Planting a Winner

Beautification contest winners Anna Johnson, left, second place and Athena Singer, right, first place.

The winners of the Mosaic Community Land Trust's planters and garden boxes contest have been chosen.

They are Athena Singer, who won the $150 first prize for her window boxes at 353 Walnut St.; and Anna Johnson, who won the $75 second prize for her plantings at 515 Chestnut St.

The land trust, which operates a community garden at 423 Chestnut St. and is preparing a second one two

Singer's window boxes at 353 Walnut St., won first prize.

blocks east, teamed up with the Pottstown Garden Club in sponsoring and judging the contest.

The contest was the brainchild of Dick Heylmun, the owner of Pine Tree Hill Farm.

The contest was the first of its kind for Pottstown's core neighborhood, but because there were only nine entries, the judges chose one of the three categories that had the most entries -- "front garden and planters combined" and hit the streets.

Nancy Toothacher and Karin Albera, both from the garden club, accompanied land trust board member Gretchen Lea, a Penn State Master Gardner, and community gardens manager Laura Washington, on a hot afternoon to select the winners.

Along the way, they passed a number of interesting gardens which they wished had entered the contest, but their owners said theirs was not yet perfected.

Of those who entered, Singer and Johnson were selected as the winners.

The awards and prize money were presented July 14 at the community garden, followed by a get together and refreshments.

The land trust hopes to make the beautification contest an annual tradition.