GCA Medal Recipients: Distinguished Service Medal

Georgetown Garden Club, Zone VI

For her tireless service on behalf of plants and the spaces created to showcase them.

Presented to The Center for Plant Conservation for its notable work in saving the nation’s endangered plants from extinction

Awarded for distinguished service in the field of horticulture.

For lifelong leadership in plant discovery and conservation, world-renowned advancement of horticulture, and guidance of major botanical gardens to greater prominence locally and internationally. 

For tireless stewardship of the horticultural and ecological enhancements at Mount Auburn Cemetery, an inspiration to all who visit and study the exceptional spaces.

North Country Garden Club of Long Island, Zone III

For her sensitive, informed, and vigilant stewardship of Old Westbury Gardens past, present, and future. 

Presented to Jane G. Pepper for the exceptional contribution to gardening and urban revitalization in her thirty years of outstanding and innovative leadership of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.

Awarded to Kris Jarantoski for leadership, distinguished service, lifelong commitment, and devotion to the Chicago Botanic Garden, to American Public Gardens and to the advancement of horticulture worldwide.

Presented to Florence Reed.  Through her leadership, vision and practical abilities as founder of Sustainable Harvest, she is reversing the cycle of deforestation, soil exhaustion and environmental decline, while improving the quality of life for thousands of families in Central America.

Presented to Dr. William C. Welch, horticulturist, author, leader, speaker and currently professor and Landscape Horticulturist, Dept. of Horticulture Sciences, Texas A&M University.

Wissahickon Garden Club, Zone V

Presented to Peggy Bowditch, a skilled grower, exhibitor, nationally-recognized speaker, teacher and one of the most accomplished flower show exhibitors in the country. She is also one of the very best growers in the country and has been able to communicate her knowledge and enthusiasm to her students from beginners to students in university level classes.

Presented to David Milarch for his vision and untiring efforts in founding the Champion Tree Project to identify, preserve, and clone our ancestral trees.

For her distinguished service to horticulture as evidenced by her lasting contribution to the McLaren Scholarship Program, and her gracious hospitality to American students studying abroad.

Presented to the New England Wild Fower Society.  Established in 1900, and dedicated to the conservation of wild plants.  The society believes that gardeners make some of the best conservationists as they nurture native plants in their own gardens.

Presented for his innovative planting ideas, inspiring the thousands who visit Wave Hill each year.

Presented to Ronald D. Parker for his vision and perseverance in the development of new horticultural cultivar which have enriched our gardens.

Presented to Dr. J. C. Raulston, who has changed the face of horticutlure in the southeastern United States and across the country through his outstanding teaching, writing, research and outreach to the horticultural community and the public.

Presented to Balbir S. Mathur, founder of the non-profit Trees for Life, for his selfless work in encouraging the planting of fruit trees to reforest the planet and enable Third World countries to produce their own food.

Presented to Mr. Wessich, an honorary member of the Garden Club of Honolulu, for his effort to preserve the endangered flora of the world's tropics and sub-tropics as demonstrated in the Honolulu Botanic Gardens which he led from 1957 to 1988.

In recognition of his outstanding success in developing an extensive new breeding program with woody ornamental plants; his experience, tenacity and patience over the past 26 years have contributed numerous superior new plants to enhance the environment.

For her forty years of scientific work in the pineapple industry, her contributions in ethnobotany and medical research, and her scholarly inspiration for countless students.

For sustained excellence in the field of horticulture adaptable to the Midwest and for nationally recognized expertise in the propagation, cultivation and growing of orchids.

For generously sharing her vast knowledge of horticulture and for her leadership and creative talents.

For her enthusiasm and inspiration as a teacher, her horticultural knowledge and many contributions to The Garden Club of America.

In recognition of his remarkable work in hybridizing daffodils and in designing a computer printout of available daffodil cultivars.

Her knowledge of plants, her role as organizer of the GCA Plant Exchange and her high standards have given a new dimension to amateur horticulturists in America.

In recognition of their contribution to the beautification of Houston, through their extensive and creative work with azaleas and camellias.

For his long and distinguished service in the field of horticulture.

In recognition of her varied distinguished horticultural achievements.

Her abounding knowledge of horticulture and her generosity in sharing it have brought her the affection and gratitude of gardeners from Maine to California.

For her notable achievements in the science and art of growing plants.

A celebrated collector of rare orchids, roses and varieties of bougainvillea and propagator of hundreds of plants for distribution to arboreta; a vital contributor to horticultural knowledge and beauty.

For versatile encouragement of civic planting and beautification, for her comprehensive influence in horticultural pursuits and her recognition as a lecturer, flower arranger and judge.

For developing and maintaining the most outstanding Topiary Garden in America without professional help.

For sharing her skill, knowledge and love of horticulture, giving practical encouragement to all indoor gardeners through her popular television series and recent book, Making Things Grow.

For  distinguished service in the field of horticutlure as an accomplished grower, author and lecturer.

For her horticultural accomplishments as a grower, author and lecturer.

For her notable contributions to horticulture through meticulous research into the hardiness of certain camellias, azaleas and conifers.

For his outstanding success as a plantsman, inventor, writer and teacher.  Particularly and poignantly for his extraordinary program of hortotherapy by which he has brought happiness and gainful work to the aged, retarded and handicapped.

For enriching the genus chrysanthemum by her new varieties including "Her Majesty", thereby becoming the only amateur ever to have originated an "All-American" chrysanthemum.