Winners 2021
The Garden Media Guild Awards 2021: Awards Winners
Previous winners: 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
Many congratulations to all winners
Lifetime Achievement Award 2021Sponsored by Candide |
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Awarded to - Graham Rice |
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1 The Peter Seabrook Practical Book of the Year |
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Winner - Carolyn Dunster for Cut & Dry |
Judges' Comments “The judges were faced with a herculean task in deciding a winner from such a high quality and diverse range of Practical Books. After long deliberation they decided that Carolyn Dunster’s book “Cut and Dry” is the clear winner. The book is filled with beautiful and haunting photographs of many different and unusual varieties of plants to cut and dry. It covers step by step techniques of all aspects of growing, drying, styling, and arranging dried flowers in a contemporary and imaginative way. A book that is both practical and inspiring and covers a topic that is undergoing a renaissance with an emphasis on reducing waste and the sustainability in the cut flower industry" |
2 Garden Book of the Year |
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Winner - Luke Keogh for The Wardian Case |
Judges' Comments 'The Wardian Case by Luke Keogh is a very rare thing – a work of academic substance and credibility, which is beautifully written while being accessible and fun to read. The extensive research tells an engaging tale of just how enormously the Wardian Case changed the landscape of not only nineteenth century gardens, but also the greenscapes, both exterior and interior, we all enjoy today. This now defunct box – the original flatpack - was such a simple construction yet it changed the face of horticulture and trade throughout the world. |
3 Garden Publication or Garden Section of the Year |
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Winner - Bloom |
Judges' Comments The contemporary format of Bloom – its matt covers featuring one gorgeous wrap-round image uncluttered by cover lines, and its superior paper quality, muted colour palette and adventurous use of typography and graphics ¬¬– lifted this magazine above the competition. We felt this inspiring "magazine to keep" was redefining the subject of gardening and stretching boundaries to draw in a wider, potentially younger, readership of nature enthusiasts and flat dwellers who long to nurture something green and growing. Alongside seasonal advice on what to sow and grow and in-depth articles on genera, there were stimulating forays into the natural world that encouraged the reader to look up and beyond the garden. The mix of photography, full-page illustrations, and labelled graphics in planting recipes reflected the constant change of pace of this entertaining and illuminating magazine. Articles ranged from the practical – windowsill crops, and hazel structures for the garden – to the intriguing: the communication networks of fungi, nature and mindfulness, and the techniques of plant breeders. We felt there was something for everyone here: timely, well-researched material with some new perspectives for seasoned gardeners, and innovative pieces on seaweed identification, plant photography, and food foraging in flower beds for anyone enticed into its pages. . |
4 The Dr David Hessayon Garden Columnist of the Year |
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Winner - Roy Lancaster |
Judges' Comments Arriving at the shortlist for this category was a tough wrangle with some excellent columnists just missing the cut. But we felt the five nominees shared something in common: a compelling enthusiasm for their subject that leaps off the page and carries the reader along. In this skill, our winner leads the way with a column that celebrates a life-long passion for horticulture. The judges agreed that his experience and knowledge of plants and how they grow is formidable, and his ability to capture the excitement of discovery made us want to rush out and meet these plants for ourselves. Any type of gardener from a newbie to seasoned professional would benefit from reading his exploration of gardens. We also enjoyed the format of the column – ‘a plantsman’s notebook’ – which mines the writer’s jottings on plants he’s seen and grown since 1952, and takes the reader with him into the pages of his notebooks. |
5 Practical Journalist of the Year |
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Winner - Benedict Vanheems |
Judges' Comments There were some extremely talented and knowledgeable journalists in this category consisting of 18 candidates which made it a real challenge for the judges to pick an outright winner. After careful and thorough consideration, the judges chose Benedict Vanheems as they felt his passion for horticulture and in particular kitchen gardening really shone through the technical information, and was delivered in a relaxed, friendly and informal style. His chosen topics clearly demonstrated an expertise underpinned with practical hands-on experience. |
6 Journalist of the Year |
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Winner - Tom Brown
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Judges' Comments Tom’s style is conversational and upbeat but doesn't dumb down the technical bits. He effortlessly passes on his gardening knowledge gained over the past 20-years as a hands-on gardener to make the features interesting to both those new to gardening and experienced gardeners seeking more advanced information. It’s clear that Tom knows his plants and subject matter inside out and his writing draws you into the feature. Snippets of information and handy hints and tips are dotted through the narrative, plus a sprinkling of humour! |
7 The Beth Chatto Environmental Award |
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Winner - Lauren Hall
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Judges' Comments It was great to see a strong set of entries for this really important category, covering a variety of critical environmental issues. It was also encouraging to see that there was more than one entry that focused on the issue of using peat. Gardening is at its very heart a way to work with nature to create beautiful design, wholesome food, and green spaces that support health, culture, and wildlife. Yet, all too often, the products that are offered to the gardener are counter to this relationship. One of the very worst on the market is peat, and it's only been through educating the public on its perils that any action has been taken to remove it from use. Consumer awareness and pressure from the public have lead to the ban on peat from 2030. Lauren Hall's captivating piece plays into that education and is presented in a way to reach a large audience and visually show the impacts of peat harvesting on the environment. She makes clear the issues and also communicates some of the solutions that are being explored to heal peat bogs, support industry, and to keep gardening green. |
8 The Gordon Rae Photographer of the Year Award |
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Winner - Jason Ingram![]() |
Judges' Comments Jason has demonstrated a high degree of skill across all of his images and has shown an ability to shoot both beautiful close-up plant portraits and wide garden shots with sympathetic lighting and precise compositions. This is a photographer who clearly understands and loves gardens. His portfolio shows diversity of subject matter and approach. Finally, and this is not to be underestimated, Jason’s post processing is also subtle and unobtrusive. |
9 Features Photographer of the Year |
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Winner - Annie Green-Armytage |
Judges' Comments In the story, Style and Grace, Annie Green-Armytage’s photography displays the qualities needed to turn a casual browser into magazine buyer: lighting that flatters the setting; compositions that are full of interest without being fussy; colours that are arresting without being vulgar. The photography is as charming as the setting, where wide spaces are treated with as much sensitivity as more intimate corners of the garden.The portrait of the owners and their dog is sincere and natural— a skill in its own right. Congratulations, Annie. |
10 Portfolio Photographer of the Year Award |
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Winner - Mimi Connolly |
Judges' Comments This set of images works on every level - a strong theme, no need for captions and I liked the way the water dominates - a really original approach. A lovely portfolio. |
11 The Roy Lancaster TV Broadcast of the Year Award |
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Winner - Michael Perry - Steph’s Packed Lunch
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Judges' Comments Among the many high-quality entries, this one stood out for being fun, unusual and informative. The piece immediately grabbed our attention and kept our curiosity piqued until the very end, as Michael Perry introduced a cornucopia of sensory plants. A few were relatively well known – such as the different scented mints – but many others were real eye-openers, like the voodoo lily that smells of drains and the beef-and-onion plant. The star of the show had to be the miracle berry, which changes sour flavours to sweet. Michael added little snippets of horticulture and science to his intros, making the piece both entertaining and educational. All in all, a brilliant broad-appeal broadcast and a great introduction to the weird and wonderful world of plants. |
12 Radio Broadcast or Podcast of the Year |
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Winner - Grow, Cook, Eat, Arrange with Sarah Raven and Arthur Parkinson |
Judges' Comments The podcast was full of timely and useful gardening information and there was a lot to gain from listening to it. The topic was one that all listeners could relate to and it contained information for gardeners of all different levels. The judges also enjoyed the interaction between Sarah Raven and Arthur Parkinson, which added to its overall appeal. While all five shortlisted entries were in the running to win, the judges agreed that Grow, Cook, Eat, Arrange was the worthy winner of the Award. |
13 The Alan Titchmarsh New Talent Award |
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Winner - Sue Kent |
Judges' Comments This was a breakthrough year for gardening media in showing the breadth of formats now readily available to and popular with an increasingly engaged audience. While TV programmes and print features or columns remain a key way to share knowledge and ideas, the newcomer entries showed the power and immediacy of other formats in creating compelling content. From podcasts, webinars and digital editions to live streaming, social media and blogging platforms, entrants to gardening media can now find the approach that best suits them – and their audiences. |
14 Blog or Vlog of the Year |
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Winner - Agents of Field |
Judges' Comments In this highly competitive category, with 22 entrants that excelled in different areas and ways, the winner of The Blog or Vlog of the year is the Agents of Field YouTube Channel. It was a unanimous choice for the judges, who thought the vlog run by Ade Sellars from his kitchen garden in Suffolk was entertaining, well presented, informative and professionally filmed, with his background in TV clearly benefiting the production. Running at just over 7 minutes each, the pieces were just the right length, well-judged for their target audience and were a nice balance of diary and practical instructions, with Ade happy to share his mistakes as well as his successes |
15 Website of the Year |
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Winner - BBC GardenersWorld.com![]() |
Judges' Comments The judges decided that the winning website shone in its creativity and effectiveness. This website is accurate, informative and accessible. What made it stand out above the entrants is that it is attractive to those new to gardening and those with more experience. The website has a good mix of written and audio visual content giving it variety and interest in its format. The judges particularly liked that the focus of this website is all things gardening which makes sure it is at its heart, a comprehensive gardening resource. |
16 Social Media Influencer of the Year |
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Winner - Ann-Marie Powell |
Judges' Comments Our winner of the Social Media Influencer of the Year category is Anne-Marie Powell and her My Real Garden initiative. We loved how Anne-Marie shared the honest highs and lows of her own plot with the worldwide online gardening community, genuinely connecting with others and influencing them to be proud of and share their outdoor spaces – warts and all. |
17 Cover of the Year |
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Winner - The Botanics |
Judges' Comments While there were some very strong contenders in this category, the judges unanimously chose this entry as their winner. The bold use of bare space, the striking beauty of the image, and the brave colour theme all combine to make this a truly eye-catching and memorable cover. Additionally, the confidently placed coverlines mirror the tone of the magazine, and the microscopic detail of the seed reflects the comprehensive objectives of the Royal Botanic Garden. All in all, an exemplary example of how to conceive and execute the perfect cover. |
Lifetime Achievement AwardAwarded to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution throughout their lifetime to our profession. This award is in the gift of the GMG Committee The previous winners are: 1993 Peter Seabrook; 1994 Fred Whitsey; 1995 Graham Stuart-Thomas; 1996 Rosemary Verey; 1997 Christopher Lloyd; 1998 Beth Chatto; 1999 Penelope Hobhouse; 2000 Geoff Amos; 2001 Jerry Harpur; 2002 Roy Lancaster; 2003 Joy Larkcom; 2004 Alan Titchmarsh; 2005 Dr David Hessayon; 2006 Geoffrey Smith; 2007 Ken Muir; 2008 Michael Warren |
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