2025 Dahlia Festival
Sunday, September 28, 2025 from 1 pm to 4 pm
Free admission @ the Albuquerque Garden Center
The New Mexico Dahlia Society will be having their Dahlia Festival on Sunday, September 28.
Anyone interested in bringing dahlias, floral arrangements or photographs to the show are encouraged to read through the booklet below or contact Edith Iwan, edithiwan@gmail.com, 505-240-2698.
Field trip:
We took a field trip to a local residential garden. The owner took us on a tour of her backyard and front yard gardens. She is an amazing gardener, as well as a master beekeeper, and she had planted lots of plants to feed those bees. She has beehives with European bees, and of course, native bees visit her native plants in the gardens. We made sure not to wear brightly colored clothing which attract bees - white was the color of the day! Her yard has been deemed an “ABQ Backyard Refuge”. That program aims to create wildlife habitats in urban areas of Albuquerque. She gave us a tour of all the plants, raised beds, and her cat’s “catio”. It was a wonderful way to spend a morning.
Business meeting:
We had an abbreviated business meeting so we could spend more time in the gardens. The Garden Council’s “Christmas in July” flower show was July 18-19 and Petal Pushers Garden Club AGAIN won first place in the club competition. We had a great team which made birdseed ornaments and “gifts” under the tree, dried orange slices, and other decorations for our Christmas tree. The tree was beautiful and there’s a photo of it in your 2025-26 Petal Pusher yearbook. The prize for our win was two gift certificates to the Garden Center gift shop.
Next meeting:
August 26, 2025, 9:30 at the Garden Center
Making car air fresheners craft
Albuquerque Daylily Society Show
Sunday, June 29, 2025 Albuquerque Garden Center
Entries for Horticulture, Design and Photography
8:30 am – 10 am
Show and Sale: 1 pm – 4 pm
DIVISION IV: DESIGN
“Daylily Olympians at Their Best”
SECTION 1: TRICOLOR - ALL FRESH plant materials. Eligible for the Tricolor Award.
All Classes must have a 3x5 card listing the plant materials.
Please name the daylily/daylilies if known.
Class A: “Introducing Sport Climbing” – A Traditional Line or Line-Mass Design featuring a Daylily/Daylilies. Other plant materials are allowed, but must be ALL FRESH. Eligible for the Tricolor Award. Traditional Line or Line-Mass Design requirements can be found in the 2017 NGC Handbook for Flower Shows on pages 70-71.
Class B: “Team Sport Huddle” – A Traditional Mass Design of ALL FRESH plant materials with an emphasis on Daylilies. Eligible for the Tricolor Award. Traditional Mass Design requirements can be found in the 2017 NGC Handbook for Flower Shows on pages 70-71.
Class C: “Springboard Diving” – A Traditional Line Design with water visible. Design must include a Daylily/Daylilies with additional ALL FRESH plant materials. Eligible for the Tricolor Award. Line Design requirements can be found in the 2017 NGC Handbook for Flower Shows on pages 70-71.
SECTION 2: DESIGNER’S CHOICE – Eligible for the Designer’s Choice.
The Design must have one or more Daylilies. Additional plant materials may be fresh,
dried/treated, or a combination. FRESH plant materials may not be treated.
All Classes must have a 3x5 card listing the plant materials. Please name the daylily/daylilies if known.
Class D: “Track and Field Competitions” – A Creative Parallel Design featuring a Daylily/Daylilies with additional plant materials. Additional plant materials may be fresh, dried/treated, or a combination. FRESH plant materials may not be treated. Parallel Design requirements can be found in the 2017 NGC Handbook for Flower Shows on page 75.
Class E: “Tennis Stars“ – A Transparency Design featuring a Daylily/Daylilies. Other plant materials may be used, and may be fresh, dried/treated, or a combination. FRESH plant materials may not be treated. Transparency Design requirements can be found in the 2017 NGC Handbook for Flower Shows on page 77.
Class F: “Pre-Event Carbo Loading“ – An Exhibition Table Design featuring a Daylily/Daylilies. Other plant materials may be used, and may be fresh, dried/treated, or a combination. FRESH plant materials may not be treated. Exhibition Table Design requirements can be found in the 2017 NGC Handbook for Flower Shows on page 76.
DESIGN RULES
1. Daylilies must be the dominant flower in all arrangements.
2. The following are not allowed - Artificial plant material, American or other Countries Flags, plants on the NM threatened or invasive list, live animals or taxidermal specimens.
3. Fresh plant material may NEVER be treated by spraying, dyeing, painting, etc.
4. If used, dried plant material may be treated (painted, dyed, etc.)
5. Exhibitors are allowed only one entry per class.
6. All designs will be placed on the countertops adjacent to the walls of the Pinion Room. All Design Classes are limited to a space of 30” wide x 28” deep x 42” high.
7. The designer has the freedom to use accessory items, underlays, or staging panels of his/hers choosing. If used, they must conform to the allotted space requirements.
8. Designs must be arranged by a single exhibitor.
9. Any cut fruit/s or vegetable/s must be properly sealed.
10. A 3”X5” card is required for listing all plant materials used. An additional 3”X5” card of explanation may be used for any design.
11. Judging of the Design Division will be performed by a panel of National Garden Club, Inc. judges, according to National Garden Club standards. Judge should indicate on the entry tag those entries that point score at or above 90 in the event that said entry does not receive a blue ribbon.
12. Classes may be awarded 1 - 1st place blue ribbon, 1 - 2nd place red ribbon, 1 - 3rd place yellow ribbon and unlimited honorable mention ribbons, if merited.
13. Both top Design Division entries, Tricolor and Designer’s Choice, must have scored 95 points or above to receive the top awards.
14. The exhibitor who wins the Tricolor or Designer’s Choice Award must be a member of AHS or must join at the show after winning in order to receive the award. Each section must have at least THREE CLASSES with at least FOUR ENTRIES in each class in order to award either the Tricolor or Designer’s Choice Award.
15. A SWEEPSTAKES AWARD will be awarded to the designer with the most blue ribbons.
The Design Chairman/Consultant will be available to answer questions regarding any design class both prior to, and on the day of, the show.
Contact Debi Harrington at 505-206-0930 for a reservation for placement in the Design Section.