Media Contact
Christel Morat
McKee Botanical Garden
350 US Highway 1
Vero Beach, FL 32962
772.794.0601 Ext 109
cmorat@mckeegarden.org
McKee Botanical Garden 21st Annual Waterlily Celebration
Saturday, June 13, 2026 – Event Recap
The ponds and winding waterways of McKee Botanical Garden were once again filled with visitors celebrating one of Florida’s most beloved aquatic traditions during the 21st Annual Waterlily Celebration on Saturday, June 13. Home to one of the state’s largest and most celebrated collections of waterlilies, McKee has welcomed the community each June for more than two decades to experience these spectacular blooms during their peak flowering season. As the Garden commemorates the 25th anniversary of its reopening this year, many of the waterlilies flourishing throughout McKee’s iconic watery maze remain part of a living collection that has been continuously growing since the inaugural Waterlily Celebration.
The 21st Annual Waterlily Celebration also provided an opportunity to honor these botanical treasures through the lens of photography. More than 40 entries were submitted and judged by accomplished photographers Pat Rice and Denise Ritchie, who selected winning images in the Color, Black & White, and Manipulated categories. A special Youth division encouraged younger artists to participate, while visitors attending the event cast their votes for the coveted People’s Choice Award.
The resulting collection was displayed in the Historic Hall of Giants surrounding “The Board,” creating a stunning showcase of McKee’s summer stars and the artistic talent inspired by them.
Photography Contest Winners
COLOR
1st Place – Leslie Greenwood, “Summer Breeze”
2nd Place – Jennifer Jones, “Reflective Grace”
3rd Place – Tina Baxter-Conway, “For the Love of Lilies”
Honorable Mention – Kenneth Audette, “Sunshine Water Lily”
BLACK & WHITE
1st Place – Tim Hinkle Jr., “Old Garden Delight”
2nd Place – Ray McTeague, “Simply Elegant”
3rd Place – Deborah Doering, “Raindrop”
Honorable Mention – Teresa Milanese, “Serene Bloom”
MANIPULATED
1st Place – Tim Hinkle Jr., “Swirl of Wonder”
2nd Place – Chs Guerrieri, “Spider and the Fly”
3rd Place – Roberto Razo, “Morning Stretch”
Honorable Mention – Teresa Milanese, “Midnight Beauty”
YOUTH
1st Place – Liam Blum, “…Closest”
Honorable Mention – Lily Blum, “Ultra Violet”
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD
A Tie!
Deborah Doering, “Glow”
Ann-Lynn Rutledge, “Gilded Radiance”
McKee Botanical Garden extends its congratulations to all participants and winners, whose photographs captured the beauty, serenity, and wonder of one of the Garden’s most treasured living collections.
