The San Diego Horticultural Society is proud to have given seven Excellence in Horticulture awards to display gardens at the San Diego County Fair. These awards recognize the exceptional efforts of the many people who design and install the demonstration landscapes, a highlight of the Fair each year. Each award includes a cash prize ($100 for each of six awards and $500 for Most Outstanding Exhibit) and a one-year membership in SDHS. Congratulations to the winning gardens, which we hope you will have the opportunity to see at the Fair.
We thank our judges for the hours they spent judging the display gardens. This is not an easy task, as all the gardens are unique and each has its own charm. The judges for this year’s awards were:
Lisa Bellora (sandiegogardendesign.com), former SDHS Member at Large
Jason Chen, incoming SDHS program chair
Marilyn Guidroz (marilynsgarden.com), who designed our award-wining 2010 and 2011 Fair Gardens
Susanna Pagan (spgardens.com), who designed our award-winning 2012 Fair garden
Susi Torre-Bueno, past SDHS president and past newsletter editor
← The Palomar Cactus and Succulent Society was the recipient of two awards. The Bill Teague Memorial Award for most Creative use of Unusual Plant Material was given for their outstanding display garden filled with amazing cacti. The garden contained a wealth of fascinating plants in a wide variety of shapes and colors, some of which are hard to find and difficult to grow. The garden was both educational and inspirational. The Society also won the Best Planted Container award. Their container garden had wonderful combinations of plants in a variety of unique, complementary pots. Some of the pots even had spots to complement the plants they contained.
→ The Nomenclature Accuracy award went to the San Diego Floral Society for their beautiful garden with its great attention to detail and excellent nomenclature.
← Jorge Robles received the Best Native Plant Garden Award. His display garden had lovely, long-blooming and colorful native plants. Judges applauded his creative use of natives and noted that the entire garden consisted of only native plants.
→ The Best Expression of Garden Education award went to Bonita Organic, who provided great information on organic gardening in an educational exhibit that emphasized safe and easy gardening tips.
← Our Best Youth Garden award went to San Pasqual Future Farmers of America, whose garden showed a nice design with good balance. Judges particularly liked the elevation change, use of rocks, signage, and the interesting plant groupings.
→ The Don and Dorothy Walker Award for Most Outstanding Exhibit went to landscape contractor Ramon Montes, a new exhibitor at the Fair. His exhibit was so inviting and well designed that the judges wanted to walk in, sit down, and enjoy the setting. The use of space, plant materials, and building materials was outstanding, and the judges praised its well thought out and creative display.