2018 Mehlquist Award recipient Tom Christopher with Awards Chair Kathy Niver
This year’s winner of the coveted Mehlquist award is long-time CHS member Tom Christopher. Tom’s career in gardening really began in his mother’s garden under her fine tutelage. He further enhanced his knowledge at the New York Botanic Garden’s School of Professional Horticulture and then honed his craft as a horticulturist at the Olmsted Brothers designed estate on the Hudson River Palisades.
For more than 40 years Tom has been a horticulturist, author, speaker and a strong advocate for ecological practices – you could say “he wrote the book.” His long repertoire of titles includes “Water-Wise Gardening: America’s Backyard Revolution”. Published in 1994, this book was well ahead of its time and its message resonates even more strongly now in this era of climate change. His latest book “Garden Revolution: How Our Landscapes Can Be a Source of Environmental Change”, which he co-authored with Larry Weaner, is a 2017 winner of the American Horticultural Society’s book awards. In addition to the many gardening books he has authored, Tom is a prolific garden journalist, with articles in several renowned publications including, the “New York Times,” “Horticulture” magazine, “House and Garden,” “Country Living,” “Better Homes and Garden” and “Martha Stewart Living.”
Congratulations, Tom!