Now, this here ain’t no dog and pony show. It’s the real deal for us garden writers. The Garden Writers Association (GWA) is a highly respected organization of more than 1,800 professionals communicating about gardening, horticulture and the environment. I’ve been a member of GWA about two years now, joining some months after I started writing my IMA blog entries. Every year the GWA gives out awards covering different types of media for all forms of writing, from on-air personalities to photography. In the spring, GWA announces its Silver Award of Merit winners for the various categories. The Gold Awards are not announced until the night of the banquet at the annual meeting. You have to win the Silver in order to be in the running for the Gold.

When I got the Silver back in April I told myself to be happy with that. If I didn’t win gold I would be fine. And I was. But to be honest, I wanted that gold. Wanted it bad. And I was willing to do anything to get it. Anything. Beyond that, I can’t really say much about the selection process for the Gold Award. Except there are judges involved. A lot of judges. Judges located all over the US and Canada. Judges I was willing to “work” with in order to assure my entry would be thoroughly considered.

I had fellow Indianapolis GWA members there to celebrate with me. Here’s the “G-4” posing after the banquet. From left to right they are Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp, Peggy Ammerman Sailors, Carol Michel, and me.

Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp, Peggy Ammerman Sailors, Carol Michel, and me

We have a very busy year ahead for us (along with some other folks). In August 2011, GWA will hold its annual meeting in Indianapolis with the IMA as the host institution. As many as 600 members can be expected to attend. We have a website and you can find us on facebook and twitter. Here’s the video created by Indianapolis GWA member Karen Kennedy for our booth at the Texas meeting.

My award was based on three blog posts I submitted: Me and Barbie, Bzzz. Bzzz., and Echinacea Nation. I would be most appreciative if you check them out when you get the chance.

Does winning this award change anything? Oh, not really. I still get up in the morning, make some coffee, go to work. I still weed and water and design. I still come home and garden some more. Still fix some supper when I come in for the evening. Still get to bed later than I should.

And yet, everything has changed.

I don’t always have that first cup of coffee by myself.

As I design my gardens for 2011 I’ve got somebody right beside me to bounce ideas off of.

Somebody can help pick the eggplant for supper.

Somebody shares the meal made with the eggplant.

And the other pillow isn’t empty every night.

Yes, it’s all changed since Mr. Media Award has come into my life. The sun’s a little brighter. The moon a little fuller. The sky a little bluer. The clouds a little fluffier. But it ain’t love, not real love. This is real love.

So don’t go expecting any changes in what you see or hear from me. Because really……. I’m still just a simple farmboy that likes shiny sparkly things.

It’s always a bit of a mad dash to do the change-outs. As soon as that is done the dahlias and other summer blooming bulbs need to get in the ground and then we just wait for the 80+ degree temperatures (though I prefer 72 with a gentle breeze).

In my areas it was not a great spring for pansies. I think perhaps it was a bit too wet. They just refused to grow much so never filled in completely and produced fewer blooms. From a distance they looked fine. Up close they looked puny. The little birds that have nested in the pansies around the Sutphin Fountain for the last two years never even bothered to show up this year.

Everything else Spring-inclined had a good season – perennials, shrubs, trees, bulbs. Sorry about those little tulips in the Formal garden Patty. Damn squirrels. The white fringetree, Chionanthus virginicus, looked great this week.

This is why they are called white fringetree.

Not sure what they will be by the week-end with all the rain. This native makes a great small tree with year round interest – flowers now followed by bold leaves that turn yellow in the fall, then a nice shape to the branching structure for winter. These in the Southwest Border Garden are part of the original plantings at Oldfields.

Also looking great this week was the double-file viburnum, Viburnum plicatum forma tomentosum. This plant has great horizontal branching all the more evident when in full bloom.

I think it could be pruned into a super patio tree. You can see how the double row of blossoms, accompanied by a double row of leaves and followed by a double row of berries gave it the name double-file.

The double flowered form of this plant is the Japanese snowball viburnum or Viburnum plicatum forma plicatum. It was one of those rare instances where the sterile form of the plant was found first so when they found the fertile form the species already had a name so… I can’t go into the explanation right now. I also won’t go into the details of the difference between forma, variety, and subspecies today. But all the same there will be a test next Thursday so you better look it up on your own.

We will be hosting the Region III meeting of the Garden Writers Association (GWA) this Friday and Saturday with tours here, plus Garfield Park and local private gardens. Our publication Seasons won a Silver Award of Achievement for Overall Product – Newsletter  which makes us eligible for the Gold Award for Best Product to be given at the national GWA meeting in September. Our very own Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp, IMA Horticulture Society director and the Hoosier Gardener, is a National Director of GWA.  I’m sure you have read her articles in the Indy Star and many know she is editor of Indiana Living Green magazine.

Speaking of green, have you checked out Isabella Rosellini and Green Porno on the Sundance channel? The beautiful and funny Isabella presented first rate scientific information on the sex lives of insects last season and this season is covering marine animals. I absolutely love the costumes and sets. Incredible. And Isabella. What can I say? Maybe she will do the plants next? Come on Isabella, let’s do it.