TO SAY SURPRISED would be an understatement. A lot. When I recently received the call from the Scott Arboretum at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania that I had been named the recipient of their prestigious 2024 Scott Medal, I was completely taken aback.
I was also very grateful to be added to the list of people who have been honored with the award since 1930, who have “made outstanding national contributions to the science and art of horticulture,” according to the arboretum’s website.
Last week I was delighted to receive another call from the staff there, this time informing me that you could all attend a virtual version of the awards event on March 10th from 4:30-6:00pm ET for free. I’ll be there in person, giving a speech (uh-oh!) and trying to remember how to behave in public.
The purpose of the award, says Scott’s website, is “to promote a greater love of nature, to make the nation aware of the beauty of the outdoors, to develop a greater knowledge and love of plants and flowers, to spread the gospel of better planting and design, and to arouse a wider interest in better planting and more beautiful gardens.” with all citizens.”
Sounds like something we definitely believe in, right?
We hope to “see you” on March 10. Here’s a link to the free virtual tickets, and the overall prize page. A list of past Scott Medal winners is here.