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ANDERSON’S LA COSTA NURSERY
GARDEN MASTERS 2002 BEST OF SHOW AT
17th ANNUAL SPRING/HOME GARDEN SHOW

DEL MAR, Calif. (March 3, 2002) – “Everything’s Just Ducky—Children’s Garden” by Garden Master Mike Hirsch of Anderson’s La Costa Nursery was awarded Best of Show – First Place at the 17th annual San Diego Spring Home/Garden Show at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, which ran from March 1-3. Garden judges gave “Everything’s Just Ducky—Children’s Garden” the highest point score of all the gardens, plus it was deemed the Most Appealing to Children.

Another big winner was “Heart of the Garden,” by Garden Master Anita Green of A.E. Green Environmental Designs of San Diego who teamed up with Samia Rose Topiary, Encinitas. “Heart of the Garden,” was the Judges’ Choice (each judge notes one favorite garden, regardless of point scoring), plus it took the Best of Show – Third Place; the Massachusetts Horticultural Society Medal for Design Excellence; Best Topiary Feature; and Perfect Plant Identification awards.

Thousands of Spring Home/Garden Show attendees cast their vote for the People's Choice Award, selecting “French Connection,” by Garden Master Ingrid Rose of Ingrid Rose Designs in Leucadia. “French Connection” was also chosen by the judges as the Best Intimate Garden and Best Interpretive Signage.

The winner announcements was made by Dan Erwine, host of KPBS-FM’s “These Days,” who served as emcee at “The Garden Masters 2002,” the third annual gala sponsored by the San Diego Horticultural Society. Guests at the Feb. 28 event were treated to a preview of the 20 gardens entered in the competition, all of which were built for the three-day Spring Home/Garden Show inside the Fairgrounds' Bing Crosby Hall. Created by some of San Diego's finest landscaping professionals, landscape architects, designers and nursery workers, their work demonstrates the unlimited variety of gardens and gardening that can be achieved in our local climate. Each participant creates a full garden just for this show, where theatrical lighting, sounds of trickling fountains, and sheer creativity make for a spectacular collection totaling thousands of square feet inside Bing Crosby Hall.


"Gardening is the No. 1 outdoor hobby or leisure-time activity ," said Lawrence Bame, promoter of the San Diego Spring Home/Garden Show and the Fall Home Show. "So, it's not surprising that people from all over Southern California came in droves to see this caliber of gardens displayed in a fashion that intensifies their idea-collecting experience, and allows them to see rare and unique horticultural specimens up-close. It was a massive undertaking, but the response has been so overwhelming, we will definitely do this again next year."

The San Diego Horticultural Society named Walter Andersen Jr. of Walter Andersen Nursery "Horticulturist of the Year."

The San Diego Horticultural Society arranged the Garden Masters 2002 judges into two teams; one team focused on the design elements of the garden displays, the other team on the horticultural material in the displays.

Judges included: Karen Adams, ASLA, Landscape Architect, Southern Region, California State Parks; Alleen Gleason, Chairman, Ornamental Horticulture Department, Mira Costa College; Steve Jacobs, President, Nature Designs Landscaping in Vista and Chapter President, California Landscape Contractors Association; Brad Munroe, Chairman, Ornamental Horticulture Department, Cuyamaca College; Richard Turner, ASLA, Editor, Pacific Horticulture Magazine.

Following is a list of all Garden Masters 2002 awards.

The following evaluation criteria were used for the purpose of granting awards:

• I. Suitability of design to purpose/exhibit
  Execution of theme
  Selection and arrangement of hardscape, plants, and elements
• II. Design
  Visual design appeal, beauty, and harmony
  Principles of design: balance, proportion, scale, rhythm, and contrast
  Elements of design: light, space, line form pattern, texture, and scale
• III. Plants
  Plants of high quality
  Compatibility of plants
  Scale, balance, selection
  Cultural relationship (plants that would grow together)
  New or uncommon plants successfully used
• IV. Educational Value