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From YouTube: Mayor Kim Janey's 2021 Garden Contest Awards
Description
Taking time to get immersed in nature is as important now as ever. The Mayor's Garden Contest recognizes and awards Boston's most talented and creative gardeners in honor of their ongoing work to keep the city's neighborhoods beautiful. Watch as Mayor Janey, Boston Parks Commissioner Ryan Woods, and Mariama White-Hammond, Boston's Chief of Environment, present the first place winners with the highly coveted "Golden Trowel" award.
A
Good
evening,
everyone
I
have
it
on
good
authority
that
it
is
raining
outside,
so
we
made
the
right
decision
to
come
inside.
So
here
we
go.
So
it's
there.
Welcome
to
the
2021
mayor's
garden
contest
awards
ceremony.
My
name
is
ryan
woods
and
I
proudly
serve
as
the
commissioner
of
the
boston
parks
and
recreation
department.
A
I'm
pleased
to
welcome
you
all
here
for
the
ceremony
in
suffolk
university
and
thank
you
to
suffolk
and
their
staff
for
hosting
us.
We
greatly
appreciate
it
and,
like
I
mentioned
earlier,
we
do
have
a
slideshow,
so
it's
even
better
inside.
So
we
can
see
all
the
different
gardens
we'd
hoped
to
hold
this
in
the
public
garden
this
evening,
but
this
overabundance
of
caution
with
the
rain.
This
summer
we
decided
it
was
best
to
move
inside.
A
Despite
all
the
challenges
that
this
public
crisis
has
caused,
you
have
all
shown
resilience
during
tough
times
and
I'm
very
impressed
by
all
of
your
work,
beautifying
boston,
one
garden
at
a
time
during
a
period
when
we
need
it.
Most
mayor
kim
janey
asked
us
to
continue
this
contest
because
she
realizes
the
benefits
of
gardening
and
the
love.
The
city
has
for
it
whether
you're,
a
new
gardener
or
you've
been
active
for
decades.
Gardening
brings
community
together
from
all
walks
of
life,
while
helping
beautify
our
beautiful
city.
B
Thank
you,
commissioner,
woods
and
thanks
to
all
of
you
for
coming
out
today.
I
love
my
job,
and
this
is
one
of
the
things
I
love
to
do
the
most
to
celebrate
those
folks
who
spend
the
time
to
connect
with
the
soil,
to
love
the
natural
places
in
our
city
and
to
cultivate
them
so
that
everyone
around
can
appreciate
and
enjoy
them,
and
so
we
are
so
glad
to
welcome
you
here
and
to
celebrate
the
winners
tonight
and
and
really
just
to
celebrate
the
role
the
gardeners
play
in
the
city.
B
It
didn't
realize
it
at
the
time,
but
in
the
summer
where
I
used
to
be
the
executive
director
of
a
youth
organization
in
the
summer
of
2008,
we
had
a
particularly
challenging
year
over
a
10-month
period.
I
had
five
young
people
shot
and
two
died,
and
during
that
time
I
got
into
orchids
and
I
didn't
make
the
connection
at
the
time
first.
It
was.
I
bought
an
orchid
in
ikea
and
got
excited
about
that.
B
I
have
seen
it
in
my
own
life
and
I
know
so
many
of
you
know
exactly
what
I'm
talking
about.
So
we
welcome
you
here
today
to
celebrate
and
I've
been
in
this
world
a
little
over
three
months.
I
don't
know
if
I
ever
thought
I
would
be
a
government
official.
I
knew
I
was
going
to
be
a
farmer
and
a
pastor
and
an
activist,
but
I
government
official
wasn't
necessarily
on
my
checklist.
B
But
I
took
this
role
because
it
was
offered
to
me
by
our
mayor-
and
she
too
is
a
gardener-
someone
who
not
just
garden
in
her
own
yard
but
organized
her
neighbors
to
look
at
how
they
could
support
the
local
park
next
to
them
and
get
their
hands
in
the
soil.
And
so
I
was
honored
to
accept
this
opportunity
to
partner
with
so
many
of
you
and
to
serve
in
her
administration.
B
C
How
is
everyone
doing
everyone
good?
It
is
my
pleasure
and
honor
to
be
here
these
masks.
C
I
I
want
to
start
by
thanking
reverend
mariama
white
hammond,
our
chief
of
environment,
energy
and
open
space,
and
certainly
commissioner
ryan
woods
for
their
leadership
here
in
the
city
of
boston
and
all
that
they
do
to
promote
and
protect
all
things
green,
and
I
want
to
thank
each
and
every
one
of
you
for
being
here.
C
C
That
is
a
raffle
among
the
first
place
winners.
We
have
mahoney's
garden
center,
isabella
stewart,
gardner
museum
and
plaza
catering,
who
have
offered
the
delicious
refreshments
in
the
back.
As
chief
white
hammond
has
stated.
I
too
am
a
gardener
and
I
get
great
pleasure
in
getting
my
hands
dirty,
getting
my
knees
dirty.
C
My
garden
was
born
out
of
grief
out
of
loss
out
of
trauma
and
it
was
the
year
2009
that
I
decided
to
take.
You
know
my
big
yard
that
I
had
and
transform
it,
and
so
I
I
hosted
a
birthday
party
that
I
called
a
garden
party
and
I
invited
friends
and
family
and
instead
of
wearing
you
know
a
a
fancy
hat
like
a
fascinator
or
little
lace.
Gloves
I
had
garden
gloves
and
we
had
sun
hats
and
we
dug
into
the
earth.
C
I
learned
that
first
year
that
it's
important
to
plant
some
perennials.
We
did
my
garden
with
annuals
and
then
I
had
to
do
it
all
again
the
next
year,
but
I
also
planted
a
food
garden.
The
following
year
got
a
raised
bed
and
began
growing.
My
own
food
and
involving
my
grandchildren
in
that
process-
and
it
is
such
I
can't
even
describe
what
it
feels
like.
I
know
you
guys
know
what
it
feels
like
to
grow
your
own
food
and
harvest
it
and
to
eat
it.
C
I've
had
the
best
cucumber
in
my
life
from
my
garden,
the
best
zucchini
in
my
life
from
my
garden,
probably
the
world's
smallest
watermelon.
It
was
literally
this
big
from
my
garden
and
my
garden
was
also
or
or
gardening,
I
should
say,
was
the
inspiration
for
me,
organizing
a
neighborhood
association.
C
We
had
an
empty
lot
on
my
street.
It
had
sat
vacant
overgrown
with
weeds
for
a
number
of
years
and
decided
we
wanted
to
do
something
about
it.
We
weren't
able
to
turn
that
empty
lot
into
into
a
garden,
and
now
that
empty
lot
has
a
house
and
we've
got
great
neighbors.
So
the
story,
the
ending
of
the
story,
is
still
good,
but
we
did
organize.
C
I
founded
a
neighborhood
association
in
2009
the
same
year
that
I
started
my
own
garden
and
that
that
group
is
still
together
to
this
day
and
there
are
many
gardeners
in
that
group,
including
one
who
who
has
won
this
contest
a
number
of
times
back
when
mayor
menino
would
host
the
garden
contest.
In
fact,
I
entered
a
number
of
times.
I've
never
made
it
this
far.
C
Just
last
week
I
was
at
the
rose
garden
on
the
fence,
and
it
was
just
so
beautiful
and
amazing
to
be
there,
and
it
is
just
a
thrill
to
be
with
you
all
here
this
evening
to
celebrate
your
amazing
work,
whether
it
is
a
window
garden,
whether
it
is
a
garden
that
is
recognized
through
our
age,
strong
participants,
whether
it
is
a
vegetable
garden,
a
large
garden,
a
small
garden.
All
that
you
do
adds
so
much
vibrancy
to
our
city.
C
So
much
beauty
to
our
city-
and
I
am
so
grateful-
and
I
want
to
see
us
continue
to
do
more
of
this,
which
is
why
I
am
launching
a
new
office
in
city
hall
called
grow.
Where
we're
going
to
look
at
vacant,
lots
that
we
can
convert
into
gardens.
We've
got
to
get
more
of
our
neighbors
interested
and
excited
about
gardening
and
doing
the
work
to
build
relationships
with
each
other
from
all
ages.
C
So
thank
you
so
much
for
all
that
you
do
to
make
boston,
beautiful
and
a
better
city
for
all
of
us
to
enjoy,
and
I'm
so
thrilled
and
excited
to
be
able
to
give
these
awards
to
the
folks
who
are
here
today.
So
congratulations
on
a
job
well
done
and
thank
you
so
much
for
continuing
to
make
boston.
Just
a
great
city
to
live
in.
A
A
So
thank
you
mayor
and,
as
a
credit
to
our
city
gardeners.
We
received
a
large
number
of
applicants
this
year
to
be
selected
as
a
finalist
is
a
true
honor
after
tonight's
awards
presentation
all
first
place.
Winners
from
each
category
are
entered
into
a
raffle.
It's
in
this
little
clay
pot
here
for
a
chance
to
win
a
round-trip
ticket
to
wherever
jetblue
flies.
So
we
look
forward
to
that
towards
the
end
of
our
program.
A
B
A
A
Besides
getting
a
nice
plaque
next
year
for
the
hall
of
famers,
you
are
able
to
judge
so
that's
one
of
the
best
things,
so
we
invite
you
to
be
a
judge
at
next
year's
contest,
so
we
look
forward
to
that
on
to
the
awards.
Our
first
category
today
is
the
small
yard
garden
category.
A
Gardeners
in
the
small
yard,
category
creatively
utilize
their
land
to
produce
big
results
in
250
square
feet
or
less
judges
said
this
year's
gardens
had
gorgeous
plants
that
create
an
urban
oasis
and
a
small
amount
of
space.
Some
people
utilize
their
small
gardens
as
an
office
when
working
from
home
or
as
a
place
to
recharge
after
a
long
day
in
a
little
peace
and
quote
for
a
little
peace
and
quiet.
Congratulations
to
all
of
our
small
yard
guard.
A
A
A
The
large
yard
garden
is
a
very
popular
category
where
gardeners
get
to
show
off
their
plots
of
500
square
feet
or
more
gardens
were
well
planned
and
thought
out
and
in
many
cases
took
young
took
years
to
become
what
they
are
today.
Gardens
featured
secret
groves
nooks
and
crannies
with
surprises
around
every
corner.
Despite
the
vastness
of
these
yards,
every
inch
was
tended
to
with
care,
displaying
wonderful
variety,
color
and
texture.
Congratulations
to
each
of
our
large
yard
garden.
Winners.
A
A
A
A
The
shade
garden
category
covers
gardens
planted
in
areas
with
little
or
no
direct
sunlight.
Some
of
these
occur
naturally,
and
others
are
by
design
under
trees
or
fences.
Judges
in
this
category
describe
these
gardens
as
tremendously
pleasing
comfortable
spaces
with
long
sinious
lines
gorgeous
overflowing
parts
artfully
and
tastefully
arranged
these
garden
nerds
have
shown
they
can
do
a
lot
with
a
little
sunlight,
utilizing
plants
that
prefer
low
light
environments.
Congratulations
to
all
of
our
shade
garden
winners.
A
A
And
in
first
place
also
not
able
to
join
us
tonight,
sunny
of
brighton,
congratulations
to
sunny.
A
A
A
A
The
age
drawing
garden
category
highlights
the
work
of
our
gardeners,
who
are
over
65
years
of
age.
The
positive
health
aspects
of
gardening
are
always
evident
in
this
category.
Our
first
place
when
I
describe
it,
is
not
as
yard
work,
but
as
a
positive
for
her
mental
health
as
in
space
for
her
to
get
away,
judges
were
impressed
by
the
use
of
rain
barrels
to
capture
water
for
the
garden,
hidden
composters
and
the
sharing
of
plants
and
resources
with
friends
and
neighbors.
Congratulations
to
all
in
our
age,
drawing
garden
category.
A
A
A
A
A
They
kept
this
category
of
future
gardeners
who
single-handedly
maintained
gardens
as
well
as
teams
of
people
working
together
towards
a
common
goal.
There
were
changes
in
adaptations
due
to
covet
19
safety
restrictions
that
still
resulted
in
stunningly
beautiful
gardens.
Judges
were
impressed
by
the
use
of
color
in
this
category
and
applauded
the
group
effort
that
was
put
forth.
Congratulations
to
all
of
our
storefront
business
or
organization
garden
winners.
A
Community
gardens
are
always
an
important
resource
for
urban
settings
even
more
so
today,
and
we
are
proud
to
see
how
competitive
this
category
was.
This
year,
judges
described
these
winning
gardens
all
located
in
the
fenway
victory
gardens
as
lovingly
tended
spaces
that
are
neat
and
well
maintained,
but
also
tell
their
own
unique
and
personal
stories.
A
A
A
A
And
now
we'd
like
to
recognize
our
judges,
who
had
a
very
tough
job,
the
judges
were
chosen
for
the
expertise
and
gardening
and
support
of
the
mission
of
this
contest,
which
is
to
encourage
and
inspire
beautification
of
the
city
through
gardening.
A
list
of
this
year's
judges
can
be
found
in
your
program
and
at
this
time,
we'd
like
to
invite
up
all
of
our
judges,
who
are
here
with
us
tonight
to
come
up
and
join
the
mayor
for
a
photo.
So
any
of
our
judges.
Please
join
us.
A
Thank
you
to
mahoney's
garden
center
for
gift
cards,
the
top
three
winners
in
each
category,
congrats
to
our
2021
hall
of
fame
inductees
and
our
judges,
and
thanks
to
isabella
stewart
gardner
museum
for
providing
a
pair
of
museum
tickets.
Some
of
our
winners
into
plaza
catering
for
our
wonderful
refreshments.
This
season
we'd
also
like
to
recognize
and
thank
our
city's
horticultural
team
for
our
beautified
manicured
landscape
that
we
have
today,
even
though
we're
not
in
the
public
garden.
A
And
thanks
again
to
suffolk
university
for
providing
us
this
amazing
rain
site,
we
now
invite
you
to
all
enjoy
some
delicious
food
and
refreshments,
winners
and
judges.
Please
remember
to
pick
up
your
gifts
at
the
table
in
the
back
and
thank
you
again
for
participating
in
mayor
kim,
janey's
garden
contest
and
thank
you
for
your
efforts
to
beautify
our
city.