2023 WINNERS

Gwynedd Pointe Homeowners Association

19^th Annual Garden Contest - 2023 Winners

Co-Sponsored by the Gwynedd Pointe Homeowners Association

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The Rhoads Garden, 570 DeKalb Pike, North Wales

We say it every year – it gets harder and harder to judge the wonderful gardens in Gwynedd Pointe because there are so many great ones. If you are wondering what the judges look for, see the criteria at http://gwyneddpointegardencontest.blogspot.com/2016/05/. 

 There are a dozen or more gardeners with gorgeous displays each year. In the spirit of encouraging newer gardeners, and because we only have thirteen prizes, we can’t always provide the recognition they deserve. We all know who they are – we see their handiwork – and hope they know we appreciate their contributions to the attractiveness of our community. And remember to judge for yourself as that is part of the fun! We won’t be upset if you disagree with our choices.

 As in the past, the story this year has been the weather. The first half of June was marked by draught and lower than average temperatures, and then the skies opened and it poured and poured. But nothing stops our gardeners from creating beautiful displays.│Primarily, we considered the five Fs of great garden design: form, foliage, flowers, fruits (bird food) and fragrance.│We did our best to identify plants, but it’s not always easy.

 Grand Prize - $100 Gift Certificate for the Rhoads Garden

 6105 Rolling Hill – When we first honored this one in 2007, we began with “The wild garden look.” That continued to be an apt description as we recognized it through the years. (It was reported that the gardener would take handfuls of wildflower seed mixture and spread them around just to see what came up.) Now, the garden designer has completely flipped aesthetically to create what could be the most beautiful garden in the history of our contest. Nothing wild left here; the placement of everything is with intention. The centerpiece is the tall ceramic pottery fountain surrounded by tiles and flowers of complementary colors. The Irish moss tying it all together is a great way to maintain weedless areas. We saw celosia, dianthus, lobelia, dahlias, begonias, and on the side, a small patch of arum italicum.

 Second Place – $75 Gift Certificate for the Rhoads Garden

 6104 Rolling Hill – The sign says “Greg’s Garden,” and it runs right up to the one above. (We hear that the neighbors/gardeners are good friends who encourage each other.) We’ve honored this one before as well. But like next door, the gardener keeps changing it, this year adding a wheel-shaped plant stand. We saw petunias, sundrops, coral bells, dianthus, bee balm, heather, black & blue salvia, astilbe, lantana, geraniums and pansies. Also, several well-placed garden ornaments. It all became super-lush after the rains.

 Third Place - $50 Gift Certificate for the Rhoads Garden

 3504 Carriage – This small garden takes its cue from its two peacock statues, as it is full of color. We saw Shasta daisies, roses, big-leaf coreopsis, hostas, daylilies, yellow hibiscus, speedwell, coneflowers, purple phlox, vinca, running up to well-manicured evergreens.

 Honorable Mentions (in order by address) - $15 Gift Certificate for the Rhoads Garden

 200 Signal Hill – A newer, whimsical garden, with a bike-turned-garden ornament as its focus. The annuals burst with color. We also saw phlox, dianthus, hosta, vinca, lavender, mandevilla, heather, and roses. Nicely-shaped brick border and great use of garden ornaments.

 1104 Kenwood – A prime example of a garden display based on balance and symmetry. The crepe myrtles are bookends for colorful New Guinea impatiens. The container is well-balanced with creeping Jenny, geraniums, petunias, and lantana.

 Judges’ Note: There are many fine gardens on Kenwood.

 1605 Liberty – A newer garden with a great shape determined by a wonderful rock border. The laddered pansy containers and urn full of pansies are lovely and well kept.

 3405 Carriage – A lovely setting with gorgeous plantings. The red flowers accent the brick façade and the hosta leaves are a fitting background for the garden and its resident chickens (ornaments). We saw spigelia, red sunpatiens, coreopsis, daylilies, and hanging baskets.

 4007 Quaker – A nice border defines this garden. We saw Shasta daisies, rhododendron, butterfly bush, daylilies, rose, grandiflora coreopsios, coneflower, and a nice dogwood tree.

 4403 Congress – The theme of this garden has been “blue” for some time. Like Van Gogh, the gardener/artist has taken to adding yellow to this setting in forms of non-plant material, and it really pops. The daisies, rabbit statuary, and impatiens are still there, yet a nice, new look.

 6005 Rolling Hill – Pretty, colorful, neat, eclectic, and well-maintained describe this attractive garden. We saw some lighter-colored coral bells, hostas, sunpatiens, vinca, and mandevilla.

 6500 Rolling Hill – There is so much to this beautiful garden, as it continues around the side of the end-unit. We saw Shasta daisies, clematis, red-tip photinia, alba geraniums, lilies, cut-leaf coneflowers, a nice butterfly-shaped bench, and a lot more.

  6503 Rolling Hill – Gorgeous corner garden with yellow flowers on the side. The repetition of day lilies, coreopsis, and the basket of gazania (we think) makes a strong color statement. Balance of garden is nicely mulched with pops of color. It also has a fine example of a Victorian edge, that is, the edge is simply a clean earthen trench as opposed to materials such as stone or brick.

 Judges’ Note: Rolling Hill and the nearby Colonial (housing a couple of past winners) are gardening paradises.

 7100 Union – This garden really transformed over the month of June, as it was a work in progress early on. Best sunflowers (only ones this year?) in the development, lilies, hibiscus, a bath for the birds, and a nice bench on which to rest and take it all in.

 Judges’ Note: Union is a good place to see nice gardens, several of which are past winners.

 Thank you to Hal Morley of Continental Property Management, our HOA board, The Rhoads Garden for its years of support, and the judges. For contest rules and lists of past winners, go to http://www.gwyneddpointegardencontest.blogspot.com/. Happy gardening!