LONGVIEW HIGH SCHOOL junior Angelica Labarria, 16 (far right), directs where plants should be placed in the team's planter during the Horticulture Show Landscape Design Competition at the East Texas State Fair on Wednesday. Teams from area high schools competed in creating a themed 4-foot by 7-foot planter box.

EAST TEXAS STATE FAIR | HORTICULTURE SHOW COMPETITION

Hard work and dealing with the heat are pretty typical of landscaping work, and students from across East Texas experienced both firsthand during the East Texas State Fair’s Horticulture Show Landscaping Design Competition.

Teams were given a four-hour window to implement a design in elevated planters, which will remain on display throughout the fair, in front of the agriculture buildings.

Troup High School’s husband and wife agriculture teachers Kelly and Lisa Doster brought two teams to the competition. Kelly’s ag mechanic facility design students were learning hands-on design and layout techniques with their Fall Fiesta theme, and Lisa’s horticulture students were implementing the landscaping care and essentials they’ve been learning in class with their Fall in Love With the East Texas State Fair theme.

Both teams were implementing fall color themes through a variety of plants, decorations and even some colorful peppers.

Fall Fiesta team lead Wesley Ross said the program helps build teamwork.

“If students want to get into this, they should. It teaches communication and leadership,” he said.

Lisa Doster said there was a lot of trial and error over the past few weeks while working on designs for the 4-by 7-foot displays.

“We have a greenhouse so we set them up and measured out where we’re going to set them,” she said. “It’s a fun thing for them, and

something new.”

Going into the second year of the competition, the fair has worked to reduce costs on teams and increase participation. Last year three teams competed; this year the event drew nine teams from Longview, Troup, Big Sandy, Gilmer, Canton and the Good Shepherd School. The fair also held landscaping fundamental workshops for schools interested in participating.

The team from Big Sandy designed a memorial garden for a classmate who passed away in a car wreck last December.

Cherish Kelley, 17, was a member of the school’s horticulture team for the inaugural competition last year.

Big Sandy’s second team went with a “Wizard of Oz” theme, complete with tiny Scarecrow, Tin Man and a yellow brick road to Oz, which was made with plastic and floral foam.

Students also submitted budgets and specifications for their designs, in order to help them learn more about the business end of the trade.

Ross said that working in the sweltering heat also was helping condition the members of the team who play football for the school. The real draw, he said, was getting to spend time with his school family and create something together.

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IF YOU GO

• The East Texas State Fair opens Friday and runs through Sept. 30.

• Food vendors are open weekdays for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and admission is free during that time.

• Carnival hours are 4-11 p.m. Monday-Friday and noon to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The last Sunday, Sept. 30, hours are noon to 10 p.m.

• Admission costs $10 for guests 13 and up, $6 for children 6-12 and is free for children 5 and under.

• Free admission specials for senior citizens, students 18 and under, college students and military members and veterans on certain days.

• Visit etstatefair.com for more information.