Head outdoors and ‘Grow for It’
Pottstown, Boyertown residents head outdoors for annual contest
The 2023 annual “Grow for It” Home Garden Con- test for Pottstown and Boy- ertown borough residents is about much more than rec- ognizing and celebrating beautiful and creative gardens that make a positive contribution to the community.
“It’s about getting people outside and living a healthier lifestyle — that is what our mission is about,“said Tracy Purdy, who serves as president of the Board of Trustees at Mosaic Community Land Trust.
Mosaic is the host of the annual contest in partnership with the Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation and Building a Better Boyertown.
Five categories
Purdy, who lives in Pottstown and is the owner of the Three Daughters Inn bed and breakfast, discussed the five different categories from which contestants can select when they sign up. Registration opens on April 28 and there is no cost to enter.
Purdy explained that the
“General” category is ideal for someone whose whole garden is really beautiful. For those who have a pretty corner in their yard or patio, or a cute side garden, the “Outdoor Oasis” category is a better fit. She went on to explain the ideal candidate for the “Pleasant Porches” category.
“This category is for someone who has cute plants and a fun, appealing porch,” Purdy said. “Because Pottstown doesn’t have a lot of lawns, but has porches, this is a much better category for our borough.”
She recalled a standout entry for the “Edible Garden” category two years ago, which Purdy said gets fewer entries than some of the other categories.
“They had a small backyard and had done such a good job of implementing two garden beds into their yard,” she said. “They had a trellis on the back of two
L-shaped beds — it was so charming and so packed with flowers, vegetables and herbs.”
Children’s Garden
The contest’s “Children’s Garden” category is for the young gardener under the age of 18. They are allowed to receive help from their parents but must be the primary gardener.
“We had three kids enter from the same family and they received second and third place,” Purdy said. “One child who entered had 5-gallon buckets from Home Depot lined them up along her house to grow things.”
Purdy said the motivation to offer this category lies in the importance of helping kids understand how beneficial gardening is and to enable them to see where food comes from.
When Purdy was in first grade she had her first experience being a gardener.
“My dad let me have a row in his garden and gave me a package of radish seeds,” she said. “I was so excited by my success and thought, ‘Wow, I can do this’.”
Purdy, who is also an adjunct professor of Community Development and City Planning at Temple University, said that people should not feel limited to enter due to a lack of gardening experience or space.
“What we are looking for
is what you’re doing with your space,” she said, listing some creative approaches they have seen in the past. “There might be a raised bed in the center of a flower garden or herbs or asparagus growing in with perennials.”
Cash rewards
Four teams of judges are responsible for determining the winners. Boyertown and Pottstown residents are judged separately in the first week of July and winners receive cash rewards.
“The Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation provides the funding for winners,” Purdy said. “First place is $150 and it goes down from there — the children’s category is different. Those who receive honorable mentions get a gift certificate to a garden center.”
The Foundation also hosts a free luncheon to celebrate winners, which will be held at Brookside Country Club, Pottstown, this year.
“It’s a way to thank people,” she said. “It’s a lot of fun.”
To enter, visit www.homegardencontest.com. Registration opens on April 28. For more information, visit Mosaic Community Land Trust at www.mosaicclt.org, or Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation at www.pottstownfoundation.org