Colorful Colorado

Create a large mass arrangement with a “wildness” feel, a bit unkept and unruly. Design must incorporate a wood element. Staged on a 16” D x 24” W x 40” H black pedestal. Design may not exceed 36” in width. No height restriction. May extend beyond base. Viewed and judged from three sides. Statement of Intent required.
Class Consultant: Martha Veldkamp mveldkamp@veldkamps.com

Settlers brought bare root roses with them as they settled in the Colorado territory as a reminder of “home.” These roses had to be extremely hardy to survive the climate and rough travel. Fairmount Cemetery Roses and the Central City “yellow rose” or Harison’s rose continue to flourish today.
Create a floral design where the yellow rose is center stage. Staged on a 14” square x 40”H black pedestal. Design may not exceed 20” in width. No height restriction. May extend below base. Viewed and judged from three sides. Statement of Intent required.
Class Consultant: Cora Wheeler corasexton@gmail.com

Children’s Class
Create a colorful design inspired by the colors in the Colorado flag. Arrangement should not exceed 12” width by 20” height. Ornamentation allowed. Staged on 5’ tables with white tablecloths. Viewed and judged from three sides.
Open to children 14 and under. Must register with Class Consultant.
Class Consultant: Nina Sisk nsisk@comcast.net

Based on the early botanic explorations of Asa Gray, Charles Parry, Marcus Eugene Jones and Edwin James, among others, this class will feature troughs planted with alpine species these hardy botanists began collecting in Colorado beginning in the early 1820s, long before more permanent non-indigenous settlement began in the state. Any variety of Colorado alpine plants will qualify. Troughs and soil will be distributed in March 2026. Ownership deadline of plants is May 1st, 2026.
Class Consultant: Mary Fowler mdaltonf@gmail.com

Women were raising children in Colorado from the earliest days of the indigenous peoples, often under extreme and dangerous conditions. This class honors the hard work and sacrifice of early Colorado mothers in teepees, pueblos, mining camps, ramshackle shelters in speculator cities, farms and ranches. Exhibit a mother plant of any variety, with a minimum ownership length of one year, accompanied by a baby plant propagated by any means from that mother. Containers may not exceed 16” in diameter. No height restriction. Propagation Card required for both the mother and child.
Class Consultant: Courtney Marsters courtneymarsters@gmail.com

Open only to Garden Club of Denver members. Create a miniature vertical garden of mixed medicinal herbs and flowers, many known to Colorado’s earliest inhabitants for their curative powers. Exhibitor chosen container. Height and width may not exceed 36”. Must be accompanied by a 5x8” key card describing the medicinal qualities of each herb or flower. Ownership deadline of plants is May 1st, 2026. Class
Consultant: Nancy Schotters nancy@schotters.com

Much of Colorado’s geography is a unique steppe ecosystem extending from the Rockies’ transmontane foothills to both the eastern and western borders. This system shares characteristics with the other great world steppe ecosystems found in South Africa, Asia and South America. The world's steppes share common qualities of higher altitudes, a semi-arid climate, cold winters and warmer summers, and the existence of microclimates based on exposure and geographic characteristics. Grasslands predominate, but a huge variety of other types of plants and shrubs also thrive within these ecosystems.
Create a container of three or more steppe plants. They do not need to be native to the state, as the blossoming of interest in steppe climates has resulted in an intermingling of plants from all over the world in our Colorado nurseries. Containers may not exceed 16 inches in diameter. No height restriction. Must be accompanied by a 5”x 8” key card. Ownership deadline of plants is May 15th, 2026.
Class Consultant: Suellen White suellenwhite@mac.com

This photograph honors the spirit of Colorado by capturing the beauty, strength, and diversity of the state’s various regions. The rugged peaks of the Rockies, the wide-open prairies in the east, the Great Sand Dunes and Mesa Verde to the south, the Colorado Plateau to the far west and the mountain parks and high plains desert to the north are all integral to Colorado’s identity. A color landscape photograph not to exceed 60” total perimeter.
Traditional landscape: a view of scenery of any kind, from wilderness vistas to urban cityscapes, land, or sea. The primary subject is the scenery, and it must dominate, although the image may contain secondary elements such as people, animals, or objects. City elements predominate in cityscapes; the sea predominates in seascapes.
Intimate landscape: a pared-down study of natural scenery that is a closer view than traditional landscape photography. The primary subject is the natural scenery, and it must dominate, although the image may contain minor secondary elements such as people, animals, or objects. Mid-range views of natural scenery best characterize this sub-genre and are smaller in scale than grand vista imagery. Intimate landscape photos may include the sky, although they often do not; if the sky is included, it should be a minor compositional element. Close-up studies of a subject are not intimate landscapes.
Class Consultant: Suellen White suellenwhite@mac.com

This photographic work captures a historic building or mode of transportation that reflects Colorado’s journey through time. Whether it is a weathered barn, a stately historic mansion, abandoned structures, vintage tractors, trucks, cars, planes, trains, etc., the image should tell a story of progress and place. Black and white photograph not to exceed 50” total perimeter. See landscape definitions in Class I
Class Consultant: Sarah Alijani sarahalijani@mac.com

A flat lay composition using American plant materials and/or found objects that represent Colorado’s 150th anniversary and/or the 250th of the USA. A color photograph not to exceed 40” total perimeter. 28 Flat lay: a photograph depicting an intentional arrangement by the photographer of various objects laid out on or otherwise attached to a flat surface. The objects are photographed with the camera’s sensor plane directly parallel with the surface on which the objects are arranged. Typically, a flat lay is taken from a top-down, bottom-up, or similar parallel plane presentation. Lighting is usually direct and head-on, which eliminates cast shadows of the objects, minimizes depth, and creates a sense of one-dimensional flatness.
Class Consultant: Liz Walker walkerliz40@gmail.com

A macro photo of either: The Colorado state flower (Rocky Mountain Columbine (Aquilegia caerulea) The Colorado state fish (Greenback Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii stomias) The Colorado state flag A color photograph not to exceed 36” total perimeter. Macro: an image in which the subject is larger than life-size; the original object must be no larger than 1" x 1.5", or a 35mm film slide. A macro image differs from a close-up image. See Close-up.
Class Consultant: Alice Hughes ahughes521@msn.com

A photograph emphasizing the natural light that filters down through the canopy to the forest floor, highlighting the delicate groundcover and wildflowers at the base, to the understory of shrubs and saplings, and finally the canopy itself. A color photography not to exceed 50” total perimeter.
Intimate landscape: a pared-down study of natural scenery that is a closer view than traditional landscape photography. The primary subject is the natural scenery, and it must dominate, although the image may contain minor secondary elements such as people, animals, or objects. Mid-range views of natural scenery best characterize this sub-genre and are smaller in scale than grand vista imagery. Intimate landscape photos may include the sky, although they often do not; if the sky is included, it should be a minor compositional element. Close-up studies of a subject are not intimate landscapes.
Detail landscape: a study of small, close-up scenes of natural and/or manmade elements in a landscape. The images may be realistic or photographic abstractions where the subject remains recognizable. Examples include patterns in sand, groups of leaves, rocks or shells, reflections in water, ice formations, movement of waves or grasses, walkways or paths, etc.
Class Consultant: Deborah Foy foy.deborah@gmail.com

Colorado is the home to some of the best produce and most intense growing seasons in the nation. Create a still life with fruits and/or vegetables. A color photograph not to exceed 8 x 12 inches. Matte finish, mounted on black gator board Composed: an intentional arrangement by the photographer of a variety of objects to convey a visual story or to explore broader compositional concepts such as color, form, light, or shadow
Class Consultant: Mary Fowler mdaltonf@gmail.com

The Gold Rush at Pikes Peak began the displacement of Colorado’s indigenous people. Create a necklace that could have been worn by an indigenous person. Necklace to be displayed on a black velvet vertical necklace holder, 8.25” W x 12.6” H. Viewed and judged from the front. BOTANICAL JEWELRY: A design created entirely from dried plant material and made to resemble wearable jewelry in both size and function. Plant material may be treated. Mechanics or structural base material may not be visible.
Class Consultant: Jana Wilkinson janawilkinson@comcast.net

The Granada Relocation Center, also known as “Amache”, was established by the federal government. The “Amache” Rose was discovered after the internment camp was closed. Create a brooch which includes a rose in its design. Brooch to be displayed on a 5” round black velvet pad. Viewed and judged from above.
BOTANICAL JEWELRY: A design created entirely from dried plant material and made to resemble wearable jewelry in both size and function. Plant material may be treated. Mechanics or structural base material may not be visible.
Class Consultant: Jana Wilkinson janawilkinson@comcast.net

The first National Western Stock Show was held in a tent in Denver. Create a belt buckle that could have been awarded to an outstanding rodeo performer. Buckle to be displayed on a 10” square black velvet pad. Viewed and judged from above.
BOTANICAL COUTURE: A design emulating an item of clothing and/or other fashion accessory created from all dried plant material or couture form (hat, shoe, etc.) which must be entirely embellished with dried plant material. Plant material may be treated. Mechanics or structural base material may not be visible except for required staging (mannequin, stand, head form, etc.).
Class Consultant: Dodie Jackson dodieojackson@gmail.com

Denver’s iconic restaurant from the 1970’s, Casa Bonita, reopens with great fanfare. Embellish a bell representing the tower bell at the restaurant. Bell will be provided by Committee upon registration. Displayed hanging from a horizontal rod. Viewed and judged from all sides.
BOTANICAL EMBELLISHMENT A manufactured object enhanced with dried plant material. Plant material may be treated. Complete coverage of the object is/is not required.(you decide this) Embellished objects should remain recognizable and not completely obscured.
Class Consultant: Dodie Jackson dodieojackson@gmail.com