Rose Lover Photo Contest Winners Announced for 2023
By Jill Brooke
Garden roses are so lush and perfect for photography. This is why Alexandra Farms, one of the world’s most prolific growers of roses, started a Garden Rose Design Contest.
It’s been going on now for six years and here are the 2023 winners.
What do I observe as far as the winning choices? It is clear that the broken arch is still trending. It offers a more modern approach. The first-place winner had an arch with chunks of flowers leading into an arch. Even for the fully-formed arch, there were flowers bookending it and then a thin wood arch. So many creative opportunities.
As far as floral arrangements, I’m seeing a lot of lower-sitting vases reminiscent of Victorian times. The winners here also had examples of this trend that gives the experienced florist opportunities for movement and using a variety of gorgeous roses and greenery.
In each category, the Alexandra Farms’ first-place winner will receive an all-expense-paid trip for two to Alexandra Farms in Colombia. Second-place winners will receive 500 stems of garden roses and $500; third-place and Readers’ Choice winners will receive 250 stems of garden roses and $250.
Judges were Jose R. Azout, president of Alexandra Farms; Holly Heider Chapple, educator and owner of Holly Chapple Flowers and Hope Flower Farm and the founder of Chapel Designers; the team at David Austin Roses; and Jules Lewis Gibson, the dynamic president and creative director of Florists’ Review Media Group which includes Florists Review Magazine and Flora in London.
Designs were evaluated on several criteria, including how the garden roses were used, photo quality, and overall design aesthetic and composition. Judging was conducted anonymously, independently and confidentially. The Readers’ Choice Award winners were chosen in an anonymous and public online vote.
Entries were accepted in two categories: Wedding Work and Everyday Design, and hundreds of entries were submitted by designers from around the world.
Here are the winners. Furthermore flower lovers, why don’t you start your own contest with friends in creating flower contests and share with us on Instagram? Or use this idea to raise funds for a local charity. It’s a fun project and connects you more to flowers and their intrinsic beauty and healing powers.
The Winners
Wedding Work category
1st place: Taylor Doyle; The Floral Eclectic; Dallas, Texas, United States
Alexandra Farms garden rose varieties: Alabaster and Darcey (Auschariot)
Photographer: Opal & Onyx Photography
2nd place: Nancy Zimmerman; Fancy Florals By Nancy; Fairbury, Illinois, United States
Alexandra Farms garden rose varieties: Tess (Ausyacht), Darcey (Auschariot), Capability (Ausapply), Miranda (Ausimmon) and Princess Fairy Kiss Pink Spr
Photographer: Kristin Darling
3rd place: Janelle Gerestein; Flowers by Janie; Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Alexandra Farms garden rose varieties: Miyabi and Quicksand
Photographer: Justine Milton
Readers’ Choice: Cole Buys; CB Design; Cullman, Alabama, United States
Alexandra Farms garden rose varieties: Café Latte, Loli Spr, Princess Maya, Quicksand and Golden Mustard
Photographer: Kristen Thomison Photo
Everyday Design category
1st place: Alexa Howe; Lilly and Iris; Midville, Utah, United States
Alexandra Farms garden rose varieties: Beatrice (Auslevity), Café Latte, Sahara Sensation, Symbol, Westminster Abbey and Pink Piano
Photographer: Hannah Howe
2nd place: Amanda Rodgers; Bouquet Atlanta; Hiram, Georgia, United States
Alexandra Farms garden rose varieties: Miyabi, Miyabi Brown, Princess Maya and Wedding Rosever Spr
Photographer: Amanda Rodgers
3rd place: Susanne Slade Kelly; Stone’s Throw Floral; Houston, Texas, United States
Alexandra Farms garden rose varieties: Leonora (Auswagsy), Tsumugi, Café Latte and Sahara Sensation Spr
Photographer: Susanne Slade Kelly
Readers’ Choice: Katherine Taylor; Jubilee Flowers; Fairhope, Alabama, United States
Alexandra Farms garden rose varieties: Princess Aiko and Pink O’Hara
Photographer: Emily Songer
Jill Brooke is a former CNN correspondent, Post columnist and editor-in-chief of Avenue and Travel Savvy magazine. She is an author and the editorial director of FPD and a contributor to Florists Review magazine.