Mayor Kim Janey announced the winners of the 25th annual Mayor’s Garden Contest with a grand prize provided by JetBlue and prize packages donated by Mahoney’s Garden Centers. The Mayor’s Garden Contest recognizes gardeners who have landscaped, planted flowers, trees, shrubs, and, in the process, helped beautify Boston’s neighborhoods.
“I am proud to carry on Boston’s tradition of commemorating those who help keep our neighborhoods vibrant and inviting,” said Mayor Kim Janey. “I first learned the joys of gardening from my grandmother and have continued in my own community. This contest is a great way to affirm our city’s dedication to beautifying urban spaces, and plant a seed of interest in the next generation of gardeners.”
First place winners received the coveted “Golden Trowel” award from Mayor Janey while second and third place winners were awarded certificates. First place winners were entered into a drawing for a JetBlue Grand Prize consisting of roundtrip flights for two to any nonstop destination from Boston and also received a pair of tickets to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Gift certificates were provided by Mahoney’s Garden Centers to the top three winners in each category as well as the 2021 Hall of Fame winners.
This year’s winners:
Shade Garden
• First Place: Sally Reyering – Beacon Hill
• Second Place: Errol and Jan Uys – Dorchester
• Third Place: Christa Comeau – Back Bay
Vegetable or Herb Garden
• First Place: Sunny Ha – Brighton
• Second Place: Pasqualino Cerro – Hyde Park
• Third Place: Amina Shabani – Brighton
Medium Yard Garden
• First Place: Jessica von Ammon – Roxbury
• Second Place: Linda Sklar – Jamaica Plain
• Third Place: Carey Moffitt-Jenkins and John Jenkins – Allston
Small Yard Garden
• First Place: Julia Fairclough – Roslindale
• Second Place: Doug Gifford – South End
• Third Place: Jill Christians – South End
Large Yard Garden
• First Place: Stephen Smith and Richard Allsbrook – Roslindale
• Second Place: Amy Galblum – Roslindale
• Third Place: Michael Bresinski – West Roxbury
Storefront, Organization, or Main Street District Garden
• First Place: Carroll Thomas Funeral Home – Hyde Park
• Second Place: Friends of Christopher Columbus Park – North End
• Third Place: Fairmount Hill Neighborhood Association – Hyde Park
Porch, Balcony, or
Container Garden
• First Place: Alex and Stephanie Tsalagas – South End
• Second Place: Cindy Joyce – Back Bay
• Third Place: Bev Christians and Chris Hartmann – South End
Community Garden
• First Place: Craig and Kimberly McNulty – Fenway-Kenmore
• Second Place: John Ruiz – Fenway-Kenmore
• Third Place: Dionna Di Pierro and Steven Davy – Fenway-Kenmore
Age Strong Garden Category
• First Place: Janice Dunlevy – Dorchester
• Second Place: Maria Termini – Roslindale
• Third Place: Arlene Simon – Dorchester Gardeners who have won three or more times are automatically entered into the Hall of Fame and will be recognized at the awards ceremony. These distinguished Hall-of-Famers will be ineligible to enter as contestants but are welcome to return as judges. The 2021 Hall of Fame inductees are James Anderson, John Govoni and Dorothy Giarla, Miguel Rosales, and Julie Murphy