Find a club

Donate

Join A Club

NGC Awards

Objective of NGC Awards

From funding the construction of a beautiful children’s garden to forming programs to battle invasive plants, National Garden Clubs is full of leaders with a desire to improve our world. To acknowledge those who strive to achieve our mission and share our vision for a more beautiful tomorrow, NGC has established awards to recognize the contribution of those who have put forth endless effort to educate youth on the importance of gardening and horticulture, those who tirelessly work to grow club memberships, those who passionately strive to help their community locally and globally and many more. We are proud of our past winners and look forward to accepting applications in order to recognize future winners and their amazing contributions to their communities.

NGC Awards - How to Choose and How to Apply

The table below shows the variety of NGC awards established to recognize the efforts of our members and associates who contribute to the enhancement of our world. The intent of this table is to help with the decision as to which award is appropriate. It should simplify the process of application, clarify the deadline, and list the scale of points of how the award is evaluated for each one.

How to use this Table of Awards

Columns 1 and 2: Scan the leftmost column for the type of award that would most likely recognize the person, club or organization you wish to nominate. The specific awards in that category are named in the second column. Click on the category in the leftmost column to see detail about the award(s) including whether it may include a monetary award as part of the recognition for the winner.
Column 3: Check comments on deadline, eligibility and procedure for award submission.
Column 4: Find the application form or other documentation required to apply, plus information on how the application and project will be evaluated, such as scale of points.

If you wish to review the list of all (over 40 pages) general awards, click here for the NGC Awards Rules.

Award Category	Awards Included	Submission Process/Deadline	Forms
Award of Excellence	#23 - Award of Excellence for Non-members #24 - Award for States #25 - Award For Regions	January 1 deadline Submit to the NGC Award of Excellence Chair	Award of Excellence Submission Requirements Award of Excellence Application Form
Award of Honor for Members	Recognition of NGC members, whose volunteer efforts over five years have made an outstanding contribution in one or many of these areas: Civic Development, Conservation, Design, Horticultural Therapy, Horticulture, Landscape Design, Youth Activities, or All Around Excellence	Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline. State Winner submitted to The Regional Awards Chair by February 1. The Regional Chair sends to the NGC Member Award of Honor Chair by February 20.	Book of Evidence Format
Community Service (CS)	1. Community Gardens 2. Civic Achievement 3. Garden Center Achievement 4. Food Bank Donations 5. Special Civic Achievement	Projects from January 1 through December 31. Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline. State Chair must submit to NGC Awards Chair by January 15.	Award Application Form Rules, Procedure, Scale of Points CS-4 Scale of Points
Community Beautification (CB)	1. Roadside Beautification 2. Community Beautification	Projects from January 1 through December 31. Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline. State Chair must submit to NGC Awards Chair by January 15.	Award Application Form Rules, Procedure, Scale of Points
Environmental Concerns and Conservation (RC)	1. Conservation Activities 2. Litter, Recycling, Reclamation 3. Conservation Education 4. Bird Protection 5. Pollinators 6. Water 7. Organic Gardening	Projects from January 1 through December 31. Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline. State Chair must submit to NGC Awards Chair by January 15.	Award Application Form Rules, Procedure, Scale of Points
Floral Design (FD)	1. Flower Arranger of the Year (Vision of Beauty Calendar) 2. Floral Design Program	Submit FD-1 to Calendar Awards Chair by SEPTEMBER 1, 2020 (extended this year) Submit FD-2 to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline; State Chair must submit to NGC Awards Chair by January 15.	FD-1 Vision of Beauty Entry form FD-2 Award Application Form FD-2 Scale of Points
Flower Show Achievement Awards	All types of Club Standard, State, Youth and Specialty Shows are eligible if scored 95 or above by evaluation judges. Click here for a List of Awards Available See SR-5 below for major non-standard flower show exhibit awards.	Shows from Jan.1 through Dec. 31 are eligible each year. Contact State or International Chair 6 weeks prior to the Flower Show to obtain evaluation judges. If scored 95 or above, submit to NGC Flower Show Achievement Awards Chair by January 15. Click here for a detailed Award checklist of how to apply.	Award Application Form Show Data Form Schedule Scale of Points Award Evaluation/Scale of Points
Gardening (G)	1. Container Gardening 2. Edible Gardening 3. Therapy Gardens (See also Wildlife Gardening below)	Projects from January 1 through December 31. Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline. State Chair must submit to NGC Awards Chair by January 15.	Award Application Form Container Scale of Points Edible Garden Scale of Points Therapy Garden Scale of Points, Rules and Procedures
Historic Preservation (HP)	1. Historic Preservation Project/Garden 2. Decoration of a Historic Building	Projects from January 1 through December 31. Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline. State Chair must submit to NGC Awards Chair by January 15.	Award Application Form Rules, Procedure, Scale of Points
Landscaping and Landscape Design (L)	1. Blue Star Memorial Highway Marker 2. Blue Star or Gold Star Memorial Byway Marker 3. Blue Star or Gold Star Memorial Marker at a Civic Location 4. Community Landscape Design 5. Landscape Design 6. Landscape Design for Church Gardens	Projects from January 1 through December 31. Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline. State Chair must submit to NGC Awards Chair by January 15.	Award Application Form Rules, Procedure, Scale of Points
Membership and Promotion (MP)	1. Activities/Projects to Promote and Increase Membership 2. National Garden Week 3. Social Media/Website 4. Video/CD/DVD/Flash Drive 5. Radio and/or TV 6, 7 and 8. - calculated; no application	Projects from January 1 through December 31. Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline. State Chair must submit to NGC Awards Chair by January 15.	Award Application Form MP-1 Scale of Points MP-2 Scale of Points, NGC Standard MP-3 Scale of Points MP-4 and MP-5 Scale of Points
Native Plants and Wildflowers (NPW)	1. Roadside Plantings 2. Civic Projects with Native Plants 3. Outdoor Classrooms, Nature Trails	Projects from January 1 through December 31. Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline. State Chair must submit to NGC Awards Chair by January 15.	Award Application Form Rules, Procedure, Scale of Points
Publications (PUB)	1. Publications Distributed at least 3 Times a Year 2. Other Designated Publications	Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline. State Chair must submit to the NGC Awards Vice-Chair by January 15.	Application Procedure Award Application Form PUB-1 and 2 Scale of Points
Service And Recognition (SR)	1. Award of Distinguished Service 2. Citation for Distinguished Service 3. Member Award of Honor 4. Presidential Citation 5. NGC Awards for Major Non-Standard Flower Show Exhibits	These are non-standard awards with varying application processes. Review the category (SR) descriptions for details. For More about the Award of Honor, see the entry near the top of this Table of Awards.	SR-5 for Flower Show Exhibit Awards application must be requested from NGC headquarters 6 months in advance of the flower show.
Yearbooks (YB)	1. & 2. Single Club 3. & 4. Group of Clubs 5. State Garden Club 6. Judges, Councils, Consultants	Yearbooks for either the club or the calendar year. Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline State Awards Chair submits to Region Awards Chair by the Region Deadline. Region submits winner to NGC Awards Chair by March 30.	Application Procedure YB-1 and YB-2 Scale of Points YB-3 and YB-4 Scale of Points YB-5 Scale of Points YB-6 Scale of Points
Youth Awards (Y)	1. Youth Garden Club 2. Horticulture Achievement 3. High-School Gardeners 4. Youth Environmental Concern 5. Youth Outdoor Horticulture 6. High-School Student Project	Projects from January 1 through December 31. Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline. State Chair must submit to NGC Awards Chair by January 15.	Award Application Form Rules, Procedure, Scale of Points
Youth Related Awards (YR)	1. Youth Horticulture Education 2. Youth Environmental Education 3. Youth Individual Leadership Award	Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline. State Chair must submit to NGC Awards Chair by January 15.	Award Application Form Rules, Procedure, Scale of Points
Wildlife Gardening and Education (WG)	1. Public Education for Gardening for Wildlife 2. Public Wildlife Garden 3. Public Education by Junior Garden Club	Projects from January 1 through December 31. Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline. State Chair must submit to NGC Awards Chair by January 15.	Award Application Form Scale of Points and Application Rules

Award Category

Awards Included

Submission Process/Deadline

Forms

Award of Excellence

#23 - Award of Excellence for Non-members

#24 - Award for States

#25 - Award For Regions

January 1 deadline
Submit to the NGC Award of Excellence Chair

Award of Excellence Submission Requirements

Award of Excellence Application Form

Award of Honor for Members

Recognition of NGC members, whose volunteer efforts over five years have made an outstanding contribution in one or many of these areas:

Civic Development,
Conservation,
Design,
Horticultural Therapy,
Horticulture,
Landscape Design,
Youth Activities, or
All Around Excellence

Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline.
State Winner submitted to The Regional Awards Chair by February 1.
The Regional Chair sends to the NGC Member Award of Honor Chair by February 20.

Book of Evidence Format

Community

Service

(CS)

1. Community Gardens

2. Civic Achievement

3. Garden Center Achievement

4. Food Bank Donations

5. Special Civic Achievement

Projects from January 1 through December 31.
Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline.
State Chair must submit to NGC Awards Chair by January 15.

Award Application Form

Rules, Procedure, Scale of Points

CS-4 Scale of Points

Community Beautification

(CB)

1. Roadside Beautification

2. Community Beautification

Projects from January 1 through December 31.
Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline.
State Chair must submit to NGC Awards Chair by January 15.

Award Application Form

Rules, Procedure, Scale of Points

Environmental Concerns and Conservation

(RC)

1. Conservation Activities

2. Litter, Recycling, Reclamation

3. Conservation Education

4. Bird Protection

5. Pollinators

6. Water

7. Organic Gardening

Projects from January 1 through December 31.
Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline.
State Chair must submit to NGC Awards Chair by January 15.

Award Application Form

Rules, Procedure, Scale of Points

Floral Design

(FD)

1. Flower Arranger of the Year (Vision of Beauty Calendar)

2. Floral Design Program

Submit FD-1 to Calendar Awards Chair by SEPTEMBER 1, 2020 (extended this year)
Submit FD-2 to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline; State Chair must submit to NGC Awards Chair by January 15.

FD-1 Vision of Beauty Entry form

FD-2 Award Application Form

FD-2 Scale of Points

Flower Show Achievement Awards

All types of Club Standard, State, Youth and Specialty Shows are eligible if scored 95 or above by evaluation judges.

Click here for a List of Awards Available

See SR-5 below for major non-standard flower show exhibit awards.

Shows from Jan.1 through Dec. 31 are eligible each year.
Contact State or International Chair 6 weeks prior to the Flower Show to obtain evaluation judges.
If scored 95 or above, submit to NGC Flower Show Achievement Awards Chair by January 15.

Click here for a detailed Award checklist of how to apply.

Award Application Form

Show Data Form

Schedule Scale of Points

Award Evaluation/Scale of Points

Gardening

(G)

1. Container Gardening

2. Edible Gardening

3. Therapy Gardens

(See also Wildlife Gardening below)

Projects from January 1 through December 31.
Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline.
State Chair must submit to NGC Awards Chair by January 15.

Award Application Form

Container Scale of Points

Edible Garden Scale of Points

Therapy Garden Scale of Points, Rules and Procedures

Historic Preservation

(HP)

1. Historic Preservation Project/Garden

2. Decoration of a Historic Building

Projects from January 1 through December 31.
Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline.
State Chair must submit to NGC Awards Chair by January 15.

Award Application Form

Rules, Procedure, Scale of Points

Landscaping and Landscape Design

(L)

1. Blue Star Memorial Highway Marker

2. Blue Star or Gold Star Memorial Byway Marker

3. Blue Star or Gold Star Memorial Marker at a Civic Location

4. Community Landscape Design

5. Landscape Design

6. Landscape Design for Church Gardens

Projects from January 1 through December 31.
Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline.
State Chair must submit to NGC Awards Chair by January 15.

Award Application Form

Rules, Procedure, Scale of Points

Membership and Promotion

(MP)

1. Activities/Projects to Promote and Increase Membership

2. National Garden Week

3. Social Media/Website

4. Video/CD/DVD/Flash Drive

5. Radio and/or TV

6, 7 and 8. - calculated; no application

Projects from January 1 through December 31.
Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline.
State Chair must submit to NGC Awards Chair by January 15.

Award Application Form

MP-1 Scale of Points

MP-2 Scale of Points, NGC Standard

MP-3 Scale of Points

MP-4 and MP-5 Scale of Points

Native Plants and Wildflowers

(NPW)

1. Roadside Plantings

2. Civic Projects with Native Plants

3. Outdoor Classrooms, Nature Trails

Projects from January 1 through December 31.
Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline.
State Chair must submit to NGC Awards Chair by January 15.

Award Application Form

Rules, Procedure, Scale of Points

Publications

(PUB)

1. Publications Distributed at least 3 Times a Year

2. Other Designated Publications

Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline.
State Chair must submit to the NGC Awards Vice-Chair by January 15.

Application Procedure

Award Application Form

PUB-1 and 2 Scale of Points

Service And Recognition

(SR)

1. Award of Distinguished Service

2. Citation for Distinguished Service

3. Member Award of Honor

4. Presidential Citation

5. NGC Awards for Major Non-Standard Flower Show Exhibits

These are non-standard awards with varying application processes. Review the category (SR) descriptions for details.
For More about the Award of Honor, see the entry near the top of this Table of Awards.

SR-5 for Flower Show Exhibit Awards application must be requested from NGC headquarters 6 months in advance of the flower show.

Yearbooks

(YB)

1. & 2. Single Club

3. & 4. Group of Clubs

5. State Garden Club

6. Judges, Councils, Consultants

Yearbooks for either the club or the calendar year.
Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline
State Awards Chair submits to Region Awards Chair by the Region Deadline.
Region submits winner to NGC Awards Chair by March 30.

Application Procedure

YB-1 and YB-2 Scale of Points

YB-3 and YB-4 Scale of Points

1. Youth Garden Club

2. Horticulture Achievement

3. High-School Gardeners

4. Youth Environmental Concern

5. Youth Outdoor Horticulture

6. High-School Student Project

Projects from January 1 through December 31.
Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline.
State Chair must submit to NGC Awards Chair by January 15.

Award Application Form

Rules, Procedure, Scale of Points

Youth Related Awards

(YR)

1. Youth Horticulture Education

2. Youth Environmental Education

3. Youth Individual Leadership Award

Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline.
State Chair must submit to NGC Awards Chair by January 15.

Award Application Form

Rules, Procedure, Scale of Points

Wildlife Gardening and Education

(WG)

1. Public Education for Gardening for Wildlife

2. Public Wildlife Garden

3. Public Education by Junior Garden Club

Projects from January 1 through December 31.
Submit to State Awards Chair by the State Deadline.
State Chair must submit to NGC Awards Chair by January 15.

Award Application Form

Scale of Points and Application Rules

International Affiliates

For a list of IA Awards, click here.

What if my club project fits two different award categories?

You may apply for as many awards for which you think the project might be eligible. However, you must complete a separate application form for each award applied for, and strongly emphasize the aspects of the project that meet the criteria of that particular award.

Where should I send my Award Application?

For a list of contact information for most award submissions, click here.

Award of Excellence applications are submitted directly to the NGC Award of Excellence Chairman, Donna Rouch, as listed on the application form.

Any state, club, or individual desiring to sponsor the monetary portion of an available award may contact: NGC Awards Vice-Chairman, Debbie Cooper.

Sample Award Applications

NGC Award Application Sample

Flower Show Achievement Award - Sample Book of Evidence - Mississippi

Flower Show Achievement Award - Sample Book of Evidence - Maryland

For those preparing a Book of Evidence for Flower Show Achievement Awards it is recommended that you prepare it on CD/DVD format.

How to Determine Size Designation for Awards

For Member Garden Clubs, size is determined by the number of members for whom NGC and state dues are paid; this includes Active, Associate, Inactive, Honorary, and any other designation for which dues are paid. Sizes are:

i. Small Club: 29 members and under

ii. Medium Club: 30-59 members

iii. Large Club: 60-99 members

iv. Ex-Large Club: 100 members or more

v. A designation for groups of clubs, councils etc.

For States, applications size is determined by number of members for whom NGC dues are paid, including garden club members, Affiliates, State Life Members, etc. Sizes are:

i. Small State: 999 members and under

ii. Medium State: 1,000-2,999 members

iii. Large State: 3,000-7,999 members

iv. Ex-Large : 8,000 members or more