The People’s Choice Award table

Sandy and I returned from the 49th annual Arkansas Daffodil show, a whirlwind 460 mile round trip for us and a 700 mile round trip for the rest of the Texas group from the Dallas/Plano/Fort Worth area!
They had a “mind numbing”, simply overwhelming number of daffodil blooms spread out over hundreds of feet of tables……
This is WAY too much for the folks who just wandered through the show or happened to be at the Library where this show is being held. You realize that “most” children today no longer have a mother who has helped them set out plants in the ground or in flower beds. What I heard several times was “look, these are the flowers that Grandma used to have…”
Our Dallas show is at the Arboretum BUT most of the folks are walking by outside the show. The library had most folks busy inside and not coming into their show. Those that did seemed embarrassed that they did NOT KNOW there were this many different daffodils.
For those of you about to have a show yet WHAT IF we created a “People Choice Award” table outside or just at the entrance to our shows.
We could set up a single table that has representative colors of blooms within each division. Say three different color codes of each division that happen to be in bloom for these shows. This way folks could stand or walk by ONE table BEFORE they enter the main show and have someone man the table to explain a little and hand them the 13 division coloring sheet for children.
Have the “fragrant” flowers CLEARLY marked along with the names on a tall narrow sheet of paper where these folks could put down a “mark” or vote for their favorite bloom as they first walk in. What about having a colorful sheet telling folks to “Stop and Smell the Jonquils” Ditto for Tazetta’s. We had a LOT of Fragrant Rose in this show and NO ONE knew to stop and smell it!!!
I ALWAYS forget that these people normally do NOT know all the parts of a daffodil. They do NOT know that there is a flower bulb under the ground. Dig UP and wash off and have on display a daffodil from the leaves, roots and all on display at the introduction table!
What about giving away some sort of “bulb” to each family that comes through. I always have Red Spider lilies and other bulbs that they could take home and plant in a flower bed…..DUHHHH why do you have to think of these things during a 4 hour drive AFTER your show!
Some Master Gardener Groups have cheap brightly colored vests for members to ONLY wear at their education events. We could all pool together and “buy” our own vest and donate these to the show, keep these together with the ton of other materials needed to put on a show……Folks wandering through could EASILY spot a “daffodil expert” if we all wore a bright yellow vest:-)) Keith Kridler Mt. Pleasant, Texas