Brookhaven’s downtown area is filled with Sasanqua Camelliatrees, a tribute to the love affair at least a portion of thecity’s population has with the fast-growing, evergreen shrub.

Each year the city hosts a Camellia show that draws flower fansfrom far and wide, but this year there’s another draw: A Camelliashow judges’ class held Saturday at the old Depot downtown.

Camellia Society President Homer Richardson said the class isnot only to train up new judges, but also to recertify some of theveterans.

“It’s for people who want to become novice judges and learnabout the blooms and what to do and how to judge them,” hesaid.

People came from as far away as New Orleans and Semmes, Ala.,for the class, Richardson said. The day of training helps them knowall about judging criteria, but also gives them some tips for thenext show they attend, and Camellia people testify that there is ashow somewhere almost every week throughout the season.

“It really makes you conscious of what makes good blooms,”Richardson said. “You learn how to prepare them and what makes themgood for a show, too.”

There are hundreds of different kinds of Camellias, andinstructor Marie Mizell of Metarie, La., said there’s not just onecriteria a judge can grade them all on. That’s why the class is soimportant for people who want to serve in a judiciary capacity at ashow.

“First you need to know something about the culture ofCamellias,” Mizell said. “We try to get across to people how tojudge the best blooms in the shows in all the differentcategories.”

Mizell said the class participants learn about point scoring,form, size and texture, as well as conditioning and handling theflowers. She said the blooms are divided not only by species ofCamellia, but by other criteria such as whether they are hybrids orrecent introductions to the Camellia circles. Camellias are easy tohybridize, and with different sizes and colors across the flowerfamilies, it makes mutating and cross-breeding fun for growers.

Novice judges must be members of a local Camellia club orsociety, a member of the American Camellia Society in goodstanding, at least 21 years old, and have attended a judging schoolsuch as the one held Saturday. They must also be approved by theregional or state ACS director.

“Once you’ve completed the class, then you attend six shows as anovice judge, and then you become official,” Richardson said.

For some of the class participants, though, that’s not thegoal.

“Some people just do it for the pleasure of learning about theblooms,” he said.