San Diego Floral Association
California Garden Magazine
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July/August 2020 Volume 111 No. 4
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In This Issue
SDFA NEWS
- Presidents' Message
- Contributing Authors
- SDFA News
- Book Review
FEATURES
- ROOTS Profile in History: John Burnham
- Kate Sessions Writes About… Choice Aloes
- Potatoes, Petunias, and Patriotism
- Victory Gardens:Then and Now
- Rosalie & Me
- Mastering Your Garden Matilija Poppies
- Herb of the YearTM 2020
- Now is the Time
- SDFA Affiliates
- July/August Gardening Events Calendar
- From the Archives of California Garden
Publication Staff
EXECUTIVE EDITOR - Francine Phillips
ASSOCIATE EDITOR - Nancy Carol Carter
CONTRIBUTORS
Carolyne Hultgren, Judy Kirsten, Yeymi Gallardo, Denise Thompson
ART DIRECTOR - Rachel Cobb
ADVERTISING - Kay Harry
EDITORIAL BOARD
John Blocker, Nancy Carol Carter, Thea Gurns, Kay Harry, Francine Phillips, Lee Somerville
Special Thanks Now is the Time contributors
Lisa Prindle, Membership Records
The first issue of California Garden magazine was printed in July of 1909.
The magazine specialized in information for growing plants in the San Diego area. It is the oldest horticulture magazine in continuous publication in the United States. Except for a brief two-year period, all writers, editors, and photographers have been volunteers, many of whom are well-known authorities in their fields.
Even though the organization was founded for beautification of San Diego, many people wanted to grow vegetables and fruits, so California Garden expanded to give advice on growing edible items. Today subscribers include readers in foreign countries with similar climatic conditions, as well as in colder areas of the United States, where the information is used for growing plants in greenhouses.
California Garden is the proud winner of a first place prize in the annual Excellence in Journalism Awards presented by the San Diego Press Club during an Oct. 24 ceremony in Balboa Park.
The professional organization is the third largest of its kind in the United States. More than 400 print, television and online journalists attended the event, now in its 39th year.
California Garden was honored in the trade publication category as the best association publication. Executive Editor Mary James accepted the award on behalf of SDFA, publishers of the magazine since 1909, and her California Garden colleagues, Associate Editors Nancy Carol Carter and Aenne Carver and Art Director Rachel Cobb.
Judges praised the magazine for its “variety of useful and fascinating information, from how you can get a free tree to when to prune your kiwi vines to how to take better photos of flowers. History, background, events – it seems as if this publication is a labor of love by many, many contributors and the love fairly glows on the pages.”
A freelance writer and editor, James also won first, second and third place awards for garden features that appeared in San Diego Home-Garden/Lifestyles magazine. She also took home second place honors for a design story also published in San Diego Home-Garden/Lifestyles.
A plaque celebrating the SDFA win is on display in its Balboa Park office, Room 105 of Casa del Prado.
Congratulations to all involved in producing the magazine, published six times a year and distributed to SDFA members. Included are Kay Harry, advertising director; Bonne Gebhardt, associate editor and copy editor; and Editorial Board members Amy Wood and John Blocker, author of “Growing Grounds.”
Mission: To promote the knowledge and appreciation of horticulture and floriculture in the San Diego region.