Green-thumbed Bostonians are in for a treat as Mayor Wu announced the 2023 winners of the Mayor's Garden Contest. The contest aims to recognize diligent gardeners who have contributed to neighborhood beautification by landscaping, planting flowers, trees, and shrubs across Boston. First place winners received the highly sought-after "Golden Trowel" award in a ceremony held on August 21st, alongside second and third place winners who were awarded certificates.

Three-time winners within the past decade are now inducted into the Hall of Fame. These expert gardeners can no longer participate as contestants but play an essential role as judges, passing on their extensive knowledge to others with a passion for gardening.

But, it's not all about the trophies, the grand prize for this year's contest was a JetBlue roundtrip for two to any nonstop destination from Boston. Moreover, Mahoney's Garden Centers provided gift certificates to the top three winners in each category, as well as a treat for the 2023 Hall of Fame winners and judges.

Friendly competition flourished in various categories, including Age Strong, Vegetable or Herb, Porch Balcony or Container, and Community Gardens. Major first-place winners include Jennifer Park from Roslindale, Jun Odajima from West Roxbury, Salil Sharma from South End, and Joe and Dolores Fazio from Fenway-Kenmore Victory Gardens.

A notable victory is of Junia Yearwood from Dorchester who clinched the second place in the Age Strong Garden category. Dorchester's Chitz Regmi from Comfort Kitchen also bagged third place in the Storefront, Organization, or Main Street District Garden category, showing the community's dedication to enhancing their surroundings.

Among this year's Hall of Fame inductees, we see names like Linda Sklar, Steven Davy and Dionna Di Pierro, John Ruiz, and Dave Connolly, who have showcased their gardening prowess over the past decade. 

The Mayor's Garden Contest has become a hallmark event for Boston's gardening community. The purpose remains to make Boston an aesthetically pleasing and environmentally conscious city, played out through the dedication and creativity of its citizens.

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