Evening of Excellence at Cultivate’26 Celebrates the People Driving Horticulture Forward
Monday evening at Cultivate has long been a time of celebration for the Greenhouse Grower team.
Last year, I made it to Columbus but became sick before I could fully experience the show. This year, I finally had the opportunity to stand alongside the Greenhouse Grower team, readers, growers, breeders, and other industry professionals at the Evening of Excellence.
What I witnessed was something I will not soon forget.
Excitement filled the room, along with anticipation, curiosity, and a little nervous energy as everyone waited to hear who would be recognized as Medal of Excellence Award winners. Once the awards began, however, the evening became about much more than names, titles, or trophies.
There were speechless pauses, tears, laughter, and genuine surprise. You could see the significance of the moment register on the faces of those whose names were called. Some had spent decades growing businesses, introducing plants, mentoring others, improving production practices, or supporting the industry without ever expecting public recognition.
Having once worked on the grower side of the industry, I understand how distant an achievement like that can sometimes seem. Growers spend their days solving problems, managing uncertainty, and caring for crops that rarely follow a perfect plan. Much of that work happens quietly and behind the scenes.
I was especially moved while watching Hans Hansen, Director of New Plant Development at Walters Gardens, receive the Industry Achievement Award, and Juan Ponce, Head Grower at Metrolina Greenhouses, be named Head Grower of the Year.
For a few hours, it felt as though everyone in the room was seeing and celebrating the same thing: the desire to create beauty, strengthen communities, and leave behind something living that may continue long after we are gone.
Some of us grow plants. Others breed them, sell them, design with them, research them, write about them, or develop the technology that makes producing them more efficient. Beneath those different roles is a common appreciation for the value of plants and the work required to bring them into people’s lives.
That common purpose should bring us together more often.
When we gather, collaborate, and learn from one another rather than remaining within our own circles, horticulture becomes stronger. If the spirit I saw in that ballroom Monday night continues beyond the event itself, this industry will be an even better place.
For several days, Cultivate brought together people with tremendous knowledge, experience, and talent. Being surrounded by that much expertise can feel overwhelming, especially for someone attending for the first time. But it is also an incredible opportunity because there is always someone nearby who knows something you do not.
Horticultural knowledge is meant to be shared. It can help someone understand a small piece of land, select a more suitable plant, or see a familiar landscape from a new perspective.
The knowledge gathered at Cultivate has value far beyond the convention center. It travels home with each person and becomes part of the work they do in their businesses, communities, and gardens.
The Evening of Excellence was a room filled with people who have spent their careers growing, creating, teaching, experimenting, and sharing what they know. The evening celebrated individual achievement, but it also honored the collective knowledge, dedication, and generosity that continue to move horticulture forward.
Thank you to everyone who attended and helped create such a memorable evening.
It is a privilege to continue getting to know this industry and the remarkable people within it. That Monday night reminded me that we are not simply producing plants, publishing stories, or operating businesses. We are building something together.
That is what horticulture is all about.
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