Getting Our Laurels

We Won a Laurel Award! The Following Work Has Been Awarded a 2026 GardenComm Silver Laurel Media Award: Photography: Cover (book or magazine): July-August 2025 Washington Gardener Magazine - Kathy Jentz

We won a Silver Award in the Cover Photography category and now we are up for the Gold Award against some seriously talented photographers, wish us luck! The Gold Award winners will be announced in August at the GardenComm annual meeting in Portland, OR. The winning cover and issue are posted here:  https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2025/07/july-august-2025-issue-of-washington.html I took the photo at Mt Cuba Center in Delaware. It is of their beautiful pond and Black Cohosh plantings. I'm pretty proud of it as Black Cohosh is not an easy plant to capture well in still images, because of its tall, open, and airy growth habit.  Each year, I try to enter the GardenComm Laurel Awards in a category that I have not won in previously as a challenge to myself and to not continually dominate in one category (e.g. let others have a chance to win and get their Golds and Silvers). Here is the official awards press release: For Immediate Release                                                                        Media Contact: Chris Sabbarese   Ph: 951.899.5015  info@gardencomm.org   Kathy Jentz Receives 2026 GardenComm Media Awards Silver Laurel Medal of Achievement    Kathy Jentz has received a 2026 GardenComm Silver Laurel Medal of Achievement in Photography: Cover (book or magazine), presented by GardenComm: Garden Communicators International.  The international awards program recognizes individuals and companies that achieve the highest levels of talent and professionalism in garden communications. The 2026 competition drew 146 entries across 43 categories.  Since the early 1980s, the GardenComm Media Awards program has recognized outstanding garden-focused work across writing, photography, publishing, digital media, broadcast, podcasting, and other communications disciplines.  The 2026 Silver Laurel Medal recipients were announced July 20 during the GardenComm Silver Laurel Media Awards Live Stream. The full list of 2026 winners are available at gardencomm.org/awards/2026-winners. For more information about the awards, contact Chris Sabbarese at info@gardencomm.org. About GardenComm GardenComm, Garden Communicators International, is an organization of professional communicators in the green and garden industry including book authors, bloggers, staff editors, syndicated columnists, freelance writers, photographers, speakers, landscape designers, television and radio personalities, consultants, publishers, extension service agents and more. No other organization in the industry has as much contact with the buying public as GardenComm members. Learn more at www.gardencomm.org.

Groundcover Revolution Nominated for a Horti Award

I’m thrilled to share that my book, Groundcover Revolution, has been nominated for a GardenComm 2025 People's Choice Horti Award! This recognition means so much, and now I need your help. Please take a moment to vote for me before October 15. Every vote counts! Cast your vote here: https://vote.gardencomm.org/2025-horti-awards-ballot

GardenDC named as the runner-up in this year’s Best of DC readers’ poll

Wow! The support of our GardenDC listeners means so much to us! We're honored to be named a Best of D.C. runner-up in this year’s Washington City Paper readers’ poll. Thank you to everyone for taking the time to vote for us. We’re truly touched, and we’re looking forward to next year when we can do this all over again!

See the full results here: https://bestof2025.washingtoncitypaper.com/arts-and-entertainment/best-local-podcaster

We WON the Horti!

We received great news this week that we won the first-ever BEST PODCAST Horti Award held by GardenComm! Thanks to all who voted for GardenDC and congratulations to all the other Horti Award winners and to the Laurel Award silver medal winners.

BTW, I didn't enter the GardenDC Podcast in the Laurels this year, since we won a Gold Laurel last year and I really hoped we'd get this People’s Choice Horti Award, as these new Horti Awards are the gardening media equivalent to a hall of fame for publications, products, and other communication platforms in our industry -- similar to the Toy Foundation™’s Toy of the Year® (TOTY®) Award -- it is voted on by the people who purchase and/or use them.

NOTE that GardenDC: the award-winning podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening is taking a short summer break and will be back with new episodes soon. While there is no new episode today, we recommend you re-listen to a past favorite or catch up on some that you might have missed. We also have the following suggestion of an episode of another gardening podcast that we think you will enjoy:

The Joe Gardener Show: Episode 372

Groundcover Solutions for Difficult Spaces and Turf Lawn Reduction
https://joegardener.com/podcast/groundcover-solutions-difficult-spaces-turf-lawn-reduction/

BTW, YOU can become a GardenDC listener supporter 

for as little as $0.99 per month! 

See how at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/support.

The GardenDC podcast is available on -

• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gardendc/id1502631179
• Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc
• RadioPublic: https://radiopublic.com/gardendc-G2ql5V
• iHeartRADIO: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-gardendc-73615877/
  
• aCast: https://play.acast.com/s/gardendc
  
• Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/776561ca-75d6-4c63-833b-7dafedf57a72/GardenDC
• Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/GardenDC-Podcast/B08JJNZBMX
• Breaker: https://www.breaker.audio/gardendc
  
• Bullhorn https://www.bullhorn.fm/gardendc
• Chartable: https://link.chtbl.com/GardenDC
• Castbox: https://castbox.fm/channel/GardenDC-id2691161?country=us
• Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/us/show/5587897
• Headliner: https://play.headliner.app/podcast/37086
• Himalaya: https://www.himalaya.com/courses/gardendc-1747568
• Ivy: https://ivy.fm/podcast/gardendc-940013
• Listen Notes: https://lnns.co/VIfcBjWRnw6
• Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/gardendc/
• PocketCasts: https://pca.st/9phvd8bk
• Podcast Addict: https://podcastaddict.com/podcast/2629285
• Podfollow: https://podfollow.com/GardenDC
• Podlink: https://pod.link/GardenDC
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/gardendc-1137444
• Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1502631179/gardendc
  
• Reason: https://reason.fm/podcast/gardendc
• Samsung: search for GardenDC on the Sampsung app
• TuneIn: http://tun.in/pj7Sb
• Vurbl: https://vurbl.com/station/gardendc/
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/washingtongardenermagazine

We welcome your questions and comments! You can leave a voice mail message for us at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode.

And be sure to leave us a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform plus share us on social media with #GardenDC, so other gardeners can find us too!

Collecting My Laurels

Photo by Sean and Allison McManus.

I’m honored to announce that I won two 2023 Media Awards—Gold Laurel Medals of Achievements—and a Silver Laurel as well. These international awards are presented by GardenComm (Garden Communicators International) and recognize individuals and companies achieving the highest levels of talent and professionalism in garden communications.

    Here are the awards I received:

• Gold: Podcast Series (Overall): GardenDC Podcast

• Gold: Speaking (Live Presentation): Deer & Garden Mammals Talk

• Silver: Social Media: @WDCgardener Twitter Account

   The categories are judged for “accuracy, content, production value, and style.” The 2023 competition had 121 entries in 39 categories.  

   “The GardenComm Media Awards showcase writers, photographers, editors, videographers, social media managers, publishers, and trade companies that have demonstrated excellence in garden communications in print or electronic communications,” says Maria Zampini, president of GardenComm.

   Since the early 1980s, the GardenComm Media Awards program has recognized outstanding writing, photography, graphic design, and illustration for books, newspaper stories, magazine articles, and other works focused on gardening.

   The full list of winners will be available on the GardenComm website at https://gardencomm.org/.

Three Silver Laurels in the 2023 GardenComm Media Awards!

I've got some Big News to share!

 

The GardenComm Media Awards were announced today and we won three!

Now we are up for the Gold Medal levels in these categories and will find out in August who won those honors.

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Here is the official press release:

Kathy Jentz Receives 2023 GardenComm Media Awards Silver Laurel Medal of Achievement

May 31, 2023 – Kathy Jentz received the 2023 Media Awards Silver Laurel Medal of Achievement presented by GardenComm: Garden Communicators International for 

• Podcast Series (Overall): GardenDC Podcast
• Social Media: @WDCgardener Twitter Account
• Speaking (Live Presentation): Deer & Garden Mammals Talk

The categories are judged for "accuracy, content, production value, and style."

This national award recognizes individuals and companies who achieve the highest levels of talent and professionalism in garden communications. The 2023 competition had 121 entries in 39 categories.  Recipients of the Silver Medal represent the best in their category and will now compete for Gold Medals in their category.

“The GardenComm Media Awards showcase writers, photographers, editors, videographers, social media managers, publishers, and trade companies that have demonstrated excellence in garden communications in print or electronic communications,” says Maria Zampini, president of GardenComm.

Since the early 1980s, the GardenComm Media Awards program has recognized outstanding writing, photography, graphic design and illustration for books, newspaper stories, magazine articles and other works focused on gardening.

The full list of winners will be available on the GardenComm website following the 2023 Annual Honors & Awards event on August 4^th at 6:30 pm ET held in conjunction with the GardenComm 75^th Annual Conference presented by Endless Summer® Hydrangeas, August 1-5.  For more information about this award, contact Chris Sabbarese via email at info@gardencomm.org.

About GardenComm

GardenComm, Garden Communicators International, is an organization of professional communicators in the green and garden industry including book authors, bloggers, staff editors, syndicated columnists, free-lance writers, photographers, speakers, landscape designers, television and radio personalities, consultants, publishers, extension service agents and more. No other organization in the industry has as much contact with the buying public as GardenComm members. Learn more at www.gardencomm.org.

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Best DC Podcast Awarded to GardenDC

GardenDC won BEST DC PODCAST in the contest run by the DC State Fair!

We are super-proud and want to thank all of our past guests for making the podcast possible. We also thank the interns who have worked on the program and also those who voted for us in the contest. Most of all we want to thank our loyal listeners -- you make it all worthwhile!

Washington Gardener Magazine Receives 2021 Media Awards Silver Medal of Achievement

I've been sitting on a bit of Big News! Washington Gardener Magazine received the 2021 Media Awards Silver Medal of Achievement for Consumer Magazine > Magazine (Circulation < 20K), presented by GardenComm: Garden Communicators International.

This national award recognizes individuals and companies who achieve the highest levels of talent and professionalism in garden communications. The 2021 competition had more than 135 entries in 62 categories. Recipients of the Silver Medal represent the top winners each competition category in the areas of writing, photography, digital media, broadcast media, publishing, and trade.

Kathy Jentz received the Silver Medal of Achievement for her editing and production of Washington Gardener Magazine. Washington Gardener Magazine is the gardening publication published specifically for the Washington, DC area and its near and far suburbs. We sent out our premiere issue in March/April 2005 and we are now about to be celebrating our 17th anniversary. 

“The GardenComm Media Awards showcase the writers, photographers, editors, publishers and trade companies that have pursued excellence in gardening communication in print or electronic communications,” says Becky Heath, past president of GardenComm. “The Media Award winners have been judged by industry experts and show significant distinction and merits that exemplify exceptional work.” 

Since the early 1980s, the GardenComm Media Awards program has recognized outstanding writing, photography, graphic design and illustration for books, newspaper stories, magazine articles, and other works focused on gardening. In recent years, the awards program has expanded to include on-air talent, production and direction for radio, television, video, Internet and other electronic media.

The full list of winners is available on the GardenComm website. For more information about this award, contact Crystal Goodremote 212.297.2198 or crankin@kellencompany.com. 

About GardenComm 

GardenComm, formerly GWA: the Association for Garden Communicators, is an organization of professional communicators in the green industry including book authors, bloggers, staff editors, syndicated columnists, free-lance writers, photographers, speakers, landscape designers, television and radio personalities, consultants, publishers, extension service agents and more. No other organization in the industry has as much contact with the buying public as GardenComm members. Learn more at www.gardencomm.org. 

Top 10 Gardening Magazines And Ezines To Follow

Washington Gardener Magazine was named a “Top 10 Gardening Magazines And Ezines To Follow In 2018” at https://blog.feedspot.com/gardening_magazines/. What an unexpected surprise! We are honored and humbled as well by what great company we are in!