Proposed by: a member of The Portland Garden Club, Zone XII

Amy Stewart’s breezy writing style is a constant, but she brings gravitas to her work as she explores nature and its relation to our daily lives—the global floral industry, poisonous plants, tree collectors, unusual bugs—in inventive ways. “The weird history of how we started electing state birds” is upcoming. Stewart imbues her stories with scientific substance, historical context, and amusing anecdotes, and she has earned a place on the GCA’s Gold Star Speakers List for her entertaining presentations.

She is characterized by author Marta McDowell, Garden Club of Madison, Zone IV, the GCA’s 2019 recipient of the Sarah Chapman Francis Medal, as a “communications polymath.” Stewart shares the real dirt with her audience through books, illustrations, lectures, gardening blog, newsletter, media appearances, and online art and writing classes. Her book Wicked Plants inspired a national traveling interactive exhibit at science museums, and she has expanded her audience with the creation of The Wicked Plants Coloring Book. Her website includes online resources for study groups, common core lesson plans, recipes, plant lists, book lists, and fact sheets.

Suzanne B. Laporte, president & CEO of the American Horticultural Society, notes, “What makes Stewart’s impact truly industry-defining, though, is her support for her peers. Through the Great Garden Speakers bureau and her behind-the-scenes mentorship, she’s helped countless horticultural communicators build their own platforms. Stewart doesn’t just amplify her own voice—she lifts up the entire community.”