What to Expect at a Flower Show - Zilker Botanical Garden

During the Fall and Spring, Zilker Botanical Garden hosts a variety of Garden shows and sales hosted by Austin Area Garden Council Clubs. These collaborative efforts provide an opportunity for the Austin community to learn about plants and connect with community members who share their love for gardening. In April 2025, there are 2 opportunities to attend a flower show which will be open to the public, included with Garden admission, and free for Conservancy members. In this article, you will learn what to expect at a Flower Show.

Upcoming Shows:

Capitol City Judges Council in partnership with Violet Crown Garden Club Flower Show
April 12, 1 – 5 pm, April 13, 1-4 pm
Learn More Here

Iris Society of Austin Show
April 6, 1 – 4 pm

Flower shows by National Garden Clubs have beautiful plant specimens grown by community members, artistic floral designs interpreting the theme of the show, and often include botanical arts and education sections. Visitors to the Capitol City Judges Council and Violet Crown Garden Club April 12 and 13 flower show, which is a National Garden Clubs standard flower show, can expect to see plants that can be successfully grown in Austin, and floral designs and garden photography interpreting a theme.

Violet Crown Garden Club has been doing flower shows since early in its history. Violet Crown formed in 1924 and became affiliated with National Garden Clubs in 1928. Archived Austin American Statesman articles report some of the earliest Flower Shows included contests to see who could grow the best zinnia flower from seeds provided.

Violet Crown was one of the garden clubs that created the Austin Area Garden Council in 1956, and they have been holding their meetings at Zilker Botanical Garden since 1964. In fact, early flower shows by the Violet Crown Garden Club were fundraisers, and their donations helped build the Austin Area Garden Center which just celebrated its 60^th anniversary at Zilker Botanical Gardens.

Violet Crown Garden Club Member Deana Dossey says “Flower Shows are sort of like a dog show or a county fair baking contest or a chili cook-off, except a Flower Show is about plants.”

The design section of the Flower Show can spark creative ideas for your next design, floral or otherwise. It is interesting to see how the Flower Show theme is interpreted by the different floral designers, and by the photography entries.

A great example of how the theme inspires creative designs is the winning entry in the 2024 show that had the theme “Kite Festival.” This design is by Sue King, who is a member of several garden clubs including the Capitol City Judges Council.

The other flower show taking place at Zilker Botanical Gardens in April is presented by the Iris Society of Austin which is affiliated with the American Iris Society.

An active member of both the Violet Crown Garden Club and the Iris Society of Austin, Tracey Rogers said she enjoys seeing the horticulture displayed at the shows and learning what can be grown in the Austin area.

Tracey said, “I was inspired to try more succulents after seeing the entries another club member was showing. You see plants that you do not always see at the local nurseries and get ideas about what to try in your own garden.”

An example of unusual flowers you might see at the flower shows at Zilker Botanical Garden is this Green Rose, submitted by Sandra Holt in 2016.

If you enjoy looking at plants at a nursery or in a garden, you will enjoy coming to a flower show and maybe even trying your hand at entering a plant to be judged. Entering designs and photography in the show has to be reserved way ahead of time, as entry spots fill quickly and space is limited.

The process for entering the show is similar to entering something in a county or state fair. Entries are submitted and judged before the show is open to the public.

To enter the design or botanical arts section, participants must reserve an entry before the show as there are a limited number of entries in each section. This can be done at the Garden Center at Zilker Botanical Garden where the show will be held.

Horticulture, which includes cut specimens and container grown plants meeting criteria outlined in the show schedule, may be submitted on April 11 between 1:30 PM and 4 PM, with a properly filled out entry card. Horticulture entries do not require a reservation ahead of time, but consulting with the show committee ahead of time is highly encouraged to improve the chances of a successful entry that meets requirements in the show schedule. Limited types of cut plant specimens can be entered early Saturday morning, April 12, between 8:30 AM and 9:30 AM, before judging begins.

You might be curious about how a flower show is judged. Entries are judged before the show is open to the public, so you’ll see the designs that won awards in these shows.

Judges for National Garden Club Flower Shows go through a comprehensive training program covering floral design and flower show procedure. Approved continuing education is a requirement to remain a judge.

Judges are experienced floral designers themselves, having entered and won awards in flower shows. Judges are often expert growers in a particular plant type, such as ferns, daylilies, or iris. Judging for the photography section is a little different than for the design and horticulture sections, as it includes judges that are considered photography experts from the community and at least one National Garden Club qualified Flower Show judge. Typically, judges travel from around Texas to come judge the Violet Crown Garden Club show in Austin. Judging of the shows is a closed-door affair with only a few selected non-judges allowed in the room to assist the judges as needed.

As someone who has been participating in Violet Crown Garden Club flower shows since 2016, Deana Dossey says “Entering a Flower Show can be a little intimidating the first time or two, but with practice, preparing entries gets easier.”

Practice paid off as Deana took home an Award of Merit for this Dianthus in 2024.

The theme of this year’s Violet Crown Garden Club Flower show is “Down Memory Lane” to honor their garden club members who made today’s club activities possible by paving the way.

For more information visit: https://zilkergarden.org/garden-clubs/violet-crown-garden-club/

The Iris Society of Austin has something special to celebrate at this year’s show. One of their members has been awarded the prestigious J. Arthur Nelson Award which is given to an Iris that has won the most “Best in Show” Placements in a given year. ISA member Jim Landers received the award in 2024 for his hybridized Louisiana Iris “Lady of Lometa” which he introduced in 2013. Dara Smith won Best Specimen for “Lady of Lometa” at the 2024 Iris Society of Austin Show, and “Lady of Lometa” had won Best Specimen at the Waco Iris Society Show as well.

Irises competing for awards are not the only irises on display at Zilker Botanical Garden. Take some time to walk around the Rose Garden and see irises in bloom. That bed is tended by members of the Iris Society of Austin who will be at the show April 6, and happy to talk to you about bringing the beauty of irises to your garden.