Mayor Michelle Wu has announced the 27th annual Mayor's Garden Contest highlighting the hard work of Boston's urban gardeners. The competition provides the perfect opportunity to recognize the skills of all Boston residents who contribute to the beauty of the city's landscape.

Boston's green thumbs have until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, July 12, to submit their gardens for award contention. The contest recognizes gardeners who have landscaped, planted flowers, trees, shrubs, and, in the process, helped beautify Boston's neighborhoods.

Gardeners or those nominating their favorite gardeners may find printable and online nomination forms at boston.gov/mayors-garden-contest. The preferred method of entry is to submit photos through the online application. Alternatively, contestants may request an application by emailing their name and address to gardencontest@boston.gov. Paper applications are also available in English and ten additional languages.

Judges will fan out across the city visiting finalists the week of July 24. Once the votes are tallied, first place winners will receive the coveted "Golden Trowel" award from Mayor Wu while second and third place winners will be awarded certificates.

Gardeners who have won three or more times in the last ten years will be automatically entered into the Hall of Fame. These distinguished Hall-of-Famers are not eligible to enter as contestants but are invited to return as judges.

First place winners are eligible for a drawing for a JetBlue Grand Prize consisting of roundtrip flights for two to any nonstop destination from Boston. Terms, conditions, and blackout dates apply. In addition, Mahoney's Garden Centers will provide gardener's gift bags to the top three winners in each category, as well as gift certificates for the 2023 Hall of Fame winners.

Mayor Michelle Wu, Boston Parks Commissioner Ryan Woods, and The Skating Club of Boston are pleased to welcome children and their caregivers to kick off the 2023 summer wading season as the Boston Common Frog Pond spray pool reopens on Tuesday, June 27.

The wading pool opening is made possible by title sponsor Bank of America and presenting sponsors College H.U.N.K.S. Hauling Junk & Moving and H.P. Hood LLC. The event will include a fun and exciting celebration at 11 a.m. followed by the opening of the spray pool.

In addition to activities from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., residents can enjoy tasty treats and a visit from official mascot Frog Pond Freddie. Contributing sponsors include Polar Beverages, New England Dairy Council, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, and SourCan, with additional support from PROJECT Melanoma.

Also participating will be the Boston Police ice cream truck, Mass Audubon, the Boston Public Library Chinatown Branch, Read Boston, and Science from Scientists. For more information visit www.boston.gov/frog-pond-opening.

A year-round recreational facility, the Frog Pond offers ice skating in the winter, a spray pool and supervised wading for youth in the summer, and the Carousel from spring through fall. Information on additional activities offered at the Frog Pond can be found by visiting www.bostonfrogpond.com.

The Frog Pond spray pool is open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. until Labor Day. The facility is managed by The Skating Club of Boston and staffed by youth workers from the Boston Youth Fund. For further information, please call the Frog Pond at (617) 635-2120.

Stay up to date with the Mayor's Garden Contest as well as news, events, and design and construction work in Boston parks by calling (617) 635-4505, signing up for our email list at bit.ly/Get-Parks-Emails, and following our social channels @bostonparksdept on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.