Cantigny wins award for historical garden

Cantigny Park was awarded the All-America Selections Exemplary Education Category IV Award for the historical display at the park, 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton.

"It is truly an honor to be recognized for our horticultural practices, design and display," said Joe Sable, director of productions at Cantigny.

"This award is a tribute to all of the Cantigny staff who created this collection of beauty."

In summer 2007, flowers, vegetables and other award-winning garden varieties dating back to the 1930s were the focus of Cantigny's "Gemstones in the Garden" display.

More than 220,000 visitors took a walk back through time to view more than 50 historical All-America Selections winners. Pole baskets and terra cotta pots lining Cantigny's walks featured samples from each decade.

On June 19, 2007, Cantigny Gardens partnered with All-America Selections to host a luncheon and field day for 100 garden writers, extension educators and garden industry leaders, generating a number of articles featuring the Cantigny display and the importance of the All-America Selections winners.

Since 1986, Cantigny has hosted a garden to celebrate the annual winners from All-America Selections, the newest seedlings to pass superior garden performance tests by a nationwide panel of independent judges.

In 1990, the annual All-America Selections displays were transferred to the Idea Garden. Each year, Cantigny features winning plants and flowers of the past five years. This summer marked the 75th anniversary of All-America Selections seedlings.

This is the sixth year the All-America Selections Board has provided the opportunity for All-America Selections Display Gardens to achieve national recognition for outstanding education featuring All-America Selections winners.

Three award categories were established based on the estimated number of visitors to a garden during the growing season: Category I up to 4,999 visitors; Category II for 5,000-49,999; and Category III for 50,000 or more.

For the 75th anniversary, Category IV was added for best historical garden. Entries were judged on event substance, educational content and quality of event publicity. Presentation style, originality, materials and garden display were also considered.

Cantigny Park features the Formal Garden, 40 acres of perennials, annuals, ground cover flowers, shrubs and trees; the newly enlarged Rose Garden; and the Idea Garden, with topiaries, vegetables and herbs.

Cantigny Gardens are open to the public Tuesday through Sunday, March through December. For details, visit www.Cantigny.org.