- Author: Skylar Peters
In the 2023 UC Master Gardener Photo Contest, the diverse talents of UC Master Gardeners from across the state were vividly displayed. From delving deep into the richness of the soil and crafting native landscape paradises to nurturing our communities, it was fun to witness the perspectives through which they view the garden This year, the contest drew 822 incredible submissions, garnering thousands of votes, With great excitement, we present the first, second, and third-place winners from each category.
Lovely Landscapes:
1st Place "Lovely Old Japanese Maple" by Michele Rugo, Nevada County
2nd Place "Along the Garden Path" by Mary Smith, Fresno County
3rd Place "Native Plants Are Beautiful" by Lisa Stahr, Sonoma County
Garden Lessons:
1st Place "I love soil!" by Yolanda Silva, Alameda County
2nd Place "Monarch Caterpillar on Milkweed" by Donna Hauser, El Dorado County
3rd Place "How Many Pollinators Can You Find?" by Cynda Vyas, Marin County
Get Growing:
1st Place "Looking for a snack/The perfect seed pod" by Vincent Mcgrath, San Diego County
2nd Place "Costa's Hummingbird and California Hummingbird Sage" by Daniel Horner, Mariposa County
3rd Place "Early Morning Dew" by Cadence Baron, San Diego County
Garden Fails:
1st Place "Darn Rabbit!" by Judy Hobbs, El Dorado County
2nd Place "Armeria Maritima, Odie's Favorite Plant" by Diana Blasingame, Sacramento County
3rd Place "This garlic crop is mine, all mine" by Kathy Hellesen, Sacramento County
Garden Bounty:
1st Place "And the land keeps giving" by Yana Maloney, San Mateo - San Francisco Counties
2nd Place "The harvest has started" by Kim Evans, Placer County
3rd Place "Summer Backyard Bounty" by Michele Rugo, Nevada County
Vote for the "Gardener's Choice" Award
As we celebrate all of our talented photographers, there's one more opportunity to vote! The “Gardener's Choice” award is for the favorite among the first-place winners across all categories. It's an opportunity to select the top gem from the five first-place winners. We invite everyone to participate in this final voting phase, helping us crown the standout image. Cast your vote and be a part of selecting the "Gardener's Choice!" Voting is open from Sept. 16 - Oct. 5, the “Gardener's Choice” winner will be announced at the closing plenary session at the 2023 UC Master Gardener Conference.
- Author: Skylar Peters
The summer of 2023 brought a burst of creativity within the UC Master Gardener Program, as volunteers across California have submitted their best shots to this year's Photo Contest. The photo contest offered a fun opportunity for UC Master Gardeners to showcase their photography skills and gardening adventures.
This year's submissions have been truly spectacular! They've unveiled vibrant harvests, comedic garden mishaps, backyard visitors, and a trove of other gardening memories that encapsulate the rewarding nature of gardening.
Now, it's time for you to play a part. After careful selection of 20 finalists for each category, we ask you to vote and help us select the winners.
Vote for your favorite photo submission here: https://m.shortstack.page/nRCjrx
Once you've chosen those photos that catch your eye, spread the word on social media and encourage your friends and family to cast their votes!
We are extremely grateful to each participant for sharing their artistry and garden with us. Congratulations and good luck to each semi-finalist, and let the voting begin! Voting closes Friday, September 15 at 12 p.m. PST, so make sure to cast your vote before then. (Finalists are listed below in no specific order.)
Get Growing Finalists: 
Garden Lessons Finalists: 
Lovely Landscaping Finalists: 
Garden Fails Finalists: 
Garden Bounty Finalists: 
