America in Bloom Awards Results Announced

Jennifer Zurko

Top honors for the 2015 America in Bloom (AIB) national awards program were announced at the annual ceremony held in Holland, Michigan, on September 26, 2015.

All participants were evaluated on six criteria: overall impression, environmental awareness, heritage preservation, urban forestry, landscape and floral displays. Additionally, they were judged on their community involvement across municipal, residential and commercial sectors.

America in Bloom is the only national awards program that sends specially trained judges to personally visit participants and provide a detailed written evaluation that can be used as a guide to future improvements.

AIB judges visited communities of similar populations and spent two days touring each town, meeting municipal officials, residents and volunteers.

Winners are as follows:

Population category winners:

Combined Locks, WI
Fairhope, AL
Holland, MI
Holliston, MA
Lewes, DE
Lewisburg, WV
Lexington, KY
Morro Bay, CA
Saratoga, CA
Venice, FL

Outstanding achievement awards are for one town that excels in each of the evaluated criteria. They went to the following towns:

Edmonston, MD—Environmental Efforts
Estes Park, CO—Landscaped Areas
Fairhope, AL—Urban Forestry
Holland, MI—Floral Displays
Ottawa, IL—Community Involvement
Santa Paula, CA—Heritage Preservation
Winter Park, FL—Overall Impression

Special Awards were given as follows:

Arroyo Grande, CA—Public Art that Celebrates Heritage
Belpre, OH—Most Attractive “Welcome to our City”
Castle Rock, WA—Best Program for Engaging Youth in the Community
Combined Locks, WI—Most Attractive Naturalistic Landscape
Hammond, LA—Most Innovative Environmental Initiative Involving Water Conservation
Lexington, KY—Most Effective Way-Finding Signage
Newtown Square, PA—Best Container Display
Rockford, IL—Best Residential Streetscape
Saratoga, CA—Most Beautiful Canopy of Trees

To date, more than 220 towns and cities from all over the U.S. have participated in the America in Bloom program. Cities, towns, business districts, college campuses and military installations are all eligible to participate.

Registrations for the 2016 national awards program can be submitted until February 28, 2016. Eligible participants include towns, cities, college and university campuses, business districts, military installations and recognized neighborhoods of large cities.

America in Bloom is an independent, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting nationwide beautification programs and personal and community involvement through the use of flowers, plants, trees and other environmental and lifestyle enhancement.

For more information, visit www.americainbloom.org. GT