Awards Banquet

Each year we select an outstanding individual to honor as Horticulturist of the Year, and an Awards Banquet is held in their honor. Past banquets have been at Descanso Gardens in La Canada-Flintridge and, more recently, at the Huntington Botanical Gardens in San Marino.

 

Horticulturist of the Year 2012

Richard Turner

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Huntington Botanical Gardens, Botanical Center, San Marino, CA

Annual Award Banquet honoring Richard Turner, retiring editor of Pacific Horticulture magazine, as the 2012 Horticulturist of the Year at the Huntington Botanical Gardens.

Dinner, silent auction, and a special presentation from Richard Turner, The Accidental Editor.

Originally hailing from Detroit, Michigan, Richard Turner fled to California after receiving degrees in architecture and landscape architecture from the University of Michigan. He served as education director at Strybing Arboretum, director of the San Francisco Garden Show and executive director of the Ruth Bancroft Garden after shepherding it through preservation by the Garden Conservancy. Dick had served on the board of directors of the Pacific Horticultural Foundation in the 1980s and returned to the organization as editor of Pacific Horticulture in 1997. During his 15-year tenure, he cheerfully and tirelessly promoted its mission to promote the art and science of gardening and continued its tradition as one of the horticultural world’s finest periodicals. Well-known not only on the West Coast but far beyond, Dick has lectured, led tours worldwide, spearheaded educational programs such as Gardening Under Mediterranean Skies and edited several books. Dick retired in March 2012 and now enjoys more time to tend his San Francisco garden and continue his travels.