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2026 GardenComm Laurel Media Awards

Easy Access 🔗s - AWARDS LOGIN | CATEGORIES | FEES


🎯 Early Bird Deadline: January 31, 2026 (Save up to $25 per entry!)  📅 Final Deadline: March 31, 2026. Review the entry guidelines below, then click AWARDS LOGIN to begin your submission.

 

2026 GardenComm Laurel Media Awards are now open!

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Join 30+ Years of Excellence in Garden Communications

GardenComm is the premier international organization for garden communicators. For more than 30 years, our media awards have recognized excellence across all platforms; Writing, Photography, Speaking, Digital Media, Broadcast Media, and Publishing.

This year's program features 43 categories for works primarily focused on horticulture and gardening topics. All individuals, trade, and publishers may enter. GardenComm membership is not required, however GardenComm membership does qualify entrants for discounted entry fees. Trade non-members also have a minimum of 4 entries, however there is no minimum for current Allied Trade Members.

Who Can Enter? Three Creator Types

There are three types of creators; Individual, Trade and Publisher. When you access the awards platform you will be guided to select the appropriate type and your membership status.

Individual

For freelancers and solo creators submitting their own work; books, articles, photography, podcasts, websites, speaking, judged for individual talent.

  • Eligible for all categories except Publisher
  • No minimum entries required for members and non-members
  • Both individual book authors and their publisher can submit the works in their respective categories.

Trade

For businesses, brands, agencies, and organizations submitting work produced for a product or service.

  • Eligible for all categories including Publisher
  • GardenComm Allied Trade Members: No minimum entries required
  • Trade Non-members: Minimum of 4 entries required
  • Smart Savings: Allied Trade membership eliminates the 4-entry minimum and saves you up to $100 per entry. Membership pays for itself with just 3-4 entries!

Publisher

For book, magazine, and newspaper publishers entering Publisher categories judged as overall products.

  • All printed products judged as overall products
  • No minimum number of entries required
  • Clear categories designed specifically for published works

The awards platform automatically displays only the categories you're qualified to enter based on your selections. You'll see exactly what's required for each entry and your total fees before submitting.

Submissions

Award entries should be submitted in electronic form, except for:

  • All BOOK and CALENDAR entries will need to send three (3) copies via Media Mail rate.
  • GardenComm will provide three (3) addresses where to send their copies following the completed submission.
  • If you are entering the same book or calendar in multiple categories, you are not required to send additional copies.


Eligibility

Only works first published and copyrighted between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025 are eligible for entry in the 2026 Media Awards.  These dates also apply to the SpeakING category. The official copyright date will determine eligibility and must clearly state “© 2025” on the material submitted.

You do not need to be a GardenComm member to enter. Any individual, trade or may enter. Entry fees will vary based upon the membership status and creator type. GardenComm reserves the right to determine an entry ineligible if it is inconsistent with the goals and objectives of the organization. Entrants who submit a work in the wrong category will be asked to move it to the correct one. There is a minimum of 4 entries required for Trade non-members and no minimum for GardenComm Allied trade members, levels 1-5.

Fees & Deadlines

  • See the awards fee charts here.
  • On the awards platform, you will select the type of entry, the time period you are entering, and your membership status. It will automatically calculate the proper fees with applicable discounts and the items required to submit in order to complete your entry(ies).
  • Submit more than 2 entries and receive $10 off each additional submission. The more you enter, the more you save!
  • All entries must be received and paid no later than March 31, 2026. Incomplete and unpaid entries will not be considered by judges.
  • Trade Non-Members, must submit a minimum of four (4) entries.

Judging

A jury of professionals, selected for their experience, expertise and genre perspective, will be assembled to evaluate all entries. [Judges may NOT judge categories in which they enter, or any entry made by anyone else that included the name and/or work of the judge. Judges are free to submit entries to categories where they are not judging. ]

  • All entries from the first round of judging that meet a total minimum score in the judging criteria will be eligible for Silver awards. 
  • The second round of judging, to determine the Gold awards, will include only Silver award-winning entries. 
  • Judges may provide feedback on individual entries however not they are not required.

Awards

Awards will be given at the following levels: Silver and Gold award winners representing the best of each artistic category. Silver Awards will be announced July 2026.

  • Winning entries will be presented at the Annual Awards & Honors Ceremony, during a GardenComm Gather & Grow Mega Connect event, the week of August 24, 2026 in Portland, OR.
  • Please plan to attend the Awards & Honors ceremony, where Silver and Gold winners will be announced.
  • If you win a Silver or Gold award, you must be present at the ceremony to receive the physical award(s).
  • GardenComm will provide winners with a digital copy of the certificate, with the option to pay an additional shipping fee for those who do not attend the ceremony and would like the physical award shipped to them.

Questions?

Contact GardenComm at info@gardencomm.org.