Mayor Michelle Wu recently announced the winners of the 26^th 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

Large Yard Garden

1. Nancy Kressin - West Roxbury

2. Michael Bresinski - West Roxbury

3. Kevin McKenna - Roslindale

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

2022 Hall of Fame Inductees 

Errol and Jan Uys - Dorchester

Pasqualino Cerro - Hyde Park 

Stephen Smith & Richard Allsbrook - Roslindale

Amy Galblum - Roslindale

Craig and Kimberly McNulty - Fenway/Kenmore

Janice Dunlevy - Dorchester

 

Vegetable or Herb Garden 1st place Shanti D’Souza - Brighton

Age Strong Garden Category 1st place Wm. Ernest Garneau - West Roxbury

Medium Yard Garden 1st place Sandra Jordan & Robert Monahan - Jamaica Plain 

Small Yard Garden 1st place Ian Shields - East Boston

Large Yard Garden 1st place Nancy Kressin - West Roxbury

Shade Garden 1st place Dave Connolly - East Boston

Storefront, Organization, or Main Street District Garden 1st place Four Corners Main Streets - Dorchester

Porch, Balcony, or Container Garden 1st place Alex & Stephanie Tsalagas - South End

Community Garden 1st place Steven Davy and Dionna Di Pierro - Fenway Victory Garden