Since new management took over the Chicago Flower & Garden Show, the organizers have made audience participation a priority. There’s the Horticulture Competition, for example, in which gardeners can bring in their prize plants for judging by a group of local professionals. All entries are displayed at the show, along with their ribbons. See www.chicagoflower.com for details. Then there are the Potting Parties in which you pay a participation fee to the charity of your choice and then get to pot up a plant to take home.

Another worthy effort is the photography contest. The entry deadline for getting in your photos is February 1, 2012, so if this interests you, it’s time to get a move on. The theme for this year’s show is “Hort Couture” and the different categories for the photo competition reflect the theme and are equally clever. Listed below are the different classes (categories), including one for youth under 16 years old. You can submit one photo per class.

• “Hemmed Up”: Close-up of a plant or flower
• “Accessorized”: Photo of people and plants/flowers
• “Seasons Collection”: Landscape photo
• “Pattern Freeze”: Still-life photo with its focus on plants or flowers
• “High Style”: Abstract photo with plants or flowers as primary focus
• “Stone Washed”: Photo incorporating water and flowers
• “Triple Stitched" Triptych: Three related photographs featuring Chicago and plants mounted on a single board.
• “One of a Kind" Diptych: Two color photographs—one original and one manipulation of the original, mounted on a single board.
• “Go Overboard”: Single photo featuring any item or event on Navy Pier. Plant material not required in this class.
• “Novice Eye”: Photos in the youth class (ages 7-15) only, focused on a single plant or flower.

Other important rules for the photography contest:

Photos can be printed in color, black-and-white or sepia.  All photos must be mounted on black foam core and submitted by mail with a proper registration form. Full competition details and a registration forms are available at www.ChicagoFlower.com, listed under the “How to Participate” tab. Winning photos will be judged on a point scale based on creativity, composition, technical merit, distinction and interpretation of the show’s “Hort Couture” theme. Winners will receive a special award and have their photos displayed during the Chicago Flower & Garden Show, from March 10-18 at Chicago’s Navy Pier.