Green thumb Garden Club gears up for landscaping competition

Once again, Green Thumb Garden Club of Santa Rosa Beach will sponsor “The American Pride Landscape Competition” for residential and commercial gardens from March 26 through April 26.  Every year, the club seeks to encourage people to enhance their surroundings, and also recognize those who have put the time and effort into beautifying their homes and businesses. No garden is too small or too big to be included. Patios, sun decks, shade gardens, container gardens, water gardens, wildflower and native gardens have all been judged — all are welcome.

The competition promotes gardening excellence in South Walton County and recognizes community residents and local businesses whose landscape designs create aesthetic and functional gardens that are attractive and enhance the beauty of our area. Anyone residing in Walton County south of SR 20 from Okaloosa County to the Bay County line is eligible to participate. If you or someone you know has an eye-catching and remarkable garden be it residential or commercial, the Green Thumb Garden Club would like to know. Commercial entries are particularly encouraged.

In 2009, the residential winners were Marty and Joan Mars of Lake Place, who also won in 1997, and the winner in the Commercial category was the Topsail State Park Butterfly Garden, with a special recognition for the Corner Garden at Seaside School. Past winners in the commercial category include The Old Miller Place in Grayton Beach (1991), The Gourd Garden on 30A (1995), Emerald Coast RV (now Topsail Hill Preserve Park) and Gunby’s on the Curve (joint winners) 1997, Bayou Arts and Antiques — now owned by the County (1998), Pickets of Seagrove Beach (2000). Church grounds have also featured prominently in past years, namely Christ the King Episcopal Church in Santa Rosa Beach and Resurrection Catholic Church in Miramar Beach.

Residential winners have come from all over the South Walton area — from Freeport in the North (The Beamons in 1988 and the Plaices in 1995), to Point Washington and Seagrove Beach (The Marses and Matiches in 1997), as well as several on 30A and Sandestin.

Gardens are judged using the Standards for Evaluating Landscape Design as set forth by the National Council of States Garden Clubs, Inc. using the following guidelines: First Impressions, Purpose, Design (functional and aesthetic), Implementation, Maintenance, and Final Impression. After initial screening by GTGC committee members, the final selection will be judged by Randy Harelson and Kendal Horne, who are professional horticulturalists and designers.

Preliminary judging will take place April 26-27. Winners will be recognized at the GTGC monthly meeting on May 19 at the Sandestin Hilton. Applications or nominations, either residential or commercial, should be directed to Robbie Carroll, event chairman, at 608-6067 or e-mail robbiecarroll@cox.net. To be eligible, all nominations must be received by April 23.