Mercer County Community College ( MCCC ) continued its succeed streak this year at the Philadelphia Flower Show , taking home the gold medal in the “ Education ” category for its “ Majestic ” display at the Pennsylvania Convention Center .
“ This is our third Au medal since 2017 , ” said Professor Amy Ricco , coordinator of the college ’s Horticulture , Science , and Sustainability programme .
MCCC horticulture scholarly person also took home two additional medals and an honourable acknowledgment — breaking the college ’s premature record .
MCCC was the only New Jersey introduction represented in the education category . The students competed against colleges such as Temple University , University of Delaware , and Delaware Valley University and lowly schools such as W.B. High School of Agricultural Sciences and Lakeside School Greenhouse .
“ Our competitors have landscape computer architecture programs , which makes for problematical competition , ” explained Ricco .
In summation to the prized gold laurel wreath in the Department of Education category , MCCC received the Chicago Horticultural Society Flower Show Medal , which goes to an educational display showing undischarged horticultural acquirement and cognition in a nationally recognize prime show . Further , the group also received the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society ( PHS ) Gold Medal Award , which acknowledges the good use of PHS Gold Medal Plants , and an Honorable Mention for the PHS Gardening for the Greater Good Educational Award .
“ For the PHS Gold Medal Award , we were in competition against every other major exhibitor , including those outside of the training division , ” said Ricco .
Mercer County Community College has been a competitor in the Philadelphia Flower Show for nearly a 10 . This twelvemonth ’s motif was a noted shift from prior age .
“ We went for something more simplistic and sustainable , ” say Ricco .
The sensational display was composed of smart plant life choices using native plant specie . Centered around the colouring material purpleness , flower show visitors were greeted with elegant signage excuse the planting as they thread along a purple stepping - stone walk of life through a serene garden filled with flowering plants , greenery , tall tree diagram , and a contained falls .
“ I am proud of the students and faculty within the Horticulture Program , ” said Ricco . “ We worked hard , and I had a good touch about our presentation when we left the Pennsylvania Convention Center Thursday night , but you never know for sure until after the judging is over , ” she said .
Ricco made clear that the college ’s participation in the show is an tremendous group undertaking . Ricco and the students worked with gardening adjuvant professor David DeFrange and enlisted with campus staff and the college ’s Graphic Design Club under the counselling of faculty members Mauro Zamora and Tina LaPlaca .
A $ 10,000 Hiram Ulysses Grant from the Mercer County Community College Foundation , along with support from the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society and Mercer County Community College , put up the resourcefulness to make the college ’s groundbreaking honor - pull ahead display .
For more selective information : PHS Philadelphia Flower Showtheflowershow.com
