Known as Mr. Texas Wildflower, Carroll Abbott was a man of many talents who gave up active newspaper and political publicist careers to devote his full time and energy to promoting the propagation of wildflowers. He helped found the Native Plant Society of Texas and was successful in steering a bill through the Texas Legislature in 1981 making the fourth Saturday in April Texas Wildflower Day. Through his Green Horizons Nursery in Kerrville, he encouraged Texans to use wildflowers in the applications that have become common today.

Award Recipients

1989	Marshall Enquist, for the book Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country
1990	Sally Wasowski and Andy Wasowski, for the book Native Texas Plants - Landscaping Region by Region
1991	Paul W. Cox and Patty Leslie, for the book Texas Trees - A Friendly Guide
1992	Delena Tull, for the book Edible and Useful Plants of Texas and the Southwest - A Practical Guide
1993	Geyata Ajilvsgi, for the book Butterfly Gardening for the South
1994	Zoe Merriman Kirkpatrick, for the book Wildflowers of the Western Plains
1995	Judy Mielke, for the book Native Plants for Southwestern Landscapes
1996	Judith Phillips, for the books Natural by Design and Plants for Natural Gardens
1997	James H. Everitt and D. Lynn Drawe, for the book Trees, Shrubs, & Cacti of South Texas
1998	John and Gloria Tveten, for the book Wildflowers of Houston
1999	Richard B. Taylor, Jimmy Rutledge, and Joe G. Herrera, for the book A Field Guide to Common South Texas Shrubs
2000	Arturo Longoria, for the book Adios to the Brushlands
2001	Jill Nokes, for the book How to Grow Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest, Revised and Updated Edition
2002	Alfred Richardson, for the book Wildflowers and Other Plants of Texas Beaches and Islands
2003	Ruth Ginsberg, for the book Lloyd Herbert Shinners: By Himself
2004	Noreen Damude and Kelly Conrad Bender, for the book Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife
2005	Richard V. Francaviglia, for the book The Cast Iron Forest
2006	Geyata Ajilvsgi, for the book Wildflowers of Texas, Revised Edition
2007	Matt White, for the book Prairie Time: A Blackland Portrait
2008	Dr. Charles M. Allen, Ph.D., Dawn Allen Newman, M.S., and Dr. Harry Winters, M.D., for the book Grasses of Louisiana, 3rd Ed.