This contest is designed to recognize new, innovative, and novelty products for the home gardener. With the reach of NGB’s publicity, social media channels and email lists, we have a great opportunity to really promote the program winners to consumers.

NGB will award the Green Thumb Award to NGB members’ garden products that are unique, technologically innovative, solve a gardening problem, or provide a gardening opportunity and appeal to gardeners.

“Professional’s Choice” Winners will be chosen by a panel of industry professionals who are also NGB members.

“People’s Choice” Winners are those voted on by the gardening public.

All NGB members are invited to enter their products for those that will be readily available for consumers to purchase in the following year.

The Green Thumb Award recognizes outstanding new garden products providing a way to validate and promote those products to consumers.

Green Thumb Award Details:

• Submissions to the program include both live goods and hard goods that will be new to the consumer in the following year. The deadline is October 31.
• How to define “new”?
  1. New to the industry this calendar year and available to consumers for purchase next year (starting in January).
  2. For retailers submitting products, the item should still be new for your customers next year.
• Live goods include the following categories:
  1. Edibles
  2. Annuals
  3. Perennials
  4. Flowering Shrubs
  5. Houseplants
  6. (AAS will submit the National Winners for that year)
• Hard goods include the following categories:
  1. Garden Tools
  2. Garden Décor
  3. Garden Supplies
  4. Garden Books
  5. Other
• In the event a duplication occurs, NGB will contact the member to allow them to submit something different.
• No assessments or fees are collected for Winners.
• NGB membership is required during the year of promotion.

Promotions for Green Thumb Award recipients:

• A dedicated web page for all Green Thumb Award products that goes live in December
• Newswire release in January Press release to industry in January
• Press release to garden communicators in January
• Newsletter to consumers
• Free use of the Green Thumb logo
• Social media highlights
• Newsletter features
• Blog mentions
• Award Winners recognized at Cultivate

How to Enter:

• Photos are key and are what is used to evaluate entry. One photo per entry.
• A good description and explanation of what makes the product innovative are also key.
• Videos are optional but very helpful to evaluate entry.
• Online entry forms for all categories are below.
• Entries can be submitted from early August to October 31 of each year.

Member Submission Allowances:

• Platinum ($5,750) – a total of 4 new products in any category: hard goods, edible live goods & ornamental live goods
• Gold ($4,025) – a total of 3 new products in any category: hard goods, edible live goods & ornamental live goods
• Silver ($2,400) – a total of 2 new products in any category: hard goods, edible live goods & ornamental live goods.
• Sponsor ($1,200) – 1 new product in any category: hard goods, edible live goods & ornamental live goods.
• Member ($750) – limit of 1 product at a fee of $500