Fenway-Kenmore entries swept the Community Garden category when acting Mayor Kim Janey announced the winners of the 25th annual Mayor’s Garden Contest last week.
The neighborhood’s Craig and Kimberly McNulty won first place in this category, while John Ruiz took second place, and Dionna Di Pierro and Steven Davy took third place, respectively.
In the South End, Doug Gifford and Jill Christians were the second- and third-place winners, respectively, in the Small Yard Garden category, while Alex and Stephanie Tsalagas took first place and Bev Christians and Chris Hartmann third place in the Porch, Balcony, or Container Garden category.
Winners from Back Bay include Christa Comeau, who was the third-place winner in the Shade Garden category, and Cindy Joyce, second-place winner in the Porch, Balcony, or Container Garden category.
“I am proud to carry on Boston’s tradition of commemorating those who help keep our neighborhoods vibrant and inviting,” said Acting Mayor Kim Janey in a press release. “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 also entered into a drawing for a JetBlue Grand Prize consisting of roundtrip flights for two to any nonstop destination from Boston, and they 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 to the 2021 Hall of Fame winners, according to the Boston Parks and Recreation Department.