Mayor Michelle Wu today announced the winners of the 26th annual Mayor’s Garden Contest with a grand prize provided by JetBlue, prize packages donated by Mahoney’s Garden Centers, and additional support from in-kind sponsor Polar Beverages. The Mayor’s Garden Contest recognizes gardeners who have landscaped, planted flowers, trees, shrubs, and, in the process, helped beautify Boston’s neighborhoods.
First place winners received the coveted “Golden Trowel” award from Mayor Wu in a ceremony held August 15 in the Boston Public Garden while second and third place winners were awarded certificates. Gardeners who have won three or more times in the last ten years were automatically entered into the Hall of Fame. These distinguished Hall-of-Famers are no longer eligible to enter as contestants but are invited to return as judges.
First place winners were also entered into a drawing for a JetBlue Grand Prize consisting of roundtrip flights for two to any nonstop destination from Boston and received a pair of tickets to the Harvard Museums of Science and Culture. In addition, Mahoney’s Garden Centers provided gardener’s gift bags to the top three winners in each category, as well as gift certificates for the 2022 Hall of Fame winners.
This year’s winners:
Age Strong Garden Category
1. Wm. Ernest Garneau – West Roxbury
2. Yolanda Palin – Roslindale
3. Patricia Kelley – Charlestown
Shade Garden
1. Dave Connolly – East Boston
2. Sally Reyering – Beacon Hill
3. Tess Cunard – Fenway/Kenmore
Vegetable or Herb Garden
1. Shanti D’Souza – Brighton
2. Osarumese Okoh – Roxbury
3. Jennifer Taub – Jamaica Plain
Small Yard Garden
1. Ian Shields – East Boston
2. Julia Fairclough – Roslindale
3. Jessica Grace Brooks – East Boston
Medium Yard Garden
1. Sandra Jordan & Robert Monahan – Jamaica Plain
2. Linda Sklar – Jamaica Plain
3. Tony Lyons – East Boston
Storefront, Organization, or Main Street District Garden
1. Four Corners Main Streets – Dorchester
2. Chilcot Granada Community Garden – Roxbury
3. J. Grady Home – Beacon Hill
Porch, Balcony, or Container Garden
1. Alex & Stephanie Tsalagas – South End
2. Beverly Christians and Chris Hartmann – South End
3. Paul Belanger – West End
Community Garden
1. Steven Davy and Dionna Di Pierro – Fenway Victory Garden
2. John Ruiz – Fenway Victory Garden
3. Ellen Bowers – Fenway Victory Garden