All-America Selections Honors Two Industry Achievers

Jennifer Zurko

All-America Selections recently honored two iconic journalists with the AAS Medallion of Honor at the annual AAS/NGB Awards Banquet. This year’s banquet was held at Cantigny Park and Gardens in Wheaton, Illinois, one of the 200 AAS Display Gardens across North America.

The AAS/NGB Awards Banquet is a time-honored celebration where industry representatives, judges, breeders, growers, retailers and resellers gathered for the annual AAS and NGB Summer Summit. This year’s event was held for the first-time ever in conjunction with the annual PPA symposium.

The prestigious AAS Medallion of Honor is typically presented to one individual who has given a lifelong dedication to the advancement of horticulture and contribution in raising the visibility of AAS Winners. AAS announced, that for the first time ever, the 2019 Medallion of Honor was given to not just one, but two recipients who also just happen to be husband and wife: Doug Jimerson and Karen Weir-Jimerson.  

Doug started his career at Better Homes & Gardens in 1976 and worked his way up to executive garden editor, serving that publication for more than three decades. As a freelance writer, Karen is the author of countless magazine stories and books, including 15 in the Better Homes & Gardens brand. Together, they established the first Better Home & Gardens Test Garden at their family farm outside Des Moines, Iowa. That garden is now located at the Meredith headquarters in downtown Des Moines.

The Jimerson home and garden became a gathering place for other editors and writers to grow, photograph and observe new varieties—especially the AAS award-winning plants. Doug and Karen were the editorial force of Garden.com, one of the first gardening e-commerce businesses in the 1990s, where they frequently wrote about and sold AAS Winners. Doug and Karen are continuing their writing work via Studio G, a creative agency they formed that specializes in garden, pet and food editorial.

AAS, the breeders, judges, board of directors and all the companies they represent, proudly salute two industry achievers who humbly and quietly have done so much for the industry, including the promotion of AAS Winners.

For more information about AAS, the winners, awards and Board of Directors, contact Diane Blazek at (630) 963-0770. GT