How do ribbons wind up on floral entries at the Mariposa County Fair? Barbara Coelho, horticultural judge, will decide. She'll share her criteria and give tips on making entries their best at an open-to-the-public meeting of Mariposa Master Gardeners Monday, August 17.

*(Left) Photo credit: Mariposa Master Gardeners

"I have better roses (daisies, ferns, bonsai ... whatever) than that." How many times have you said that when looking at the floral exhibits at the Mariposa County Fair? So enter, already. 

Mariposa County Master Gardeners present horticulture judge Barbara Coelho, who will tell you what she looks for in a blue-ribbon submission, at 2 p.m., Monday, August 17 at the Board of Supervisors chambers, 5100 Bullion St., Mariposa. The presentation is free. Please register at (209) 966-2417 or on the Master Gardener website: cemariposa.ucanr.edu.

Coelho judges 72 classes at our fair, including decorative baskets, potted plants, dry and natural arrangements, roses and other floral, and niches. She also judges 25 junior classes.

She will give information about how to present entries at their absolute best, and how to preserve cut blooms. Cleaning and conditioning the plants is a must, and she’ll show you how. She’ll explain how she does the judging and talk about the criteria she uses. Each entry is judged against perfection for that exhibit alone, and not against others in the category. She welcomes examples from the audience.

Master Gardeners clean and decorate the Horticulture Building, register entries and serve as docents for visitors who come to see the entries that also include fruits and vegetables.

Entry forms must be delivered to the Fairgrounds by 5 p.m. Friday, August 28. Entries will be accepted Wednesday, September 2, 1 to 7 p.m. at the Horticulture Building. For details, forms and questions, go to: www.mariposafair.com and click on the “Fair” tab. There is no fee to enter.