Vashon’s DIG Nursery has been part of Seattle’s annual Northwest Flower & Garden Show for the past 18 years, but the nursery’s owners celebrated a first last weekend when they won the Best in Show Exhibitor’s Award.

The show was likely the last for islanders Sylvia Matlock and her husband, Ross Johnson, who are in the process of trying to sell the nursery. It has been on the market since September.

“It was a nice way to cap our career,” Matlock said of the award which recognized her houseplant-themed pop-up shop. “I’ve done the show 18 years and we have won a lot of different awards. This is the first best in show, though.”

She said there were more than 300 exhibitors at the show this year ranging from gardeners and artists, to vintage collectors.

“Our catchphrase for our pop-up was ‘Till the sill,’” Matlock said. “We did succulents, hanging plants; a lot of houseplants are trending now on Instagram because millenials live in small apartments, but are interested in decorating their homes with green.”

The show requires at least two days of setup and requires plenty of hard work, but Matlock said she has never minded the work and hopes that whatever she and Johnson do next is just as rewarding.

“I think hard work is always going to be part of endeavors and adventures. The hard work doesn’t bother us too much because it has its rewards — from money to pride. We are so excited about a new adventure in our lives. It makes everything we do a little extra sweet,” she said.