Garden Writing Awards in Britain - The Garden Media Guild Awards 2009

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Britain has a type of Oscars for garden writing and it's interesting to note that I've heard of very few of the winner. I'm posting them tonight so you can know about resources that aren't written about much in the U.S.

Not only are there books on the list that will pique your interest, but blogs as well. There are more winners than are listed here, so if you would like to see the rest, click on this link

Inspirational Book of the Year
Winner: The Flowering of Aberglasney by Graham Rankin, published by Aberglasney Enterprises.
Finalists:Grow Your Own Drugs by James Wong, published by Collins.Hugh Johnson in The Garden by Hugh Johnson, published by Mitchell Beazley.
Spirit: Garden Inspiration by Dan Pearson, published by Fuel Publishing.
The Organic Garden Green and Easy by Allan Shepherd, published by Collins.

Reference Book of the Year
Winner: Scotland for Gardeners – The Guide to Scottish Gardens, Nurseries and Garden Centres 2009 by Kenneth Cox, published by Birlinn.
Finalists: New Trees: Recent Introductions to Cultivation by John Grimshaw, Ross Bayton & Hazel Wilks, published by Kew Publishing.
Pocket Guide to Rhododendron Species by J F McQuire and M L A Robinson, published by Kew Publishing.
The Plant Hunters by Carolyn Fry, published by Andre Deutsch.
The RHS Encyclopedia of Garden Design edited by Chris Young, published by DK Publishing.

Practical Book of the Year
Winner: Veg Patch: River Cottage Handbook Number 4 by Mark Diacono, published by Bloomsbury Publishing.
Finalists:Allotment Month by Month by Alan Buckingham, published by DK Publishing.Church Flowers by Judith Blacklock, published by The Flower Press.
RHS Wildlife Garden by Martyn Cox, published by DK Publishing.
The Family Kitchen Garden by Karen Liebreich, Jutta Wagner & Annette Wendland, published by Frances Lincoln.

Online Media Awards

Blog of the Year
Winner: Blogging from Blackpitts by James Alexander-Sinclair.
Finalists:Matthew Appleby’s Gardening Blog.
Richard Jones’ Wildlife Blog.
Jane Perrone on The Guardian Gardening Blog.
Transatlantic Plantsman by Graham Rice.
Veg Plotting by Michelle Chapman.

Website of the Year
Winner: Gardeners’ World.com, Editor Abbie Fereday
Finalists:BBC Chelsea Flower Show, Editor Camilla Phelps
Dig In from the BBC, Editor Camilla Phelps
GardenersclickHabitataid, Editor Nick Mann
RHS

New Talent, Young Gardener & Environmental Awards
Environmental Award
Winner: Toby Buckland for the Gardeners’ World Special – For Peat’s Sake.
Finalists: Graham Strong for his article The Recycled Kitchen Garden in Kitchen Garden magazine.
Sophie Todd, producer of the BBC2 TV programme Wild About Your Garden – Episode 3, Dundee.
John Walker for We Shop, Planet Drops in Organic Garden & Home.
Louise Zass-Bangham for Designing for the Inevitable, published in Garden Design Journal.

Comments

Deborah at Kilbourne Grove said…
Does North America have anything like this? It is certainly a great way for books/blogs to be brought to your attention.
December 6, 2009 at 5:23 AM
Molly Day said…
Hi Deborah -
I went to the GWA site and posted their 2009 winners in a separate post tonight.
Thanks for asking.
M
December 6, 2009 at 5:39 PM
VP said…
Thanks for the link love for Veg Plotting :)

Your readers might link to note that the Gardeners Click and Habitataid websites are separate sites - they look like they've merged into 1 link when I look at your list.

The website and blog awards are just a couple of years old. It looks like the GWA should consider something covering new media too perhaps?

Unlike the GWA awards, the GMG ones are also open to non-members which is why I was able to submit my blog when encouraged to do so by a Guild member. It was a complete surprise to make the shortlist :)
December 7, 2009 at 1:08 AM
VP said…
Sorry Molly - I see I'd overlooked the electronic media awards when I read your GWA piece the first time.
December 7, 2009 at 1:11 AM
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