The Kathryn S. Taylor Award for Private Gardens is given to a privately owned garden of any size displaying significant use of wildflowers and other temperate North American native plants.  The 2008 award is given to Ken Cleaves’ Garden “Shleppinghurst”, Lincolnville, ME, for outstanding transformation of a former quarry into a picturesque, lovingly maintained sanctuary, using hardy native plants in traditional and unusual ways that artfully blend into the surroundings. Cleaves achieved this transformation of his 33-acre property over a 27 year period.  He has created three acres of year-round, picturesque gardens featuring many hardy plants, while preserving the topographical features and extensive bio-diversity of the rest of the site.

Judges visits were scheduled to review the site for this award.