1999 AHS Book Awards
Four very different gardening books, all by different publishers, have been chosen to receive the Society’s 1999 Annual Book Award (see box on right). Awards for the books will be presented to the publishers at the closing banquet of the AHS Annual Conference in Boston, June 9 to 12. The award-winning books were chosen from among books published in 1998.

This is the third year of the Annual Book Award program, which was developed in 1997 as part of the celebrations for the Society’s 75th anniversary. The award books are chosen by a seven-member committee co-chaired this year by Steve Lorton, Northwest correspondent for Sunset magazine, and Valerie Easton, librarian at the University of Washington’s Elisabeth C. Miller Library. Other committee members are Suzanne Bales, contributing editor of Family Circle magazine; Stephen P. Bender, senior writer for Southern Living magazine; Sarah Boasberg, a Washington, D.C., landscape designer and former chairman of the AHS Board of Directors; Thomas Cooper, editor of Horticulture magazine; and Susan Eubank, senior librarian at the Helen Fowler Library of the Denver Botanic Gardens. Pamela Lord, founder of the Garden Book Club, serves as an advisor to the committee.

Books considered for the Annual Book Award must be produced by American authors and publishers. The committee looks for books that are well written and technically accurate, as well as innovative in content and design. Because books are judged not just on writing, but on graphics, design, and production quality, the awards are made to the publishers rather than the authors.

And the Winners Are...
A Celebration of Heirloom Vegetables: Growing and Cooking Old-Time Varieties
by Roger Yepsen, Artisan.
Illustrated by the author, this well-written and visually appealing book was a consensus favorite. “This book does everything right,” said Bender. “The cover practically leaps off the shelf and shouts, “Open me!”, while the illustrations of heirloom vegetables inside are stunningly beautiful. In addition, the accompanying text is interesting, informative, and as easy to digest as the dozens of recipes scattered throughout.”

Earth on Her Hands: The American Woman in Her Garden
by Starr Ockenga, Clarkson N. Potter.
This collection of profiles of 18 American women who have created outstanding gardens over several decades, appealed to committee members because it is a masterful combination of strong photography, writing, and book design. “The women profiled are all dedicated and knowledgeable gardeners, so there’s something to learn from each one,” said Easton. “The photographs, mostly by the author, are simply stunning, especially the full-page black-and-white portraits of the women themselves.” Sidebars with each profile focus on a topic of special interest, such as lists of favorite plants or how to build a stone wall.

The Savage Garden: Cultivating Carnivorous Plants
by Peter D’Amato, Ten Speed Press.
Committee members applauded this in-depth look at an unusual and fascinating group of plants that are diversely represented in North America. Nursery-propagated selections of some carnivorous plants are just beginning to become available, so this book is a timely reference on how to grow these plants, many of which are endangered in the wild. “I never thought this book would end up on my bedside table as compelling reading, but it did. The strangeness of the plants and their behavior is fascinating,” said Bales. “D’Amato writes with authority, passion, and humor—a winning combination.”

The Tropical Look: An Encyclopedia of Dramatic Landscape Plants
by Robert Lee Riffle, Timber Press.
This comprehensive description of hundreds of plants that offer a tropical look even in temperate gardens is also timely. “There’s a trend going on in contemporary American horticulture that I like to call the neo-Gauguin movement,” says Lorton. “This book offers an effective pattern for achieving that look in a home garden.” Extensive lists of plants for various garden habitats and landscapes add to the usefulness of this reference.

Youth Garden Symposium
It’s not too late to register for the seventh annual 1999 AHS National Youth Garden Symposium (YGS) in Denver, July 22 to 24. This year’s event features a who’s-who of national leaders in youth gardening activities and educational programs, including Ed Hume, host of the nationally televised gardening show “Gardening in America,” and Norm Lownds, curator of the 4-H Children’s Garden at Michigan State University.

In addition to the main conference speakers and activities, special pre-conference programs feature a workshop on growing heirloom flowers and vegetables, information on involving children and seniors together in gardening, and tours of Denver Botanic Gardens. For teachers of kindergarten through sixth grade, there is also a pre-conference Life Lab program that integrates garden-based science with other subject areas.

To register, or for more information on the conference and Life Lab program, call Mary Ann Patterson at (800) 777-7931 ext. 121, or view the National Youth Gardening Symposia on our Web site.

Flower Power at Epcot
The sixth annual EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival, spotlighting the decade of the ’60s, is taking place from April 16 to May 30. Horticultural and agricultural experts from around the world will present garden workshops, daily demonstrations, and lectures at a variety of venues throughout Walt Disney World at Lake Buena Vista, Florida, on topics ranging from innovative ways to grow vegetables to design ideas for ornamental gardens. Throughout the resort will be—literally—millions of flowers and plants and—in keeping with the ’60s theme—award-winning psychedelic garden displays and concerts from folk and rock legends of the era.

In a joint program with Disney and the Home and Garden Television (HGTV) network, AHS’s ongoing Great American Gardeners Lecture series is being presented on Fridays and Saturdays during the festival. On Mother’s Day weekend, May 7 and 8, Kitty Bartholomew, respected interior designer, author, and host of HGTV’s “Your Home” will offer tips on decorating your home from the garden. On May 21 and 22, Paul James, host of HGTV’s “Gardening By The Yard,” will share his expertise in a program titled “Everything You Wanted to Know About Gardening.” Wrapping up the series, Jim Wilson, former co-host of PBS’s “The Victory Garden,” will demonstrate how to create colorful container gardens.

Most events are included in the price of admission to the park, but special weekend brunches, behind-the-scenes tours of EPCOT’s award-winning gardens, and other special programs are available for additional charges. For more information, contact Walt Disney World at (407) 824-4321, or visit the a http://www.disneyworld.com Disney World Web site.

Clematis Society Blossoms
The Southern California Clematis Society has taken on the challenge of expanding to reach a national audience. The society recently changed its name to the American Clematis Society (ACS) and announced its intention to educate gardeners across the country on how to grow the popular ornamental vine.

Edith M. Malek, president and founder of the ACS, which currently has about 120 members, says the society will also focus on clematis breeding programs. “We have not pursued any of the hybridization programs that other countries have, so one of my goals is to get Americans interested in doing research on this fabulous vine.”