Winners of Fort Bragg Garden Club’s Sidewalk Gardens to Bragg About Program Announced – Fort Bragg Advocate News

The winners of Sidewalk Gardens to Bragg About 2024 were Nancy Kettwig, Evan Dick, Merle Ruedrich, Gareth Williams and his garden helper. (Post)

The winners of the Fort Bragg Garden Club’s Sidewalk Gardens to Bragg About contest were celebrated at a dessert gala at the Presbyterian Church on the evening of June 10. Club members were joined by representatives from Noyo Food Forest, Lincoln Street Community Garden at CV Starr, Redwood Coast Senior Center Garden, Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens and the gardens surrounding Fort Bragg schools. All gathered to express their gratitude to the gardeners who have transformed their front yards into beautiful spaces that enrich the community.

The Sidewalk Gardens to Brag About contest has been running for 15 years and offers anyone within the city limits of Fort Bragg the opportunity to nominate a garden for consideration. This year, 33 gardens were nominated during the first weeks of May. In late May, club members judged the gardens and selected winners based on appearance, plant variety and health, design, maintenance and environmental friendliness.

The following farms were nominated: 201 N. Harbor Drive, 865 Maple Street, 141 Holmes Lane, 111 Holmes Lane, 727 Stewart Street, 661 Perkins Street, 131 Brandon Way, 400 Winifred Street, 440 Winifred Street, 445 Winifred Street, 321 N. McPherson Street, 561 N. McPherson Street, 134 Livingston Street, 125 Eddy Street, 744 N. Harrison Street, 704 N. Harrison Street, 661 N. Harrison Street, 658 N. Harrison Street, 649 N. Harrison Street, 635 N. Harrison Street, 553 N. Harrison Street, 930 Glass Beach Drive, 940 Glass Beach Drive, 986 Glass Beach Drive, 821 Cedar Street, 1003 Cedar Street, 1310 Cedar Street, 190 S. Sanderson Way, 245 S. Sanderson Way, 120 Ebbing Way, 121 Ebbing Way, 161 Ebbing Way and 171 Ebbing Way.

The winners each received a prize bag containing gift certificates to local garden centers. First place went to Merle Ruedrich, 445 Winifred Street, second place went to Evan Dick, 201 North Harbor Drive, and third place went to Nancy Kettwig, 161 Ebbing Way. The award for Best Pollinator Garden went to Margaret and Gareth Williams, 865 Maple Street.

All 33 gardens nominated for the 2024 Sidewalk Gardens to Brag About competition were impressive and helped make our community a more beautiful place. A slideshow of the gardens and a map with walking tours can be found on the club’s website at www.fbgardenclub.com.

Another highlight of this year’s event was the presentation of over 50 photos submitted as part of the Celebrate Our Gardens photo contest. The contest was open to amateur gardeners from Westport to Elk, and the stunning photos showcased the beauty and diversity of our coastal landscapes and sparked the passion of garden lovers.

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