Plant Select Partner Awards announced

Plant Select, a collaborative effort with Denver Botanic Gardens, Colorado State University, and regional and national horticultural professionals, recently announced the 2011 Partner award winners.

Plant Select is a regional plant introduction program, working with growers, retail garden centers, and more than 75 public gardens across Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana to produce, distribute, and display resilient and beautiful plants for regional gardens and landscapes.. The awards were given out at the annual meeting for Demonstration Gardens at Denver Botanic Gardens.

Each Individual Partner Award recognizes someone who has made a significant contribution to Plant Select through his/her involvement, participation or actions. The 2011 Individual Partner winners are Al Gerace (Welby Gardens, Denver, Colorado), Gene Pielin (Gulley Greenhouse, Fort Collins, Colorado), and Harriett McMillan (Echter’s Garden Center, Arvada, Colorado).

Organizational Partner Award recognizes a company or organization which has made a significant contribution toward the mission and vision of Plant Select®. The 2011 Organizational Partner winner is Little Valley Wholesale Nursery (Brighton, Colorado).

Each Showcase Garden Award acknowledges the efforts and achievements of a public garden toward education and promotion of the mission and goals of Plant Select. The 2011 Showcase Garden winners are CSU Extension- Jefferson County (Golden, Colorado), CSU Extension - Adams County (Brighton, Colorado) and the Natrona County Agricultural & Resource Learning Center (Casper, Wyoming)

Each Golden Shovel Award acknowledges a Demonstration Garden partner exhibiting superior design and use of Plant Select plants while providing excellent educational opportunities to visitors. The 2011 Golden shovel award winner is Conservation Gardens at Northern Water, Berthoud, Colorado.

Past winners include:
Individual Partners
Andrew Pierce
Jim Henrich
Gayle Weinstein
Panayoti Kelaidis
Jim Klett
Gary Epstein
David Winger