Who was Alfred Campbell of the Alfred M. Campbell Memorial Trophy awarded at the Philadelphia Flower Show?
Answer
Alfred Munro Campbell (1882-1981) was one of the original Incorporators of Flower Show, Inc. The Alfred M. Campbell Wholesale Florist Company was one of the largest flower-growing operations on the East Coast and it was later known as Campbell & Son Nursery and Greenhouse or Campbell & Son Florist Co. and located in Strafford, PA.
While he grew hydrangeas, roses, and carnations among other flowers, he was known for his hydrangeas, as shown in this 1939 Flower Show exhibit. He was an avid horseman who was involved with the Devon Horse Show for years.
The Alfred M. Campbell Memorial Trophy at the Philadelphia Flower Show was established by Campbell’s son, Alfred M. Campbell, Jr. While it is today given to an outstanding educational exhibit, that was not always the case. For example, major landscape exhibitor Stoney Bank Nurseries won it in 1997.