Regional Winners Picked for Love My Garden Contest 2007
Check back for news about the 2008 Love My Garden Contest
There was a special twist to the 2007 statewide Love My Garden contest, sponsored by the Massachusetts Flower Growers' Association. Contestants were asked to write a brief paragraph telling why they love their garden in addition to sending photos of their beloved home flower garden for judging.
"Reading the paragraphs was great fun," said Bob Luczai, Secretary of the MFGA and one of the judges. "If there was one theme that ran through all the entries, it was that the work involved in designing and maintaining a garden is a labor of love. Again and again, entrants described the joys of tending a garden and creating a bit of paradise in their own backyards."
The judges chose one winner from the North, South, Central and West regions of Massachusetts. Each regional winner receives a $500 gift certificate to any MFGA-member-owned independent farm stand or garden center. Along with Mr. Luczai, the judges were Paul Lopes, Extension Floriculture Specialist, University of Massachusetts Amherst; David Giurleo, owner of Colonial Gardens in Concord, MA; and Matt Hamel, representative for Fafard Soils.
Joan Parker of Carlisle took the North region's top spot, earning praise from the judges for her "outstanding composition of gardens" and "lifelong commitment to gardening." Ms. Parker holds fund-raising events and annual tours of her gardens in support of her favorite charities, including the Aspergers Association of New England.
In the South region, winner David Cullen of North Attleboro built what his family calls "The Secret Garden" in memory of his mother. Noting the "lush growth" and "serene and peaceful" feeling emanating from the memorial, the judges said flowers are the universal way of paying tribute to a loved one who has passed on.
Dedicated environmentalists Karyn Swaney and David Barrows of Shrewsbury took top honors in the Central region with their "ability to blend nature with a residential area" and "great use of native wildflower, annual, perennial and hardgoods." Inspired by a love for the environment and conservation, the winning gardeners are very proud of being recognized by the National Wildlife Federation as a certified backyard wildlife habitat.
Richard MacGovern of Springfield finds his garden an oasis in the city at the end of a day. The judges agreed with the West region winner, saying it was "truly an oasis and very inviting place" with a "beautiful design for a small-space garden." They also commented on Mr. MacGovern's "nice eye for color" and "great plant diversity."
On behalf of all the members of MFGA, we thank everyone who participated in the 2007 Love My Garden contest, and we look forward to announcing the 3rd annual garden contest on this web site and watching for the photos of the beautiful gardens created by Massachusetts residents using Massachusetts-grown flowers and plants.
To see winners from previous years – click here
About the MFGA Love My Garden ContestThe MFGA created the contest to raise awareness of the beauty and happiness Massachusetts-grown flowers bring to our lives and the importance of supporting our local independent garden centers and farm stands. The Massachusetts floriculture industry is the state's largest agricultural industry with more than 800 businesses offering Massachusetts-grown plants and flowers. The industry plays a large role in the state's economy, generating an estimated $763 million from Massachusetts plant and flower sales each year.