Local Gardeners Win Regional Awards

Nine Southwest Minneapolis residents are now the proud recipients of regional gardening awards from Metro Blooms, a Twin Cities nonprofit devoted to strengthening communities through eco-friendly gardening.

Acoriding to an announcement from Metro Blooms spokesperson Barbara Speltz, these residents and community groups won the following awards:

Best Neighborhood Collaboration was presented to the neighbors on the block of 36th Street and Garfield Avenue South. Most of the neighbors on this block have stunning front yard gardens and plantedboulevards. Gardens feature everything from water features to art objects to vegetables. The gardens inthis neighborhood have promoted fellowship and have beautified their corner of the city.

Best Residential Garden presented to Anna and Tom Erbes (of Tangletown). Tom is an artist and Ann was a principal at Frost Lake School and is very creative and talented in her own right, so it’s only fitting that their garden should reveal such creativity from the wavy path of recycled pavers tothe oasis feeling of the garden.

Best Environmental Steward Garden was presented to Meleah Maynard and Mike Hoium (of Linden Hills). Inspired by great gardens that Meleah and Mike had visited, they decided to make their front yard one as well. Now their garden includes composting, rain barrels and a wonderful habitat of native perennials for the local wildlife.

Best Container Garden was presented to Hunt & Gather Antiques, Kristi Stratton, owner, and Tommy Brandt, employee. Hunt and Gather Antiques aims to catch the eye of passersby and this garden, with its whimsical and unique containers, certainly does.

Best Condo Garden was presented to Leonard Jordan (of Kingfield). This beautiful garden is a gift to all the owners of the building and to the neighborhood as well. The condo association pitches in to support the garden which was previously hard ground full of rocks, cement and debris. Leonard believes
the garden increases good feelings in the area and has wonderful therapeutic benefits.

Best Boulevard Garden was presented to Kerry Sarnoski and Susan Lowum (of Linden Hills). The garden is filled with plants with sentimental meaning as Kerry and Susan have received plants and seeds as gifts from many friends and neighbors. The garden also serves as a habitat oasis for bees, small humming birds and rabbits, which are always welcome.