Announcing the Winners of our 2024 Garden Rose Design Contest
It’s time to reveal the winners of our 2024 Garden Rose Design Contest! Hundreds of entries were received again this year, and the judges have spoken. Four first-time entrants and three returning designers placed in this year’s contest. Congratulations to the winners!
A Note as We Look Towards the Future
After seven years and countless entries received, this will be our final Garden Rose Design Contest. We sincerely thank everyone who has participated since the first contest in 2018. The incredible design work created worldwide – especially work featuring our flowers – inspires us to continue growing the best garden roses for the industry!
The Winners
Wedding Work category
1st place & Reader’s Choice: Anna Stouffer, Urban Petals, Greer, South Carolina, USA
First-place winners receive an all-expense-paid trip for two to Alexandra Farms. Second-place winners receive 500 stems of garden roses and 500 dollars. Third-place and Readers’ Choice winners receive 250 stems of garden roses and 250 dollars.
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; and the team at David Austin Roses. 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 through a public online vote.
2023 Garden Rose Design Contest Winners and Other Guests Visit Alexandra Farms to Celebrate Achievement
When the 2023 Garden Rose Design Contest(GRDC) winners were announced last September, Alexa Howe was “elated” to learn of her first-place win in the Everyday Design category with a dynamic wreath made with many of her favorite Alexandra Farms’ varieties.
“It was such a beautiful surprise I had won,” she said.
While glowing from her win in the annual contest, Alexa was also anxiously awaiting her prize: a trip for two to Alexandra Farms in Bogotá. In February, she and her husband arrived at the farm, meeting 18 other guests from around the globe to explore and absorb the fascinating processes of Alexandra Farms’ production.
The trip was an eye-opening experience for the group. It provided insights into the inner workings of the farm and exposed the many layers of detail and care at every level.
“The farm was special to visit,” Alexa said. “To see the process from beginning to end and to understand the timeline of it all was very educational. I loved getting to see the whole operation.”
An Education
On the first day of the trip, visitors traveled early to the San Ignacio farm for an introduction to the company’s dahlias, a walk through a greenhouse full of garden rose trial varieties, and an olfactory encounter. Educational experiences such as lessons on composting and diversification were also nestled between the visually stimulating visits among the flora.
“Getting the chance to see the garden roses at their most open stage was really impactful,” Alexa said. “I will forever be influenced to allow time to let the roses open up before designing with them.”
One of the most coveted visitor experiences is being introduced to new varieties and learning about the many rounds of experimentation prior to launch.
Washington, D.C.-based floral designer Amy Balsters was heavily influenced by the time spent with new varieties and was particularly taken by the number of varieties currently on trial. “It was mind-blowing to see how few actually make it to the mass market,” she said. “It was incredibly eye-opening to learn about how much labor is involved in growing and harvesting garden roses.”
Hands-On
The second day allowed for plenty of time to interact with varieties and create designs at the El Jardin farm, while guests also learned about Alexandra Farms’ mission and processes with a presentation from Jose R. Azout, the company’s president.
Amy said the hands-on experiences and tours around the farm made quite an impact on her understanding of the farm and production. “The attention to detail and commitment to excellence in quality was really impressive,” she said. “Learning about the history of each variety was also really interesting and helpful.”
Of course, the trip would not have been complete without acknowledging the achievements of the GRDC winners and their designs, complete with a celebratory traditional dance presented by farm employees and a traditional Colombian meal afterward.
Bonding and Networking
Visitors to the farm are always pleased to have the opportunity to meet like-minded industry professionals and learn from each other’s experiences.
“I loved the networking opportunities we had throughout the trip to get to get to know one another,” Alexa said. “The group of people we were around has years and years of experience in the floral industry and a wealth of knowledge.”
Amy said she’s excited for future visitors to experience the full wealth of the farms, and she would encourage them to be bold and ask many questions during the visit. Her time at the farm was “so fascinating and reinvigorated my love of garden roses to an all-new level. I hope to return one day!” she said.
The 2024 Alexandra Farms Garden Rose Design Contest Is Now Open!
Calling all floral designers! The 7th annual Garden Rose Design Contest, hosted by Alexandra Farms, is now open!
This is an opportunity to showcase your floral design creativity and mastery to the world and compete for prizes. Share your best work using garden roses in our contest, which opens May 6.
In this year’s competition, we will accept entries that feature garden roses in the categories of Wedding Work and Everyday Design. Entries will be accepted now through August 11, 2024.
Full and fragrant, with ruffled petals and delicate to vibrant hues, fresh-cut garden roses are a favorite with designers everywhere. We currently grow more than 60 unique varieties.
This year’s contest offers fabulous prizes, including an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Alexandra Farms to visit our fragrant, rose-filled greenhouses, free garden roses and – new this year – cash prizes!
Visit our website to learn more and to register for the contest.
Winners will be announced on the Alexandra Farms website and social media accounts in late September and in the October 2024 issue of Florists’ Review magazine.
Announcing the Winners of our 2023 Garden Rose Design Contest
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. Varieties:Alabaster and Darcey (Auschariot). Photographer: Opal & Onyx Photography
3rd place: Janelle Gerestein; Flowers by Janie; Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Varieties:Miyabi and Quicksand. Photographer: Justine Milton
Readers’ Choice: Cole Buys; CB Design; Cullman, Alabama, United States. 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. 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. 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. Varieties:Leonora (Auswagsy), Tsumugi, Café Latte and Sahara Sensation Spr. Photographer: Susanne Slade Kelly
In each category, the first-place winner receives an all-expense-paid trip for two to Alexandra Farms. Second-place winners receive 500 stems of garden roses and 500 dollars; third-place and Readers’ Choice winners receive 250 stems and 250 dollars.
Judges were Jose R. Azout, president of Alexandra Farms; Holly Heider Chapple; the team at David Austin Roses; and Jules Lewis Gibson, president and creative director of Florists’ Review Media Group.
The Sixth Annual Alexandra Farms Garden Rose Design Contest Is Now Open!
Full and fragrant, with ruffled petals and delicate to vibrant hues, fresh-cut garden roses are a favorite with designers everywhere. In our sixth annual competition, we invite entries featuring garden roses in the categories of Wedding Work and Everyday Design.
This year’s contest offers fabulous prizes, including an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Alexandra Farms to visit our fragrant, rose-filled greenhouses, free garden roses and – new this year – cash prizes!
Visit our website for more details, full contest rules, and to register for the contest.
2022 1st Place Winners
Winners will be announced on the Alexandra Farms website and social media accounts and in the October 2023 issue of Florists’ Review magazine.
Introducing the Winners of the 2022 Garden Rose Design Contest
We are proud to announce the winners of our fifth 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 receive so many fantastic entries each year, and we want to thank everyone who participated. We look forward to seeing your designs in 2023!
Readers’ Choice: Dolores Vlad, Highland Park, IL, USA (@luminousblooms). Varieties: Precious Moments. Photographer: Dolores Vlad
Prizes and Judges
In each category, the first-place winner receives an all-expense-paid trip for two to Alexandra Farms. Second place and Readers’ Choice winners receive 1,000 stems of garden roses; third place winners receive 500 stems. Judges were Jose R. Azout, president of Alexandra Farms; David J.C. Austin, managing director of David Austin Roses; and Holly Heider Chapple.
Vote for the Winning Designs in Our 2022 Garden Rose Design Contest!
Visit our website to see the finalists in the Wedding Work and Everyday Design categories. You may vote once per category. Voting is open through July 24.
The 1st, 2nd, 3rd and Readers’ Choice winners will be announced in August on social media and in Florists’ Review magazine.
The 5th Annual Alexandra Farms Garden Rose Design Contest Is Now Open
Floral designers around the world are invited to share their best work using garden roses in the Alexandra Farms Garden Rose Design Contest!
The contest opens on May 2, and entries will be accepted through July 14. Visit our website to learn more!
Full and fragrant, with ruffled petals and delicate to vibrant hues, fresh-cut garden roses are a favorite with designers everywhere. In our fifth annual competition, we invite entries that feature garden roses in the categories of Wedding Work and Everyday Design.
Prizes include an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Alexandra Farms to visit our fragrant, rose-filled greenhouses and the Colombian city of Bogotá, and free garden roses.
Winners will be announced on the Alexandra Farms social media accounts and in the September 2022 issue of Florists’ Review magazine.
Announcing the 2021 Garden Rose Design Contest Winners
In our fourth annual competition, we invited entries in the categories of Wedding Work and Everyday Design. We received entries from 135 designers in 22 countries – nearly 200 entries total. Thank you to all of the participants around the world. We look forward to seeing your entries next year!
Wedding Work
First place, Dennis Kneepkens, DK – Dennis Kneepkens, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands. Photographer: Maryn Haertel. Varieties: Princess Midori (Green), Patience (Auspastor)
Second place, Nancy Zimmerman, Fancy Florals by Nancy, Fairbury, IL. Photographer: Rebekah Albaugh Photography. Varieties: Capability (Ausapply) and Miranda (Ausimmon)
Third place, Amanda Rodgers, Bouquet Atlanta, Atlanta, GA. Photographer: Michelle Scott Photography. Varieties: Francis Meilland, Evelyn (Aussaucer), Princess Charlene of Monaco, Love Song
Readers’ Choice, Ana Vivas, Aniska Creations, Miami, FL. Photographer: Natasha Arceu. Varieties: Tsumugi and Miyabi
Everyday Design
First place, Trini Mai, Petit Garden LB, Long Beach, CA. Varieties: Kiss Me Kate, The Alnwick (Ausgrab), Evelyn (Aussaucer), Jayne Austin (Ausbreak), Tranquillity (Ausnoble), Desdemona (Auskindling) and Distant Drum
Fourth Annual Alexandra Farms Garden Rose Design Contest Now Open
Floral designers from around the world are invited to share their best work using garden roses in the Alexandra Farms Garden Rose Design Contest!
Full and fragrant, with ruffled petals and delicate to vibrant hues, fresh-cut garden roses are a favorite with designers everywhere. In our fourth annual competition, we invite design entries that feature garden roses in the categories of Wedding Work and Everyday Design.
Designer: Nicole Braghin Designer: Katherine Taylor Designer: Charlie Groppetti
The contest prizes are fantastic, and this year we’re giving away more prizes than ever before!
First, second, third and Readers’ Choice winners will be selected for each category – eight winners total. The first-place winners will receive an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Alexandra Farms, where they will visit our fragrant, rose-filled greenhouses and the Colombian city of Bogotá. The second-place winners will receive 1000 stems of garden roses. The third-place winners will receive 500 stems of garden roses. And new this year, we will also recognize the Top 20 Finalists with a prize of free garden roses!
Entries will be evaluated by an esteemed panel of judges: David J C Austin, managing director of David Austin Roses; Holly Heider Chapple, internationally renowned floral designer and educator; and Jose R. Azout, president of Alexandra Farms.
The contest opens on May 1, 2021, and entries will be accepted through June 15, 2021. Winners will be announced in August on our social media accounts and in Florists’ Review magazine.
