TABLETOPexhibits
For orchid shows throughout much of the
world tabletop exhibits are the norm rather than the larger floor
exhibits described in the master class. Many of the principles
for creating award winning tabletop exhibits are the same, just
on a smaller scale. The same basic elements will be
found on a 3 ft. by 3 ft. card table exhibit as a 300 square foot
floor exhibit. The main areas that differ are the use of
background foliage and groundcover. Tabletop exhibits typically
use a fixed background if they will not be placed against a plain
wall. This can be anything from a piece of green posterboard to a
painted scene or other two-dimensional prop. Steve Saunders of OS of Nova Scotia
told me, "Always assume that the show host does not have the covering,
background or lighting with extension cords. Bring your own.
Proper lighting can make the difference between a run-of-the-mill and
a spectacular display. &qout; Foliage plants are
generally used as accents within tabletop exhibits rather than to
block out distracting backgrounds. Groundcover is usually just a
piece of fabric used to cover the table and maybe some of the
pots. There is no reason however, that cypress mulch or sheet
moss cannot be used on a tabletop exhibit. Carol Holdren
who has won the prestigious AOS Show Trophy for
a tabletop exhibit offers these insights:
"I discovered that table
top displays come in a variety of sizes. It might be a 3 foot
square card table but it's more likely to be a 6 or 8 foot table
with a width of 30 inches. Besides the size of the table you need
to find out if the table will back up to a wall or be in a
location where the back shows. Hopefully the table will have a
skirt, if not I would devise one. I would cover the table with
black cloth. Background is as necessary as in a big display so
the orchids will show up. Ming arailia and ficus...try to use
plants with small leaves. I like a variety of foliage plants.
When choosing ferns try to get several different types and
textures and shades of green. I am of the school that believes in
only using green foliage plants, I don't use anything that is
variegated. As to the number of orchids, it takes a lot, I think
I used 30 plants on my 6 foot by 2 1/2 foot table top. Some of
those were large and some miniatures, variety adds interest. You
need to have more than enough plants in case some don't work,
either size wise or color wise. You have less flexibility in a
table top. Quality means a lot because people will be seeing the
orchids up close The best way to learn about building displays is
to volunteer to help your society. I worked with an expert,
Sylvia Hill, for 7 years and watched what she did."