South End Green Thumbs Shine

Neighborhood Gardens Take Home Mayor's Awards

Mayor Michelle Wu announced the winners of the 29th annual Mayor's Garden Contest in a ceremony in August celebrating the exceptional efforts of Boston's urban gardeners. The competition recognizes residents who have transformed their yards, balconies, rooftops, and community gardens into vibrant green spaces that enhance the beauty of the city's neighborhoods.

"Boston's gardeners have brought joy and beauty to our neighborhoods and communities, transforming everything from porches and balconies to storefronts into vibrant green spaces," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "I am honored to celebrate all of our winners and offer a special congratulations to those receiving this year's Golden Trowel award. It is a pleasure to celebrate your hard work!"

First place winners received the coveted "Golden Trowel" award from Mayor Wu 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. Terms, conditions, and blackout dates apply. Mahoney's Garden Centers provided gardener's gift bags to the top three winners in each category, as well as gift certificates for the 2025 Hall of Fame inductees.

This year's winners include:

Pollinator Garden
1. M. Scott Knox - Roxbury
2. Kimba McDonald - Hyde Park
3. Megan Morrill - Hyde Park

Vegetable or Herb Garden
1. Suzen Holohan - East Boston
2. Jun Odajima - West Roxbury
3. Taylor Halliday - Roslindale

Age Strong
1. Nancy Kressin and John Derbort - West Roxbury
2. Alan White & Dale Belcher - Roslindale
3. Cheryl Crawford - Roslindale

Small Yard Garden
1. 133 Commonwealth Garden Committee being accepted by Beth Kates, Michelle Vanparys, and Debora Hollland - Back Bay
2. Jill Christians - South End
3. Liza Dufresne - Dorchester

Porch Balcony or Container Garden
1. Peter Cahn and Donald Hess - Back Bay
2. Paul H. Belanger - West End
3. Salil Sharma & Chitiz Regmi - South End

Medium Yard Garden
1. Elizabeth McDonough - Roslindale
2. Zach Turcotte - Jamaica Plain
3. Tom Bessette and Ike Colbert - Dorchester

Shade Garden
1. Ellen Scalese - Hyde Park
2. Sharon Gentges - East Boston
3. Christa Comeau - Beacon Hill

Large Yard Garden
1. Molly Duggan - Mattapan
2. Shoma Haque - Jamaica Plain
3. Hylton Joliffe - Jamaica Plain

Community Garden
1. Jenny Li & Mark Springel - Berkeley Community Gardens
2. Dimple Patel - Berkeley Community Garden
3. Gerry Izzi & Dan Doherty - Fenway Victory Gardens

Storefront, Organization, or Main Street District
1. Friends of Christopher Columbus Park - North End
2. The Gardening Enthusiasts at Primus - Beacon Hill
3. The Boston Home - Dorchester