DECATUR - Sharon Straza's tiny flowers won her big prizes Friday at the Decatur-Macon County Fair.

Straza has been entering items in the fair for 15 years, but this year was her most productive, with four best-of-show awards.

Straza's tiny flea banes, just an inch and a half in diameter, won top honors because they were perfect, said Annette Boyd, floriculture superintendent.

"One would think the bigger, splashier flowers would win, but that's not what the judges are looking for," Boyd said.

At the fair, gardeners can enter their own herb specimens for competition. The judges look for entries in good condition with no bug damage and uniformity in size and color.

Straza gardens as a hobby and took a week off to be at the fair every day for the judging. She won $30 and the Garden Club of Decatur trophy for the three small flea banes. She also won $35 for roses, which was her first victory in that division.

"I was so lucky this year," Straza said. "You hardly ever have four grand champions in one year; it is just unheard of."

She also won best of show for canning with her green beans and best of show for her herbs. Boyd said Macon County is one of the highest-paying fairs for floriculture in Illinois.

Also in floriculture is the competition for best arrangement. This is the only category in which purchased items, such as flowers and decorations, can be entered. Each year, Boyd, who has been floriculture superintendent since 2000, changes the category but tries to keep a red, white and blue theme, one miniature arrangement and a monochromatic arrangement.

"The exhibitors give me a lot of positive feedback as to how the event is going, which is good, because I am not really a gardener," she said.

Nicole Milstead.;can be reached at.;nmilstead@herald-review.com or 421-6977.