A returning award winner, Gardening Enthusiasts at Primus again took home the top prize in the Storefront, Organization, or Main Street District category in this year’s 28th annual Mayor’s Garden Contest.
Gardening Enthusiasts at Primus’ first-prize winning garden in the
Storefront, Organization, or Main Street District category in the 28th
annual Mayor’s Garden Contest.
“The gardeners at Primus Avenue love to be outdoors creating and caring for our beautiful garden for all the residents to enjoy,” according to a statement from the Gardening Enthusiasts at Primus “Receiving the Mayor’s Garden Contest’s first-place award in our category two years in a row is like icing on the cake! The Mayor’s Contest fosters a friendly competition among like-minded people and promotes beautification of the green spaces we have in the city. The Primus gardeners would like to dedicate this year’s award to Brian Sullivan who passed away suddenly at the beginning of July. Brian had played a huge role in the gardening efforts at Primus. He was a kind and generous friend, and we miss him dearly.”
Besides Gardening Enthusiasts at Primus, which also placed first in the Storefront, Organization, or Main Street District category in last year’s contest, William White of Beacon Hill earned second place in the Porch Balcony or Container Garden category in this year’s contest while Sally Reyering, also from the neighborhood, took third place in the Shade Garden category.
Reyering had previously received the first-place prize in the Shade Garden category in the 25th annual Mayor’s Garden Contest in 2021, as well as second place in the same category last year.
“The contest brings together people and organizations from many different neighborhoods, all to celebrate the joy and beauty of gardening,” Reyering wrote in an email. “It’s great to be honored with a win, but it’s more fun just to be in the garden.”
As a three-time contest winner, Reyering will enter the Gardeners Hall of Fame and serve as judge in next year’s contest. She won’t be allowed to be a contestant in any future Mayor’s Garden Contests, however, due to contest restrictrions.
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.
Also, first-place winners were 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 2024 Hall of Fame inductees. Winners also received prizes from Spartan Coffee and refreshments were provided with support from Polar Beverages.
“These gardeners bring joy and beauty to our porches, balconies, and storefronts across every neighborhood,” Mayor Michelle Wu told contest winners during an awards ceremony on Aug. 13 in the Public Garden. “I want to congratulate all of our winners and offer a special congratulations to everyone being inducted into the Hall of Fame this year. It is a joy to celebrate Boston’s greenest thumbs!”