AWARDS
The Worcester County Horticultural Society’s Awards recognize and celebrate horticultural contributions made by professionals, amateurs, and community groups throughout New England. Our Community Greening Awards honor the efforts of individuals and groups to improve their communities. The Silver Medal, Cary Award, and Alice Milton Award for Excellence in Horticulture Design celebrate a lifetime commitment to the mission of the Worcester County Horticultural Society, or excellence in horticulture or design. Two awards, the Annual Volunteer Award, and the Distinguished Service Award, honor the countless contributions of WCHS volunteers. Each award is described below. Nominations for Community Greening Awards are welcomed annually; nominations for individual awards are solicited from WCHS trustees and horticultural professionals. Learn more about our Annual Meeting here.
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The Alice Milton Award is presented to a person for a lifetime achievement of excellence in horticulture design. Nominations will be solicited from the professional horticulture community and selected by the Awards Committee. Recipients will receive a monetary award and a certificate of recognition, and will be invited to serve as guest speaker at the Annual Meeting. The Alice Milton Award will be presented every other year on alternate years with the Cary Award.
2026 AWARDEE
Toby Wolf
Toby Wolf was an influential landscape architect who focused on creating authentic, welcoming, and vibrant spaces. Before moving out on his own with Wolf Landscape Architecture, he built an environmental portfolio with the Halvorson Design Partnership in Boston, MA, where he left his legacy in parks and greenspaces. His blend of botanic understanding, respect for how humans relate to their environments and straightforward vision of the beautiful created such recognized spaces as the Weiss Manfredi’s Overlook at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Bioswale at the Cornell Botanic Gardens. Toby served on the board of the Ecological Landscape Alliance from 2011-2020, and is remembered for his steady, warm-hearted leadership. (Awarded posthumously)
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Presented to volunteers who have demonstrated outstanding service to WCHS. Nominations will come from staff and will be reviewed and chosen by the Awards Committee in conjunction with the Volunteer Coordinator. Recipients of these awards will be honored at the Annual Meeting. Recipients will receive a certificate of appreciation and lunch with the CEO.
2026 AWARDEES
Barbara Rolfes & Ann Verhage
Barbara joined the Garden as a member in 1996, followed by Ann in 1998. These two neighbors met while walking their dogs in Northborough and quickly became friends. In 2014, they began volunteering at the Garden within a few weeks of each other. Since 2022, Barbara has contributed 246 volunteer hours and Ann 278. Over the years they have taken on many jobs including leading children’s activities, misting orchids, and representing the Garden at membership events. Today, they continue to make a difference behind the scenes by preparing membership mailings, assembling materials for Youth Education activities, and keeping the Garden Exploration Backpack program running smoothly.
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Each year, up to four individuals or organizations, one from each of the following categories, receive a one-year membership to New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, a Certificate of Greening, professional hand pruners, and recognition at our Annual Meeting in June.
Learn more about Community Greening Awards.
2026 AWARDEES
The CARE Garden at Murrayfield
Hilltowns CARE (Compassion, Action, Respect, Empathy), a grassroots community group in Huntington, MA, had a desire: to create a beautiful place where community members could collaborate on creative ideas, nature education, and appreciation of plants. They mobilized support from the Town, local businesses, funding partners, neighbors, and friends to make it happen. Established on unused space outside the Huntington Library, the CARE Garden at Murrayfield features seven accessible raised beds. Designed in a circle, the garden space invites gathering, skill-sharing, and connecting—perfect for the many programs Hilltowns CARE plans for the future.
Hopkinton Senior Center
The Hopkinton Senior Center Garden Club makes the most of unused space to bring fresh, healthy food to its members. Garden Club volunteers maintain a vegetable garden, herb garden, and tomato garden. Produce is harvested weekly and used in the senior center kitchen for soups, salads, and more. Throughout the season, surplus vegetables are given to seniors to use at home. Not only does this project help the senior center keep meal costs and fees down, but it also helps seniors reduce their grocery spending and gain better access to fresh vegetables.
Lunenburg Community Pollinator Habitat
This 2-acre garden space packs in pollinator resources. Planted and maintained by volunteers, it includes several hundred types of native plants chosen for their ability to provide nectar, pollen, and habitat to a diverse array of pollinators. A well-researched and developed design nurtures whole plant communities and exemplifies what modern pollinator gardening is all about. The garden also features water totes, a stormwater management system, and deer fencing. Additionally, the space hosts educational programs and events and has an on-site kiosk with maps that help visitors learn more about pollinator habitats.
Storybook Garden at the Northborough Free Library
This educational garden connects literacy and nature. As part of the project, library visitors can explore five grow bags, each themed around a children’s storybook. The plants in each bag align with the theme of the book, reinforcing the library’s literacy mission while also encouraging curiosity about the natural world. The physical garden, which transforms a previously unused space by the library’s entrance, is complemented by a Storybook Garden Club. Through this program, children explore science and nature with a combination of indoor learning and hands-on experiences in and around the garden.
University of New Hampshire College of Life Sciences and Agriculture Community Garden
Operated by Farm To You NH, a sustainable agriculture program for undergraduate students at UNH, this community garden was established to meet a variety of needs. It supports students in the summer months, creating opportunities to connect. It also engages the local community, providing healthy, affordable, organic whole foods for individuals, families, and households who have limited access to gardening resources. Over 30 gardeners maintain 24 raised beds. Coming together to garden has also inspired activities like nature walks, pot-luck dinners, and solstice celebrations that extend the garden’s mission further into the community.
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Awarded as part of the Worcester Regional Science and Engineering Fair, the New England Botanic Garden Plant Science and Sustainability Award recognizes student projects that use plant science to address questions about ecosystems, agriculture, climate resilience, or sustainable use of land and resources.
2026 AWARDEES
Britha Abunga, Anna Platek & Evan St. George
Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School
Their project, Cracking the Code: Enhancing Fruit Life by Identifying the Enemies of Freshness, sought to help address global hunger through better methods for the preservation of fresh fruits and vegetables.
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The Emeriti Trustee designation is awarded to former Trustees who have demonstrated exceptional service, including at least six years of active engagement, consistent philanthropic support, and ongoing interest in the Garden’s mission to connect people and plants.
2026 AWARDEES
Patricia Bigelow
Pat Bigelow joined the WCHS Board of Trustees in 2002 and up until 2025 served six terms. As a member of the Children’s Garden Committee, she played an essential role in shaping The Ramble. She continues to support the Garden through committee service as well as in-kind plant donations.
John Lee
John Lee served the Garden as a Trustee from 2008 through 2022 and continues to serve as a member of the Awards Committee. Devoted to agriculture and sustainability, John played an influential role in helping the Garden secure funds to expand the Vegetable Garden. John is also a valued member of the Perennial Society.
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The Cary Award, named in honor of Shrewsbury plantsman Ed Cary, is presented to a person for demonstrated excellence in the varied field of horticulture. Recipients have an established reputation as educators, landscape professionals, plant breeders, nursery professionals, or horticulture researchers, with a special emphasis on sustainable horticulture.
The Cary Award has a long history with the Worcester County Horticultural Society, but it didn’t always honor people. For roughly two decades, the region’s top horticulturists convened to name an annual Cary Award winning plant—outstanding trees, shrubs, and perennials that are well-suited to New England gardens. In 2020, WCHS made a significant shift in the focus of the Cary Award, aiming to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of individuals in the field of horticulture. Now this top honor is given to people who have dedicated their careers to advancing the art and science of horticulture. The Cary Award Selection Committee named its first honoree in 2023.
Cary Award Winning Plants
From 1997-2019, the Cary Award highlighted landscape plants with proven performance across New England. All plants chosen share key qualities that make them outstanding plants for New England gardens. They are reliably hardy to Zone 4, they have exceptional pest and disease resistance, they are adaptable to a range of cultural conditions, and they are generally available for home gardeners and landscape professionals to purchase from local garden centers and nurseries. Click here for the complete list of Cary Award-winning plants.
Cary Award Selection & Nominations
Cary Award nominations will be solicited from the professional horticulture community and selected by the Cary Award Committee. Recipients will receive a monetary award and a certificate of recognition and will be invited to serve as guest speaker at the Annual Meeting. The Cary Award will be presented every other year on alternate years with the Alice B. Milton Award.
Not awarded in 2026.
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This award recognizes volunteers who have contributed at least 10 years and 2,000 hours of service to WCHS. Recipients of these awards will be honored at the Annual Meeting. Recipients will receive a certificate of appreciation and a nameplate with their name on it will be hung on the Distinguished Service Award for Volunteer plaque which is located to the right of the Limonaia entrance. This award will be given as volunteers reach the 10 year, 2,000 hours of service goals.
Not awarded in 2026.
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A distinguished title awarded to former trustees or exceptional individuals whose contributions are honored for their lasting impact on WCHS.
Not awarded in 2026.
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The Silver Medal is presented to a person or affiliate who has demonstrated exceptional service to the Worcester County Horticultural Society over many years. Nominations are made each year by the Awards Committee and passed on to the Governance Committee to be presented and voted on by the Board of Trustees. Silver Medal recipients will be recognized at the WCHS annual meeting.
Not awarded in 2026.