America in Bloom Wins Best Achievement Award At Philadelphia Flower Show

America in Bloom (AIB) earned Best Achievement for Depicting Horticulture as a Way to Create Community at the Philadelphia International Flower Show on March 3, 2012. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society awarded this honor to the non-profit organization for its 15- by 20-foot garden display exhibit.

“We’re so pleased that our first exhibit of a garden display in this prestigious show has been so well received, not just by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, but by the thousands of people who have already visited it,” says Delilah Onofrey, an AIB board member and co-founder and former Greenhouse Grower editor. “Opening day was a big success, with some visitors being familiar with America in Bloom and others learning about us for the first time.”

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The display garden was designed for easy accessibility, creating a walkable experience that allows guests to see plants close up. Each visitor to the AIB exhibit receives a complimentary copy of AIB’s new educational brochure, Discover the Surprising Side of Plants, which highlights the many benefits that plants bring to people’s lives.

Held from March 4 to 11 in Philadelphia, the Philadelphia International Flower Show is the oldest in the country and the largest indoor flower show in the world. This year’s theme is Hawaii: Islands of Aloha. AIB’s exhibit was designed by Troy Taylor of Taylor Environments in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., who has previously won the People’s Choice award for his work at the show.

Costa Farms, Knox Nursery, Peace Tree Farm, the National Foliage Foundation and Foliage Design Systems partnered with AIB to supply plants that support the tropical theme. Supporting NFF growers include Kraft Gardens, NGM Productions, Wekiwa Gardens and Bruce Jensen Nurseries/Florida. Eckert’s Greenhouse provided supporting poles and baskets to create a park-like scene. The display also spotlights plants bred by Suntory Flowers, including Sun Parasol mandevillas and Senetti pericallis.

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“Even in an island paradise like Hawaii, great communities don’t just happen. It takes a great deal of thought and tender loving care to create a sense of place. There’s no better way to communicate life and vitality than through beautiful plantings,” Onofrey says. “America in Bloom brings communities to life by demonstrating the social and economic benefits of plants.”

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