By Yesica Gonzalez  IStaff WriterI

Flowers were people’s expression, on Saturday, April 8 in Downtown Riverside. Riverside residents held the 70th annual Community Flower Show and Garden Tours during the whole weekend. 

The event held a tour of the garden outside, a session about tips on floral designing and during the first few hours, there were judges examining all flowers from different categories.

There was a section for the youth, on all types of specimens and multiple range heights for plants.

A few of the judges were Arleen Raysor and Pat Clayes.

They judged the miniature floral designs and the whole first division.

For each design, there is a card placed by them with information of the participant and in the back, the judges write down what they loved and what the floral design can use more improvement on.

“We place on the cards one commentary and one negative so it can help the person improve in their floral design, or how they can improve,” said Clayes.

Clayes is from Lake Arrowhead, and has attended multiple national flower shows around the state, whereas Raysor is a floral designer from Colton.

The judges kept sharing on what they absolutely loved, what each design can use and what ribbon each one should take.

“These flower designs have to be constructive, have rhythm and we look at the overall creativity,” shared Clayes.

They examined the miniature designs carefully while sharing their thoughts out loud to each other.

Each participant is required to stay out of the judging room and have to pick up their floral design the next day.

One of the judges was also a contestant in the flower show.

“I’ve been judging floral designs for a couple of years now, I’ve done floral arranging and always love being a part of the flower shows,” shares Joyce Dean.

Dean is from Redlands and had placed a few of her designs on display.

She was one of the judges in a different section of the floral show that included the various specimens.

“Joyce has been doing this for a long time like me and we’re kind of like judging buddies,” said Clayes.

Clayes and Dean have participated in countless floral events by either being judges or participants in the flower designs.

Clayes didn’t have any designs in the show this time but preferred to be a judge.

“I usually drive far to many flower shows and love it because their is so much more to see,” said Dean.

Dean’s floral design actually won first place in division two of the show.

Afterward, the two judges kept strolling around to admire other floral designs that weren’t in their section to judge.

There were various people from different ages coming together to showcase their talent and Clayes picked up on this.

“I love the creativity the community brings out, it really shows how much passion they have,” said Clayes.