VBG*

More details on the competition: the plot beside me and also in the same category is designed by my friend and ex-boss. She is very good at what she does so the competition is fierce. Another friend is at a plot nearby. I've threatened to overwhelm their plots (or the whole county) with the outragious number of morning glories, sweet potato and passion vine I'm planting. Hey, if you can't win fair, cheat!

John,
It helps to know who is going to be doing the judging and what his (their) likes and dislikes might be, areas of interest, etc. Especially in the realm of horticulture!

John, I actually went there and saw exactly what you are talking about with the Garden Writers Association many years ago.Wonderful memories. Ask the Fair Association for a copy of last years book. Ask past participants to let you see their photos (document all this.) Talk to Tony Avent as he used to head this event but was fired from the position - a blessing for him. Have a plan but, as in poker, don't show your hand too soon. Good luck.

Eddie - I've only lived here for... well it will be two years this next fall - but I've been to the state fair three times (one of the first things I did after moving). So, I've seen some of the best and worst. I work part time for Tony (the second thing I did after moving) and he has filled me in on the fair grounds. I'll be using plants from his catalog. My only plan so far is to avoid mums, pansies and pumpkins only because I know my competition plans to. I have to come up with some sort of sculpture and being an artist that isn't really a problem. I just need to keep from spending as much on the plot as I will win in prize money.

TriangleJohn, I'm assuming by your name that you are talking about the pig racing and fried candy bar heaven of the the North Carolina State Fair. If so, I live in Raleigh, and I would love to volunteer my time if you need any help. It would be a great learning experience for me, and the possibility of rubbing elbows with the elusive "local gardening glitteratti" is exciting. In any case, good luck!

larisag 99 - I tried to email you about my need of assistance but can't get it to work. Contact me and I'll fill you in.

In case ya'll were wondering - not one other contestant is planting their plot yet! I am the only one out there. One person in a different theme category is storing lots of potted perenials but no planting. My plot has exploded, I'm going to have to cut some things way back to keep them in line. My friend and ex-boss hasn't come up with a plan yet so I keep sending her hateful emails like "I didn't know what to do with the weeds I pulled so I threw them into your plot!", "Those weeds were looking kinda thirsty so I watered them", and "Your weeds were turning yellow so I fertilized them!". She has threatened a RoundUp retaliation!

Another Update - July 1st and still no other plot is planting or planted. The friends that plan on participating think I'll get burned out working on it all summer. I'm more afraid of hating the whole experience if I wait til the last minute to do everything (my normal pattern). There are a few plot problems - Japanese beetles have discovered my Cannas and Dahlias (the blossoms I can afford to lose but the canna foliage is most important come October), I'm squishing as fast as I can; Most of the Dahlias are blooming in the wrong colors (Orange and Red are actually blooming Pink and White); Japanese & Flea Beetles have completely turned my Amaranth into skeleton leaves; my Chim Chiminee Rudbeckias have mostly 'piped' petals but not completely, the sweet potato vines are growing like monsters but not mixing (so I'm having to manually intertwine the different colors). Certain plants are doing well, Tithonia is up and blooming wildly, 'Intrique' Cannas are filling out slowly but surely, bedding Dahlias are tripling in size even though the Bishop of Landaff is a more Day Glow Hot Pink then I had hoped and the 'Lady in Black' Asters are almost big enough to hang a porch swing on. Now I'm busy putting together a sculpture of sorts. I'll include photos after everything is in place so you can see the progress. As a side bonus I've been growing veggies in the space that will become the pathway through the display (I'll be ripping them out next month). I'm over the fresh tomato thing, about to get sick of cucumbers as well, so far no melons whick is something I never get tired of, all the herbs are doing well, some of the Basils will be incorporated into the final display just because they're so pretty.

Love your update!

If 'Bishop of Llandaff' is hot pink, it ain't 'Bishop of Llandaff'.

I find "The Prince" darker than "Lady in Black"- if that affects your planting at all.

Well its August and people are finally working on their plots. I've grown accustomed to having the place all to myself for so long that I have yet to act neighborly and introduced myself. Everyone seems focused on building structures now instead of growing lush plants. I've heard this show is popular with Landscape Designers and Garden Centers who use it as a showcase of their products or talents. And here I am your plain ol' enthusiast competing against them! My plot's a little ahead of schedule - things that were supposed to bloom in Sept are blooming now. (I had hoped that careful pruning would delay blooming until the fair in Oct). I'm yanking out the wrong-color-Dahlias, I've cut-in-half the monster Tithonia, I fluff up the Asters, Goldenrods 'Fireworks', this wonderful Salvia regia 'Orange Mt. Sage', and the 'Miss Huff' Lantana just to keep their heads above the sea of Sweet Potato vines. Two real stand-outs are the Canna 'Intrigue' which has knifeblade erect leaves which are blends of purple, red and pale green, and the Persicaria 'Red Dragon'. Another plant that gets lots of attention are these little ornamental peppers with variegated purple/lavendar/white leaves with purple and red fuit. I've removed most of the non-theme plants, the only ones left are some cantalopes which will ripen and find a new home in the frig real soon. All in all the expierence has been very rewarding and I'm sure I'll do it again next year. I don't think there will be much to write about (article wise) until the place gets shaking a little closer to fair time. I have decided to make christmas presents from the herbs and flowers growing in the plot for all my friends and family. So far I've narrowed it down to some sort of potpouri. I'm trying to come up with a label design with the text "North Carolina State Fair PO-POO-REE" ,"Sure smells like a winner!" my kin will sure get a kick out of that! More news later.

You are doing it the right way. Having a ball it seems. Keep posting please.

Poop-er-ee
With that unidentifiable tang.

Gardenbug: Where does this happen in Quebec. I'd love to see it. Good luck, John!

Well here's my Sept update - My plot still rules the roost! Even though some important plants have died and others don't really want to hang on til Oct, it still looks great. The statues that I'm making out of used plastic pots are quite silly and I'm sure the public will never even realize how I made them. I've received many compliments from the other gardeners (the ones that show up now and wonder if their plants will fill-in in time for the judging!). I'll be out of town for a week and then really hit it hard the first two weeks of Oct before judging on the 17th. As far as this exercise being the basis for a gardening article - it kinda runs stale because so few contestants work their plots early on everyone tends to wait til the last minute (a lot of them are in the business so they don't really need to grow plants, they have all the big showy plants they need!). The potpouri is drying nicely (I've been deadheading the flowers to keep them going into fall, saving the blooms for the pot pouri) and I'm even coming up with other herb based christmas gifts - more later. enjoy

John -
Suggest to the judges that they need two classes of competition:

1. Grown in place ... a stated percent of the plants have to have been grown on that site for at least _____ (time span). Ideally, 100% site-grown for at least 2 months with no last minute replacement permitted. If it's not in the dirt on the deadline date, you can't show it.

2. Hauled in from greenhouses where professionals pampered them like a hereford steer, and plopped into the ground the day before the judging.

Have signs explaining the difference, and indicate which plots are in which class. REAL gardeners would be in group 1.

Well I imagine this will be my next-to-last update on the Competition. The State Fair starts tomorow (Oct 18th), the cut off for working your plot was at noon today (Oct 17th). My plot gets lots of comments even though it doesn't really look like what I had planned. In the end I just stomped the wrong-color Dahlias into the ground and placed potted Coleus on top of them (I'll dig them up after the fair and plant them at home where their color and shape don't matter). The statues came out perfect - the 'Rust' spray paint I used on them really confuses people when I talk about them being made of plastic flower pots. I've been asked to teach a workshop in the winter showing all the silly things you can make out of old plastic bottles and pots. I've taken some photos that hopefully will show the details. The garden design itself was pretty basic. I used a lot of purple tones and orange and yellow flowers (though few were blooming for the judging). The people that participate in this event are wonderful - none are overly competitive, they do it year after year just for the fun of it, many don't even pay attention to the "theme" of their category - they just do what strikes their fancy. The powers that be have enough trouble getting every plot planted on time to enforce any sort of hard rules (and they have been doing this for like 25 years). I can see the benefit to bringing in plants at the last minute - my plants all have some form of disfiguring disease and accept the reality that it is autumn, their plants have been primped and pruned in a disease free greenhouse where seasons mean nothing. I don't have a greenhouse (hell, I don't even have sunshine at my home - I can only grow moss and mushrooms in my deep deep shade!) and I don't have the desire to spend more than I could win on the display, so in the future I will probably do it again the way I did it this year. My goal was to introduce myself to the movers-ana-shakers of the gardening world and to showoff my artistic skills. So, regardless what I win - I've already won! I'll post the result of todays judging and my photos as soon as possible.

Me again! My plot won first place in its category and the Commissioner of Agriculture Award both of which bring with them lots of money! This is pretty overwhelming seeing as its my first time in this competition. It did not win best overall garden plot - awarded justly to an actual garden designer. I'm gonna try and insert some photos into this message, if that doesn't work they will be in Garden Art. Enjoy!

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I went to Garden Art to see the photos - how cute!

I have just one question - does this mean you're a "pot head?" ;-)

John, thanks so much for following up, and telling us what happened. I love that you kept it all going all summer. I sure enjoyed reading about it. Lotta

Congratulations, Tri! It's been fun being with you through the season. What did you make those things on the front of the girl one with? (I think it was a girl)

She started out with a very Madonna-like set of pinecones, but then the rain sorta did them in, so now she's got a set of mini-chrysanthemums.

Veronica - well of course it does! Everyone refers to them as the "Pot People" the statefair cops are probably wondering whats up.

hmm, plastic flower pots = painted? That is exactly what I need. Is it really possible. I have 2 huge white plastic pots that no longer go with the outdoor decor. Can I really paint them. What kinds of paint are advisable?

Can't believe that one year later this thread is still alive! I'm working on this years plot right now.

Yes you can paint plastic. I use regular spray paint. I often don't have to use a primer but you might. It all depends on the type of plastic you have. And you can use just any cheap spray paint as a primer coat if you like. Or you can wipe down the plastic with rubbing alcohol or mineral spirits before you paint. If you check out the spray paint section of any home improvement store you will find paint kits for different effects. These kits feature a spray enamel base coat and then a dab on latex stain.

I know that this thread really belongs on the Garden Art forum but I thought the idea of competitive gardening would make a good article. Some one sent in a photo of my fair plot from last year to a publisher of garden craft books and they have contacted me about writing a chapter about how to make these statues for a book to be published next year. So, you see... Garden Web forums can help you advance your career!

Congratulations John and best of luck for 2003! I like the idea of two categories to level the playing field as they say but it sounds as though you didn't need any help!