Nominations and Winners

Each year the club recognizes local gardeners for their efforts to beautify the community.

Nominations can be submitted by the public or by club members.

The club Garden Awards committee selects those gardens to be recognized.

Help us locate local gardens to explore as we build our candidate list for 2019.

* Submit your Garden Award Nominations *

2019 Winners

Yard Awards video

Award videos (w and w/o audio) and Bailey Nursery tour
https://pineridgegc.wistia.com/projects/8phobn7dzs#

Lee and Jean Koecher
A Cottage Grove five-acre lot on 110th St So provides Lee, a Master Gardener, ample space to practice his horticultural skills. Ornamental grasses and canna lilies line the driveway, leading to a shade garden nestled among tall pines. Sunny areas include garden beds with perennial favorites, plots of blooming annuals, a berry patch and a half-acre vegetable garden that provides the family with food for the coming year. The gardens provide a festive setting for entertaining family and friends with outdoor seating areas, a fire pit, swimming pool, screened gazebo, an expanse of grass for lawn games and a children’s play area.

Elaine Schmitz
Elaine has been tending her garden on Granada Ave for over 50 years. The front of the home features charming window boxes planted with brightly colored begonias and clouds of blooming alyssum with creeping jenny spilling over the sides. This eye-catching display, set among a neatly trimmed hedge of Alpine Currant and manicured lawn, signals to those passing by that this is a well-loved and well cared for yard. The back garden features a mixed border of hardy perennial plants accented by dazzling displays of potted annuals. Elaine’s back deck provides the perfect spot for enjoying her garden and watching wildlife including the bluebirds that take up residence in nesting boxes each year. Elaine gives credit to family members for helping her maintain this garden paradise.

Christine and David Riege
Christine and David’s passion for gardening is apparent from the abundance of bloom on display at their home on Jenner Bay S in Cottage Grove. The couple’s corner lot features a cottage style garden full of perennial plants chosen with an eye towards providing constant bloom from Spring to Autumn and attracting birds and pollinators. The front garden also features a patio area with a small water feature and a chimera fire pit. The backyard is devoted to food production with a berry patch, fruit trees, and a large vegetable garden. 137 tomato plants and 75 pepper are among the variety of vegetables that provide the family with year-round produce.

Past Garden Award Winners

Garden #1 (Nancy K.)

Nancy and Paul Kerestes, Loften Ave, Hastings, began creating their woodland gardens over 20 years ago. Large pots of red begonias greet visitors at the front door. A flagstone path leads you through the front shade garden filled with hostas, perennial plants and a variety of shrubs that add color and interest throughout the year. Along the side garden, a large swath of red bee balm in full bloom attracted pollinators. Annabelle Hydrangeas grace the back deck area while the woods provide a backdrop to a shade garden of Hostas, Astilbes and Ligularia. Whether you are relaxing in an adirondack chair around the fire pit or enjoying a cup of coffee on the back deck, each garden has a sitting area inviting you to stay a while and enjoy nature.

Garden #2 (Maria J.)

When Marie and Jamie Jensen, Granada Ave S, Cottage Grove, purchasedtheir home three years ago, there was nothing for landscaping. Doing the work themselves, they transformed the yard with an inspirational design of rock edged gardens planted with Hostas, perennials and annuals to add colorful variety and interest. Hydrangea and Spirea shrubs border the home with large pots of annuals at the front door. A side garden of red bee balm attracts pollinators. The fenced backyard includes raised bed vegetable gardens as well as a brick patio with seating around a fire pit for gatherings.

2018 Garden Award recipient

Garden #3 (Jenn L. Wonderland Gardens)

Jenn Lanz has created a “Wonderland Gardens” at 7th Ave, Newport with assistance from husband Steve and son Devon. Her passion is lilies of all kinds especially Day lilies and Martagon lilies as evidenced throughout all the gardens. Jenn specializes in hybridizing lilies and perennials. Walkways through the gardens are paved with colored concrete stepping stones made by Steve. Numerous sitting areas are situated throughout areas of the gardens inviting you to sit and enjoy hundreds of lilies, Hostas, perennials and unusual cultivars. A blue tinted waterfall and stream flow down the back berm past a patio and fire pit.

2018 Garden Award recipient

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View photos here: Garden Award photos

2017

MaryAnn & Bob Nelson – Janero Ave, CG

Liz & Erik Svedin – Jeffrey Ave, CG

Rachel & Gary Weldon – 79th Ave So, CG

Culvers, Cottage Grove

2016

Janelle & Risk Benson – 80th St., CG

Susan & Wayne Gale – 74th St., CG

Jonelle & Frank Johnson – Iden, CG

Edie Seefeldt – Portland, SPP

2015

Kris Hilgert – Highland Hills Blvd, CG

Jean Smith – 79th St, CG

Bets Thorkelson – Lehigh Ave, Hastings

Karen & Leonard Wodarcyzk – Hames Rd, CD

2014

Sabrina & Pieter Bierman – 113th St, CG

Chin Dahlen – 89th St. Cir., CG

Kathy & Glenn Swits – Jeffery Ave, CG

St. Lukes Church

2013

Jean & Peter Aimonetti – Hidden Valley Ridge, CG

Kathy & Tom Kiemen – Inskip Ave, CG

Linda Strachota & Dick Voita – Inskip Trail, CG

St. Paul Park Community Garden

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2012

Sherri & Jim Ross – 66th St, CG

Mary Lou & William Braeker – Greystone, CG

Sandy Dahlstrom – Heath, CG

2011

All Saints Lutheran Church

Cindy & Dana Isaacs – 2nd St, SPP

Sylvia Stong – 78th St. Ct., CG

Mary & John Hogoboom – Hillside Trail, CG

2010

Corienne & Jim Krueger – Ivystone, CG

Doris & Doug Ortin – River Acres Rd., CG

Carol & Kenny Stanton – 72nd, Old CG

Zion Lutheran Church – Hillside Trail, CG

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