Competition with a Legacy

For nearly 200 years, the plant and exhibit competition at the Philadelphia Flower Show has been a key part to the excitement and prestige of the event. Professional and amateur gardeners compete for horticultural and design excellence to see who will take home the trophy for Best in Show or the Blue Ribbon. Explore how this competition is judged and awarded every year.

Major Exhibits

The Major Exhibits include three judged categories: Landscape, Floral, and Educational pieces. The major exhibits consist of professionals within their fields such as Landscape Designers, Landscape Architects, Florists, and professional horticulture and floral programs in high schools and universities. Each category is judged by specialty panels of judges renowned in their fields of study.

Competitive Classes

Exhibitors in Competitive Classes are non-professionals. They can be individuals as well as groups such as garden clubs or schools. Within the divisions are many categories or “classes” in which entries are displayed. The Competitive Classes divisions are:

Artistic, which includes Arrangements, Botanical Arts, Photography, and Pressed Plants.
Design, which includes larger exhibits such as Gardens, Entryways, Store Windows, and Miniature Settings.
Horticulture, which includes individual plant submissions in the PHS Hamilton Horticourt.

Explore our list of the 2024 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show Award Winners

Judging

Judges evaluate entries and award ribbons based on established criteria. For example, in Horticulture, judges consider cultural perfection, rarity, difficulty to grow, maturity, and bloom. Philadelphia Flower Show judges come from across the country, and sometimes even from abroad. They work in panels of three, accompanied by clerks who record the results. As one of the oldest Flower Shows in the world, PHS is proud to host one of the most prestigious events for judges and exhibitors alike.

There are four types of awards that can be achieved at the Philadelphia Flower Show:

Trophies
Trophies are the most coveted accomplishment within the Major Exhibitor category, with the competition fierce for the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show Cup – the Best in Show award given out within the Landscape and Floral categories. Many other trophies are awarded throughout the Show for a variety of successes. Be sure to check out our new Awards Wall that will feature our winners at the Show this year!

Medals
Gold, silver, and bronze medals are awarded in the Major Exhibit categories based on three criteria elements: Design, Horti/Flora-culture, and Educational value.

Ribbons
In the Competitive Classes, ribbons are awarded for first place (blue), second place (red), third place (yellow), and honorable mention (white). For most classes, only one Blue Ribbon is awarded, but there may be more than one red, yellow, or white. In the Grand Old Plants classes in the Horticourt, entries are judged on a “par” basis—that is, against “perfection” for each plant rather than in comparison to other entries. In 2024, there were 883 blue ribbons, 1,511 red ribbons, 1,268 yellow ribbons, and 932 white ribbons.

Rosettes
Rosettes are awarded by special panels of judges - for instance, from plant societies or garden club associations. Rosettes go to exceptional entries in Competitive Classes and some Major Exhibtors.

The PHS Philadelphia Flower Show Cup
Best in Show award, for the highest-scoring major exhibits in the Landscape and Floral categories in the Show.

The PHS Philadelphia Flower Show Silver Trophy
For the major exhibits in the Landscape and Floral categories receiving the second-highest number of points.

The Alfred M. Campbell Memorial Trophy
For the major exhibit in the Educational category that demonstrates the most successful use of a variety of plants in a unique fashion.

The Mayor’s Trophy
For the major exhibit in the Floral category that demonstrates the most innovative or unique design or use of plants or products.

The Governor’s Trophy
For the major exhibit in the Landscape category that demonstrates the most innovative or unique design.

The Philadelphia Trophy
For the major exhibit in the Landscape category that demonstrates the best use of color.

The PHS Council Trophy
For the major exhibit in the Landscape category with the most accomplished display of fforced plants.

Anne Vallery Award
Awarded to the major exhibit that uses its intent to take a vibrant and strong stance on an issue — environmental, humanitarian, etc.— and encourages the viewer to be introspective about the topic.

Chicago Horticultural Society Flower Show Medal
Awarded to a major exhibit in the Educational category showing outstanding horticultural skill and knowledge in a nationally recognized Flower Show.

The Phyllis M. Craig Award
Awarded to the major exhibit in the Floral category demonstrating the best use of color in flowering and/or foliage plants in an innovative or unique design.

PHS Sustainability Award
For the major exhibit in the Educational cateogy demonstrating the best use of sustainable gardening practices to the public.

The Pennsylvania Landscape and Nursery Association Trophies
Showing the most effective use of plants and best use of design in the Landscape and Educational categories.

The American Horticultural Society Environmental Award
For an exhibit of horticultural excellence that best demonstrates the bond between horticulture and the environment and inspires the
viewer to beautify home and community through skillful design and appropriate plant material.

The Bulkley Medal of The Garden Club of America
For a special exhibit in the field of horticulture, botany, or conservation. The exhibit of exceptional educational merit increases the knowledge and awareness of the viewing public. It is the exhibit that best combines an important message with the ability to convey that message to the public.

American Orchid Society Show Trophy
Awarded for the most meritorious orchid exhibit.

American Orchid Society Show Awards
Presented, if merited.

The PHS Gold Medal Award
Awarded for the best use of PHS Gold Medal plants in a major exhibit.

The Kate & Robert Bartlett Award
Awarded for the best use of trees in a major exhibit in the Landscape category.

PHS Gardening for the Greater Good Award
Awarded for the exhibit that best exemplifies PHS’s mission to activate horticulture and gardening as a force for the “greater good” by advancing the health and well-being of people and their environments. Awarded to major exhibits in the Landscape, Floral, Educational, and Design categories.

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Choice Award
Given to the exhibit that the RHS believes provides inspiration to visitors, the public, and the horticultural industry. Awarded to a major exhibit in the Landscape, Floral, or Educational categories.

Pascal Garbe

Head Judge
Pascal Garbe is a French garden designer acclaimed throughout Europe. He is a recognized specialist in edible plants and the garden tourism marketing. At the same time, Pascal has extensive experience in the field of horticultural and gardens exhibitions. He has regularly taken part in the juries of the Philadelphia Flower Show. In recent years, he has chaired the juries of the Singapore Garden Festival and has participated in or chaired the juries of the New Zealand Flower Show, the Gardening World Cup and the Festival des Jardins de Chaumont sue Loire.

Dennis Lim

Lead Landscape Judge
Dennis, a seasoned professional at the National Parks Board (NParks) since 2002, currently oversees Festivals, Events & Exhibitions and Visitor Management & Security as Coordinating Director at the Singapore Botanic Gardens Division. He simultaneously serves as Director (Business Development) for Singapore Garden City Pte Ltd. With a Bachelor of Business
from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (1998), Dennis boasts over two decades of expertise in visitor service operations, business tenancy and licensing, events venue rental, and the orchestration of festivals, events, and exhibitions within NParks. Dennis managed two turnkey projects for Singapore Pavilions at the International Horticultural Expositions
in Antalya, Turkey (2016) and Beijing, China (2019). In 2013, the Singapore government recognised Dennis’s dedication to public service with the Public Administration Medal.

Rebecca McMackin

Landscape Judge
Rebecca McMackin is a horticulturist and garden designer. She lives in the woods of Connecticut, writing, lecturing, and designing the occasional garden. Rebecca is the Arboretum Curator at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, where she cares for one of the best tree collections in NYC, restores historic grave sites, and welcomes ecological functionality back to 400 acres of urban greenspace. She was a Harvard Loeb Fellow in 2023, studying
ecological design, the history of native plant movements, and science communication. She is a public servant, dedicated to bringing beauty and biodiversity to all corners of our cities. Her new garden for the Brooklyn Museum shows that ecological gardens can thrive in even the busiest public spaces. And, amazingly, she is the recipient of the 2023 Pollinator
Advocacy Award from Pollinator Partnership. Prior to all this, Rebecca spent a decade as Director of Horticulture of Brooklyn Bridge Park, where she managed 85 acres of diverse parkland organically. Her writing has been published in The New York Times, the Landscape Institute, and the Ecological Landscape Alliance.

Roxanne DePalma

Landscape Judge
Born into a family of renowned florists and gardeners, Roxanne DePalma grew up surrounded by the beauty of nature. Her family owned and operated three of the largest flower and garden shops in Portland, OR. In 1988, her husband Bob and her co-founded the Horticultural Institute of Southern California, where they designed and showcased innovative gardening tools and
floral vases at various public and trade exhibitions. For over three decades, she shared her passion for gardening and outdoor living with a national audience through her appearances on QVC television. Additionally, she has been an active participant in the prestigious Philadelphia Flower Show for over 35 years. She is committed to promoting the joys of gardening and outdoor living, and looks forward to exploring opportunities to share her expertise with others.

Jacqueline Boerma

Lead Floral Judge
Jacqueline Boerma, IMF, is a fourth-generation florist and a passionate expert in floral design. She has been a teacher since 1984 and became a certified judge in floral design in 2008. Since 2013, she has been running the Boerma Instituut, continuing the family legacy in floristry. Jacqueline specializes in creating Dutch garden-style arrangements and loves travelling the world with her eldest son, Mike Boerma, IMF, conducting lessons and demonstrations to share their expertise and love for floral design.

Kristin Banta

Floral Judge
Kristin is the creative visionary behind Kristin Banta Events’ (KBE) one of the country’s leading experiential event design and production firms. Named the 2023 Event Designer of the Year at The Special Event Gala Awards, KBE has been an innovator for over twenty years, setting the standard for high-end events. From exclusive corporate galas, immersive premiere parties and unforgettable brand activations to influential industry soirées, luxury weddings and destination extravaganzas, Kristin and her team of specialists plan, design, and produce events around the globe for a distinct group of notable brands and private clientele who all share a passion for the dramatically different. At the cutting edge of the latest trends in decor, catering and entertainment, KBE takes the client’s vision to an epic new level, orchestrating truly original celebrations that are provocative and impact all senses, telling a distinct story to each and every guest.

Kate Penn

Floral Judge
Kate Penn has been CEO of the Society of American Florists (SAF) since November 2017, leading the organization in its mission to connect and cultivate a thriving floral community, through online education, live events, and advocating for the industry on Capitol Hill and in the media. Prior to her current role, Penn, a journalist, had for three decades been the driving
force behind all of SAF’s content and education, from its magazine and digital newsletters to its educational programming at its live and virtual events. SAF is the umbrella association that serves the US floriculture industry retailers, freelance and studio florists, wholesalers, brokers, importers, growers, manufacturers, distributors, breeders and academics. SAF has commissioned some of the industry’s most compelling and publicized research about
the positive impact of flowers on emotional well-being. One of SAF’s most notable annual programs is “Petal it Forward,” whereon a designated day thousands of floral industry members around the country hit the streets to give unsuspecting strangers two floral bouquets–one to keep and one to give to someone else.

Danilo Maffei

Lead Education Judge
Danilo Maffei is the founding principal of Maffei Landscape Design, LLC in Kennett Square, PA, a small firm specializing in creating outdoor living environments in residential, hospitality, commercial, and public landscape sectors. His firm aspires to create meaningful, engaging, site-specific gardens, with an emphasis on plant selections that compliment the natural and built environment. With a background in design, public horticulture, landscape
contracting, business and civic leadership, he brings to each project a positive and practical perspective on the way gardens enrich our experience and engagement with people and places. In addition to his duties as the leader of his firm, Mr. Maffei is a regular instructor and lecturer in landscape design, a community leader in both volunteer and elected positions and past president of the board of directors of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD), where he was honored as a Fellow.

Lauren Kope

Education Judge
As Director of the University of Delaware Botanic Gardens (UDBG), Lauren facilitates meaningful connections between the campus, community, and gardens’ living collections. She enjoys engaging with many audiences over a shared love of plants. Lauren also served as Manager of Living Collections at Wyck Historic House and Gardens in Philadelphia and worked as Head Gardener of a private estate in Charlottesville, VA. She holds a B.S. in Agricultural Science from Virginia Tech and received her M.B.A. from the University of Delaware.

Phillip Douglas

Education Judge
A native Kentuckian, Douglas was inspired to begin a career in horticulture during an internship at the Boone County Arboretum. Following his internship, he worked as a horticulturist at the historic Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum in Cincinnati, OH. Following five years as the director of plant collections for the Chicago Botanic Garden, Douglas most recently serves as the Director of Horticulture and Center for Global Initiatives at the Denver
Botanic Gardens. He received a Bachelor of Science in horticulture from the University of Cincinnati, and a Master of Public Administration from Eastern Kentucky University. As the Director of Horticulture at Denver Botanic Gardens, Douglas manages a team of esteemed horticulturists overseeing one of the world’s most diverse plant collections. Douglas is a member of the American Public Garden Association, International Dendrology Society,
Fellow of the Linnean Society of London, and is a board member of the International Oak Society.

Awards & Judging