cityofboston.gov

The Boston Parks and Recreation Department has announced the winners of Mayor Menino’s 2012 Garden Contest presented in partnership with sponsors Comcast and the Boston Herald.

Launched 16 years ago as part of Mayor Thomas M. Menino’s citywide beautification initiative, the contest recognizes gardeners who have landscaped, planted flowers, trees, and shrubs, and, in the process, helped beautify Boston’s neighborhoods. First place winners in ten categories will receive the “Golden Trowel” award from Mayor Menino and prize packages from the Parks Department, the Boston Flower & Garden Show, Boston Organics, Comcast, Mahoney’s Garden Centers of Brighton, Metro Credit Union, and other sponsors at an awards ceremony being held on August 28 at 5:30 p.m. in the Public Garden. 

All first, second, and third-place winners in this year’s Garden Contest will also be entered into a drawing for a JetBlue Grand Prize consisting of a trip for four to the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival in spring 2013 in Orlando, FL.  The trip includes airfare and a three-night stay with admission to the Epcot Theme Park, which hosts the International Flower & Garden Festival each year.

Beginning this year, the Garden Contest created a Hall of Fame to honor those participants who have won three or more times in the last ten years.  Gardeners who have won three or more times in the last ten years will be automatically entered into the Hall of Fame and will be recognized at the awards ceremony.  Starting in 2013, the Hall of Fame members will be ineligible to enter as contestants but are welcome to return as judges.

This year’s winners are:

Small Yard Garden

First Place - Liz Yonda, East Boston

Second Place - Lawrence Hancock, East Boston

Third Place - Richard O'Conner, Charlestown

Medium Yard Garden

First Place - Gerald Brown, Dorchester

Second Place - Alex Galan, Dorchester

Third Place - Ric Thomas, Dorchester

Large Yard Garden

First Place - Sarah Salerno Thomas, Hyde Park

Second Place - Domenic Accetta, Dorchester

Third Place - Walter Janulewicz and Tim Otte, Jamaica Plain

Porch, Balcony, Deck or Window Box Garden

First Place - Kimberly Roberts, East Boston

Second Place - Kim Reiser and Peter Dutchka, Brighton

Third Place (tie) - Jamie Day, Jamaica Plain; Lance Swank, Dorchester

Shade Garden

First Place (tie) - Rodney Singleton, Roxbury; Diane Carter Duggan, Roslindale

Second Place - Timothy Kinte Smith, Roslindale

Vegetable or Herb Garden

First Place (tie) - Alessandro Ferzoco, Roslindale; Joseph DeLuca, Hyde Park

Second Place - Frank and Deb Russell, South Boston

Third Place - Linh Aven, South End

Senior Garden

First Place - Myrna Balk, Jamaica Plain

Second Place - Armando Lombardi, Allston

Third Place - Gary and Carol Chaffee, West Roxbury

Storefront, Business or Organization Garden

First Place - Timothy Haynes, Blade Barber Shop, South End

Second Place - William Gleason, West Broadway Neighborhood Association, South Boston

Third Place - Irene Walczak, Fairmount Hill Neighborhood Association, Hyde Park

Community Garden

First Place (tie) - John Marino, Berkeley Community Gardens, South End; Edward DeBortoli and Ken Averett, Dorchester

Second Place - Phoebe Flemming and Corinne Jager, South Boston Grows, South Boston

Third Place - Caroline Gelinas; Symphony Road Community Garden; Back Bay

Main Street District Category

First Place - Stephanie Cave, Roslindale Village Courtyard, Roslindale

Second Place - Christopher Douglas, Ashmont Grill, Dorchester

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