Want to win $10,000? Sign up to participate in the 2017 ‘America’s Best Gardener’ Contest. The 2017 ‘America’s Best Gardener’ contest, presented by Seedlingers, will be working with garden writers from around the United States (including yours truly) to select and award more than $50,000 in cash and prizes to gardeners in three categories. Here’s the official press release:
This Spring, the America’s Best Gardener™ Contest will open the nationwide search for America’s Best Gardener in three categories – Best Indoor Gardener, Best Ornamental Gardener and Best Vegetable Gardener – with more than $50,000 in cash and prizes to be awarded to the winners. In an effort to extend participation in this contest to all levels of the gardening community, organizers are excited to announce that garden writers from across the country will judge finalists in all three categories and vote for the winners. The contest, sponsored by Seedlingers, is now open at www.AmericasBestGardener.com and runs through October of 2017.
“From the beginning, we were asked how we would judge this contest and keep it fair. With the help of some of the best garden writers in America, I am proud to say that those decisions will be in great hands,” said James Messina, Vice President of Messinas and Seedlingers Marketing Manager. “We are thrilled to see so many writers on board, and we couldn’t be any more excited to sponsor this contest.”
Participating garden writers include some of the best known personalities in the gardening community, representing more than 20 states including:
• Debbie Arrington – award-winning garden writer at The Sacramento Bee, representing California
• Cynthia Brian – avid gardener, media personality and writer, representing California
• Karla Dalley – lecturer, writer and horticulturist, representing Connecticut
• Jennifer Ebeling – writer, blogger and podcaster, representing Minnesota
• Christine Froehlich – professional garden designer and author, representing New York
• Phyllis Gricus – horticulturalist and landscape architect, representing Pennsylvania
• Peggy Hill – writer, blogger and garden enthusiast, representing Alabama
• Gina Iliopoulos – gardening show host, writer and horticulturist, representing Illinois
• Noelle Johnson – Horticulturist, arborist and garden writer, representing Arizona
• Helen Newling Lawson – magazine contributor, writer and gardener, representing Georgia
• Arlene Marturano – educator, consultant and writer, representing South Carolina
• Mary Ann Newcomer – garden writer and horticulturalist, representing Idaho
• Charlie Nardozzi – garden writer and horticulturalist, representing Vermont
• Doug Oster – garden writer, radio show host and Emmy award winner, representing Pennsylvania
• Tiger Palafox – horticulturalist, garden center manager and radio host, representing California
• Denise Pugh – garden writer and horticulturalist, representing Mississippi
• Glen Rieker – landscape architect and avid gardener, representing Wisconsin
• Felder Rushing – columnist, radio host, lecturer and author, representing Mississippi
• Denise Schreiber – writer, radio personality and professional horticulturist, representing Pennsylvania
• Lisa Steele – author, Master Gardener and fifth generation chicken keeper, representing Maine
• Jodi Torpey – garden writer and horticulturist, representing Colorado
• Carolyn Ulrich – editor of Chicagoland Gardening magazine, representing Illinois
• Benjamin Vogt – writer and landscape garden consultant, representing Nebraska
• Lynette L. Walther – writer, columnist and horticulturist, representing Florida
• Christy Wilhelmi – writer, author and gardening personality, representing California
• Marianne Willburn – author, columnist and blogger, representing Virginia
• Doreen Wynja – photographer and garden enthusiast, representing Oregon
• Helen Yoest – garden writer and apiculturist, representing North Carolina
• Ellen Zachos – writer, lecturer and teacher, representing New Mexico
How to Enter
For information on how to enter and additional contest information, entrants are urged to visit www.AmericasBestGardener.com.
About America’s Best Gardener™
America’s Best Gardener™ is a contest founded with the mission to promote the lawn and garden industry, celebrate the people who work to make its success possible and expand the number of people who enjoy and participate in it. The organization holds an annual contest that begins each January first to identify and award achievement in multiple areas of gardening including indoor gardening, outdoor ornamental gardening and outdoor vegetable gardening. More information can be found at www.AmericasBestGardener.com.
About Seedlingers®
Introduced in 2014, Seedlingers is Growing Gardeners™ with innovative lawn and garden products “designed to perform well enough to impress advanced gardeners while being easy enough to use so that beginners can’t fail.”™ The garden lifestyle line is currently made up of natural liquid Plant Fertelixirs™ universal plant fertilizers, granular Plant Fertelixirs™ universal plant fertilizers, granular Turf Fertelixirs™ universal turf fertilizers, Start & Sprout™ plantable pots and other plant health tools with more innovations to be revealed in 2017. Complete product line information can be found at www.Seedlingers.com.
About Messinas™
Messinas, founded in 1998, manufactures a variety of lawn & garden products including animal repellents, plant health tools, weed killers and more under the Seedlingers®, Animal Stopper®, Invisitraps™, Pulverize™ and Plotsaver® trademarks. These products are distributed throughout the United States and abroad through distributors including Central Garden & Pet, BFG Sales, Arett Sales, L&L Nursery Supply, VG Supply, Bradley Caldwell, Prince Corporation and Griffin Greenhouse as well as through hardware co-ops Orgill, Ace Hardware and True Value, and thousands of retail outlets including Menards, Orchard Supply Hardware, Mills Fleet Farm, Whole Foods, Intermountain Farmers Association, Bomgaars, Southern States AGWAY, Family Farm & Home, Shopko and
other brick and mortar locations in all 50 states. The company is headquartered in New Jersey, with multiple regional staff throughout the United States. For additional company information, product information and availability, please visit www.messinas.com.
