Virginia Cooperative Extension announces 2007 America's Anniversary Garden Contest winners

Holtman's Best in Contest garden

BLACKSBURG, Va., Oct. 12, 2007 – Virginia Cooperative Extension announced the 2007 America's Anniversary Garden Contest winners during an award ceremony held at the horticulture gardens at the State Fair of Virginia on Oct. 5 in Richmond.

Contest entries topped 109, coming from 45 municipalities statewide. Several localities also sponsored their own contests. Fifteen category winners and one Best in Contest were selected.

The following awards were presented:

• Commercial Garden Center: White’s Old Mill Garden Center, Chesapeake, Va.
• Farmer’s Market Display: Loudoun County Master Gardeners, Leesburg, Va.
• Landscape Design/Install/Maintain: KCS Landscape Management, Fairfax, Va.(sponsored by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services)
• Business Garden: Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Merchants Square, Williamsburg Va. (sponsored by the Virginia Society of Landscape Designers)
• Neighborhood Garden: Settlers Mill Association, Williamsburg (sponsored by the Virginia Master Gardener Association)
• Residential Garden Container: Terry Koci, Rockville, Va.
• Residential Garden (Landscape): James Holtman, New Castle, Va. (sponsored by the Virginia Flower Growers Association)
• Municipal Garden (Small City): Traffic Circle, Amherst, Va.
• Municipal Garden (Large City): Nauck Civic Association Entry Garden, Arlington, Va. (sponsored by the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences)
• School Garden (K-12): Luxford Elementary SCA Garden, Virginia Beach, Va.
• School Garden (College): Community Arboretum, Va. Western Community College, Roanoke, Va.(sponsored by the Virginia Federation of Garden Clubs)

Miscellaneous Gardens Awards (sponsored by the Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association and the Mid-Atlantic Chapter/International Society of Arboriculture)

• First Landing State Park, Virginia Beach, Va.
• Monticello, Charlottesville, Va.
• Coleman Bridge Planters, Gloucester Point, Va.
• Maymont Foundation, Richmond, Va.

The Best in Contest award went to the Holtman Residence (from Category 4 Landscape) (sponsored by the Historic Triangle Jamestown 2007 Host Committee Beautification Task Force)

About the America’s Anniversary Garden Project
The America’s Anniversary Garden Project was developed by Virginia Cooperative Extension and faculty members in the Virginia Tech’s Department of Horticulture to help individuals, communities, and groups mark America’s 400th anniversary with a signature garden planting.

The project features publications on how to plant landscapes in public spaces, such as roadside corridors and around municipal buildings, as well as around homes and businesses. Plans for a container garden are also included. In addition to engaging gardening enthusiasts in commemorating the nation’s 400th anniversary, the project, which is supported by a grant from the Jamestown 2007 Foundation, gave a boost to the green industry in the commonwealth.

Virginia Cooperative Extension brings the resources of Virginia’s land-grant universities, Virginia Tech and Virginia State University, to the people of the commonwealth. Through a system of on-campus specialists and locally based agents, it delivers education in the areas of agriculture and natural resources, family and consumer sciences, community viability, and 4-H youth development. With a network of faculty at two universities, 107 county and city offices, 13 agricultural research and extension centers, and six 4-H educational centers, Virginia Cooperative Extension provides solutions to the problems facing Virginians today.

• Lori A Greiner
• Communications Manager
• 540-231-5863
• lgreiner@vt.edu