Congratulations, MSHS Award Winners

Each year, MSHS honors individuals and groups that represent the exemplary achievements gardeners make in Minnesota, though community gardening and public greening efforts. This year’s awards were presented Saturday. Congratulations to this great group of winners.

(For more information on each of the MSHS award winners, check out the November/December issue of Northern Gardener.)

Life Award

Norm Wente, Minneapolis — For more than 20 years, Norm Wente has been a member of the MSHS Library Committee, helping to develop the MSHS library’s remarkable collection of gardening resources. (If you love garden books, visit the library at the MSHS offices in Roseville.

Bronze Award

Steve Poppe, West Central Research and Outreach Center —
Steve Poppe’s diligence and vision over the past 40 years has transformed the display garden at the research center in Morris into a jewel on the prairie.

Bob Churilla Golden Rose Volunteer Award

Friends of MSHS — This dedicated group of volunteers devoted nearly 600 hours to helping MSHS raise money for special projects over the past year. Just wait until you see what they have planned for our 150th Anniversary in 2016.

President’s Award
Jane Beggs-Joles of Spring Meadow Nursery, a division of Proven Winners®, has been the definition of generosity for MSHS and the nonprofit organizations we serve. Her plant donations and unending support have been much appreciated over the years.

Garden Club Member of the Year Award
Alice Duggan, St. Anthony Park Garden Club
The St. Anthony Park Garden Club has supported the planting and maintenance of the gardens and window boxes at the St. Anthony Park Library for 20 years.

Garden Club of the Year
St. Paul Garden Club

For more than 80 years, the St. Paul Garden Club has provided amazing support in terms of time, talent and funds to MSHS. The group was one of the first supporters of Garden-in-a-Box, one of MSHS’s most successful programs.

Community Gardening Award

Rochester Garden and Flower Club (RGFC), Veterans Garden Committee, Soldiers Field Veterans Memorial

The Soldiers Field Veterans Memorial, dedicated in 2000, stands with dignity in downtown Rochester. RGFC was involved with the Veterans Memorial Committee in planning the gardens before construction and has planted and maintained them over the years.

St. Paul Garden Club Award

Frogtown Green, St. Paul, received this award for outstanding achievement in community vegetable gardening.
Frogtown Green represents a coalition of gardeners, farmers and tree planters in St. Paul’s most diverse, low-income neighborhood. From 2009 to 2012, Frogtown Gardens campaigned for the preservation of 13 vacant acres in the middle of the neighborhood and its conversion into a park with an urban farm.

Congratulations to these inspiring gardeners!