The 2026 Reader Garden Award runner-up is Shelly (Bell) Schnettler of Essexville, Michigan, a gardener whose lifelong passion for plants turned her home into a family gathering place and, eventually, a wedding venue for three of her children.
Schnettler grew up on her family’s century farm in Michigan, learning to drive farm equipment while most kids her age were still riding bikes. This early exposure to agriculture evolved into a deep love of gardening, and she earned local recognition and awards for her lively home over the years.
From Farm Equipment to Flower Beds
Her garden featured a mix of flowering shrubs, perennials and annuals that created a colorful backdrop for the ceremonies. One of the weddings is shown in a photo submitted with the award entry, the large flower bed framing the event.
The award comes from a national gardening magazine’s annual contest, which honors readers’ gardens. Schnettler’s entry was selected as runner-up for the 2026 cycle, with the winner to be announced in a future issue.
She died unexpectedly in November 2024, but her family says her love of plants continues to be felt in the community.
In her honor, the Bell Family Memorial Scholarship was established. Named Farm Girls for a Better Tomorrow, it provides financial support to young women pursuing agriculture through formal education, homesteading projects or community leadership. The scholarship aims to preserve farming traditions and champion regenerative practices for future generations.
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People who want to contribute can donate through the family’s estate website: bellfamilyfarmestate.com/donate
A Legacy Meant to Grow
The runner-up prize includes a pruning tools package valued at over $100, donated by Milwaukee Tool. The award organizers plan to announce more winners in their fall and winter issues.
Previous winners include a giving garden in Minnesota, a perennial-and-tree garden, a Southern backyard garden, and a hillside garden.
For Schnettler, the story was simple: she was born with a love for the land, and she passed it on. She was eagerly learning to drive farm equipment while most kids were riding bikes, the announcement notes. That early start led to a garden that became so special that three of her children chose it as their wedding location.
The garden grew into something bigger than a single season’s blooms. It became a place where life’s milestones happened, and where a family’s roots in the soil continued to hold strong.
