Thirty-two Northeast Philly residents have won recognition in the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s 2013 Citywide Garden Contest. Since only 41 Northeast gardeners entered the contest this year, 32 represents about an 80-percent winning percentage.
Citywide, 249 gardeners competed in several of the annual competition’s categories.
Many of the entrants from the Northeast won second- or third-place honors as well as honorable mentions. Michael Tauscher stands alone as the only Northeast first-place winner for his large flower garden on the 8200 block of Winthrop St. He was among five Northeast first-place winners last year. He took a third place in 2011.
Although Tauscher was the only first-place gardener in the Northeast this year, there were more local winners overall this year. About 20 won first, second and third place as well as honorable mention last year.
This year, there were a dozen second-place winners. Among them was Marianne T. Miller, who had won third place in 2012 for her large combination garden on the 2000 block of Vista St. Miller’s garden was one of a few featured in a Northeast Times story about one day of contest judging in Northeast Philadelphia in July.
Other second-place winners, by ZIP code: Cathy Canty, 19111, for her combination flower and vegetable garden; Ivey Galitan, 19111, for her flower garden. Galitan took a first place in 2012 and 2010; Carolyn Mulderig, 19111, for her flower garden; Bernice and Jeanne Rothwarf, 19111, for their flower garden. They won second place in 2012, honorable mention in 2010 and third place in 2009; Chris Vanhorn, 19111, for a flower garden; Thomas Dinardo, 19114, for his flower garden; Diana Clark, 19115, also won third place for community vegetable gardening; Mickey Heston, 19136, for vegetable gardening; Mary Jo Donahue, 19154, for her patio container garden; Catherine Nino, 19154, won in the urban farm category; and Katie O’Brien, 19154, won for her entryway garden.
There were 11 third-place winners: Barbara Kinney, 19111, won for her patio garden; Monica Martinez, 19111, for her flower garden; Chuck and Elana Paynter, 19111, for their combination vegetable-flower garden; Karen Pimble, 19111, for her flower garden; Rimantas Stirbys, 19115, for a flower garden; Una Coyle, 19124, for her flowers; Sal Sandone Sr., 19136, for his vegetable garden; Victoria Monacelli, 19154, for her flower garden; Joan A. Smalarz, 19111, for her combination flower-vegetable garden. She took second place in 2012 and 2011 and a third in 2010; and Margaret and Sidney Kanefsky, 19149, for their flower garden.
Mike Scotese took an honorable mention for his combination garden on the 6900 block of Torresdale Ave. as did Randee Stevens for her combination garden on the 3200 block of Welsh Road. Both Scotese and Stevens were judged the same day as Miller.
Other Northeast gardeners who got honorable mentions are: Anna Gauss, 19111, for her flower garden; Maria Lucian Ladzinski, 19114, for her flower garden; Joe Edinger, 19124, for his flower garden; Amanda Fury, 19135, for her rooftop garden; Mireya Taylor, 19135, for a flower garden; and Damon Valletti, 19149, for his vegetable container garden.
Winners will be announced this Saturday, Sept. 21, during the PHS Fall Garden Festival at the old Navy Yard at the foot of Broad Street in South Philadelphia.
The festival is free and runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the Navy Yard’s parade grounds. Featured will be gardening demonstrations, live entertainment, local food, a beer garden, harvest contests and activities for kids. There also will be a scarecrow contest and plenty of opportunities to buy produce and plants. For more information, visit www.phsonline.org ••
