We are excited to reveal the winners of our sixth annual Garden Rose Design Contest! Entries were accepted in two categories: Wedding Work and Everyday Design, and hundreds of entries were submitted by designers from around the world. We are grateful to all the participants!
The Winners
Wedding Work category
1st place: Taylor Doyle; The Floral Eclectic; Dallas, Texas, United States
Alexandra Farms garden rose varieties: Alabaster and Darcey (Auschariot)
Photographer: Opal & Onyx Photography
2nd place: Nancy Zimmerman; Fancy Florals By Nancy; Fairbury, Illinois, United States
Alexandra Farms garden rose varieties: Tess (Ausyacht), Darcey (Auschariot), Capability (Ausapply), Miranda (Ausimmon) and Princess Fairy Kiss Pink Spr
Photographer: Kristin Darling
3rd place: Janelle Gerestein; Flowers by Janie; Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Alexandra Farms garden rose varieties: Miyabi and Quicksand
Photographer: Justine Milton
Readers' Choice: Cole Buys; CB Design; Cullman, Alabama, United States
Alexandra Farms garden rose varieties: Café Latte, Loli Spr, Princess Maya, Quicksand and Golden Mustard
Photographer: Kristen Thomison Photo
Everyday Design category
1st place: Alexa Howe; Lilly and Iris; Midville, Utah, United States
Alexandra Farms garden rose varieties: Beatrice (Auslevity), Café Latte, Sahara Sensation, Symbol, Westminster Abbey and Pink Piano
Photographer: Hannah Howe
2nd place: Amanda Rodgers; Bouquet Atlanta; Hiram, Georgia, United States
Alexandra Farms garden rose varieties: Miyabi, Miyabi Brown, Princess Maya and Wedding Rosever Spr
Photographer: Amanda Rodgers
3rd place: Susanne Slade Kelly; Stone's Throw Floral; Houston, Texas, United States
Alexandra Farms garden rose varieties: Leonora (Auswagsy), Tsumugi, Café Latte and Sahara Sensation Spr
Photographer: Susanne Slade Kelly
Readers' Choice: Katherine Taylor; Jubilee Flowers; Fairhope, Alabama, United States
Alexandra Farms garden rose varieties: Princess Aiko and Pink O'Hara
Photographer: Emily Songer
Prizes and Judges
In each category, the first-place winner will receive an all-expense-paid trip for two to Alexandra Farms. Second-place winners will receive 500 stems of garden roses and $500; third-place and Readers' Choice winners will receive 250 stems of garden roses and $250.
Judges were Jose R. Azout, president of Alexandra Farms; Holly Heider Chapple, educator and owner of Holly Chapple Flowers and Hope Flower Farm and the founder of Chapel Designers; the team at David Austin Roses; and Jules Lewis Gibson, president and creative director of Florists' Review Media Group. Designs were evaluated on several criteria, including how the garden roses were used, photo quality, and overall design aesthetic and composition. Judging was conducted anonymously, independently and confidentially. The Readers' Choice Award winners were chosen in an anonymous and public online vote.