Since 1953, the American Horticultural Society has honored the trailblazers, educators, innovators, and community builders shaping American horticulture. Meet the 2026 Great American Gardener Award winners 🌿⁠ ⁠ Liberty Hyde Bailey Award – Dr. John Dole⁠ An NC State NCState floriculture researcher whose work on cut-flower postharvest physiology and vase life has reshaped the industry.⁠ ⁠ Rising Star Award – Michael Guidi⁠ At Denver Botanic Gardens, Guidi studies how plants adapt to disturbed urban landscapes, advancing gardens as functioning ecosystems.⁠ ⁠ Garden Sustainability Award – Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens⁠ Creator of the Climate Toolkit, turning climate commitments into measurable action—now used by 240+ institutions in 30 countries.⁠ ⁠ Jane L. Taylor Award – Sam Ullery⁠ A Washington, D.C., educator who has built 100+ school gardens, framing them as sites of civic engagement as much as learning.⁠ ⁠ Jane L. Taylor Award – Lisa Whittlesey⁠ At Texas A&M University, W...