CIH Eastern Branch YHOY Regional Organiser Melanie Taylor has received a GardenComm Media Awards Silver Laurel Medal of Achievement for her garden writing for the second year running.
This international award presented by GardenComm: Garden Communicators International, recognises individuals and companies who achieve the highest levels of talent and professionalism in garden communications. The 2026 competition drew 146 entries from around the globe across 43 categories.
Melanie was one of four finalists in the magazine column consumer / trade category to earn the Silver Laurel Medal of Achievement for her monthly gardening column for Velvet Magazine and will now move forward to the Gold medal judging round at the end of August.
“The Silver Laurel Medal recipients represent the creativy, skill and professionalism that strengthen garden communications,” said Kathy Jentz, president of GardenComm. “Their work informs, inspires and connects audiences with gardening in meaningful ways, and we are proud to recognize their achievement.”
Speaking about her win, Melanie said, “It’s a privilege to be in the company of such distinguished global garden writers and communicators. My journey to this point began over 30 years ago, having trained as a journalist and enjoyed a rewarding career in PR, marketing and business change. In 2022, I took a leap of faith and left the tech sector to retrain in horticulture and garden design. I’m delighted at how my freelance garden writing career has blossomed since then.
I’ve been incredibly fortunate to explore stunning gardens and interview fascinating people from across our industry from passionate head gardeners, garden owners, and community nurseries to renowned garden designers and rising horticultural stars. I’m especially grateful to the team at Velvet Magazine and my CIH Eastern Branch colleagues for being so supportive of my garden writing journey.”
Melanie previously won two Silver Laurels in the 2025 awards and was a finalist in the Alan Titchmarsh New Talent of the Year Award at the 2024 Garden Media Guild Awards. She also designed a show garden at the Belvoir Castle Flower and Garden Show in 2023.
The full list of 2026 Silver Laurel winners are available at https://gardencomm.org/awards/2026-winners
For more information about the awards, contact Chris Sabbarese at info@gardencomm.org