West Windsor – Mercer County Community College (MCCC) continued its winning streak in a historic way this year shattering previous records at the Philadelphia Flower Show -- the oldest and largest flower show in the world -- taking home the gold medal in the “Education” category for its “Majestic” display at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

“This is our third gold medal since 2017,” said Professor Amy Ricco, coordinator of the college’s Horticulture, Science and Sustainability program.

MCCC horticulture students also took home two additional medals and an honorable mention — breaking the college’s previous record.

“We received a total of four awards this year,” said Ricco, “the most ever.”

MCCC was the only New Jersey institution represented in the education category. The students competed against colleges such as Temple University, University of Delaware and Delaware Valley University and secondary schools such as W.B. High School of Agricultural Sciences and Lakeside School Greenhouse.

“Our competitors have landscape architecture programs, which makes for tough competition,” explained Ricco.

In addition to the prized gold medal in the education category, MCCC received the Chicago Horticultural Society Flower Show Medal which goes to an educational exhibit showing outstanding horticultural skill and knowledge in a nationally recognized flower show. The group also received the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) Gold Medal Award which acknowledges best 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 education division,” said Ricco.

Mercer County Community College has been a competitor in the Philadelphia Flower Show for nearly a decade. This year’s motif was a noted shift from prior years.

“We went for something more simplistic and sustainable,”  said Ricco.

The stunning display was composed of smart plant choices using native plant species. Centered around the color purple, flower show visitors were greeted with elegant signage explaining the plantings as they meandered along a purple-hued stepping-stone walk through a serene garden filled with flowering plants, greenery, tall trees and a contained waterfall.

A $10,000 grant from the Mercer County Community College Foundation along with support from the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society and Mercer County Community College provided the resources to make the college’s groundbreaking award-winning display.

“The Foundation's donation came in at exactly the right time to allow us to pay our bills and remove the financial pressure we were under,” said Ricco, “It also allowed us to eliminate any shortcuts that we would have been forced to take.”

“I am proud of the students and faculty within the Horticulture Program,” said Ricco. “We worked hard, and I had a good feeling about our display 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 college’s participation in the show is an enormous group undertaking. Ricco and the horticulture students worked with horticulture adjunct professor David DeFrange and enlisted with campus staff and the college’s Graphic Design Club under the guidance of faculty members Mauro Zamora and Tina LaPlaca.

“David DeFrange’s knowledge, creativity, experience and dedication to the program is unprecedented at MCCC,” said Ricco. “And the graphic design club brought our educational posters to life while the campus staff assisted with day-to-day operations so we could do the simple things like have a van to drive and pay our bills. It is definitely a team effort.”

The Philadelphia Flower Show is organized by the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society and has been in existence since 1892.

This year’s show runs March 4-12, 2023. Tickets are available at phsonline.org and at the box office outside the Convention Center.

For information about Mercer County Community College horticulture classes and degrees visit mccc.ed/hort.

 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  

Established in 1966, Mercer County Community College is a publicly supported comprehensive institution that provides opportunities for higher education through an open-door admission policy. The scenic 292-acre West Windsor Campus was opened in 1972 to serve the needs of Mercer County residents. MCCC’s James Kerney Campus, located in downtown Trenton, serves as an educational and cultural hub for city residents that meets the changing needs of thousands of students and community members seeking educational fulfillment and personal and career growth.

More About MCCC’s Horticulture Program 

Current News

MCCC Home Page

Mercer County Community College’s Horticulture Program was awarded the gold medal at the 2023 Philadelphia Flower Show in the “Education” category for its display titled “Majestic.”  In addition, MCCC took home the Chicago Horticultural Society Flower Show Medal which goes to an educational exhibit showing outstanding horticultural skill and knowledge in a nationally recognized flower show, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) Gold Medal Award which acknowledges best use of PHS Gold Medal Plants, and an honorable mention for the PHS Gardening for the Greater Good Educational Award. Pictured above: Visitors were greeted with elegant signage explaining the plantings as they meandered along a purple-hued stepping-stone walk through a serene garden filled with flowering plants, greenery, tall trees and a contained waterfall. (Photo by Marcy Roberts)

 

MCCC’s display went beyond basic landscaping and featured natural and recycled materials, native plant species and “next generation” smart plant choices that are non-invasive and drought-resistant. Shown here is a contained waterfall design crafted with natural materials. (Photo by Marcy Roberts)

 

 

The Mercer County Community College Foundation Board presents Professor Amy Ricco (pictured fifth from left), coordinator of the college’s Horticulture, Science and Sustainability program, with a symbolic check for $10,000 which helped make the difference between a great display and magnificent display in the 2023 Philadelphia Flower Show. (Photo by Steven Schreiber)

 

 

Mercer County Community College continued its winning streak in a historic way this year shattering previous records at the Philadelphia Flower Show -- the oldest and largest flower show in the world -- taking home the gold medal in the “Education” category for its “Majestic” display along with two additional medals and an honorable mention at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The Philadelphia Flower Show is open to the public March 4-12, 2023. Pictured above: MCCC’s gold medal award. (Photo by Steven Schreiber)