America In Bloom Announces Winners

America in Bloom recognized eight groups last month for earning the highest marks out of all contestants in all population categories.

The Criteria Award winners are:

• Ball Horticultural Company Floral Displays Award (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.)
• Project Evergreen Landscaped Areas Award (Beloit, Wis.)
• American Horticulture Society Community Involvement Award (Kirkwood, Miss.)
• The Scotts Co. Turf & Groundcover Areas Award (Peoria, Ariz.)
• Gardens Alive! Environmental Awareness Award (Red Wing, Minn.)
• Lesco/John Deere Landscapes Tidiness Award (Greendale, Ind.)
• J. Frank Schmidt & Son Company Urban Forestry Award (Ithaca, N.Y.)
• Meister Media Worldwide Heritage Preservation (Norwich, Conn.)

Thirty communities from all regions of the country participated in the sixth edition of American in Bloom. This year's population-category winners are:

• Frankenmuth, Mich. (5,000 or less)
• St. Clairsville, Ohio ( 5,001-10,000)
• Buffalo, Minn. (10,001-15,000)
• Red Wing, Minn. (15,001-25,000)
• Beloit, Wis. (25,001-50,000)
• Ocala, Fla. (50,001-100,000)
• Rockford, Ill. (100,001-300,000)

For more information, visit www.americainbloom.org.