SOMERS POINT — The Green Thumb Garden Club of Somers Point has announced the results of the Pride in the Point Garden Contest.
City residents and garden club members were encouraged to participate.
“We were truly fortunate to visit a beautiful mix of gardens in every part of our town from the bay to the parkway,” said Rosemary Evans, the club’s publicity chairwoman.
“There were some fantastic gardens,” Evans said, noting Teresita Doebley’s was impressive despite being recently planted.
“She had a little house that won the Native Garden award years ago, but sold that house and built a new home and literally started from scratch,” Evans said, noting it’s only the first or second planting season. “Everything is native and it’s stunning.”
This year, Doebley won Best Small Native Garden.
Evans said the gardens mean more to many than just a “pretty place” to spend time.
“We realized that our gardeners were creating not just a pretty place, but many mentioned quite lovingly legacy or heritage plants from family members,” she said. “We felt their pride in several stories of 80-year-old peonies, iris, lily of the valley and more passed down to them from their parents and grandparents, including some brought from Europe after World War II.”
Next year, many of these gardens will be included on the club’s Down to Earth garden tour.
“Their passion, hard work and pride certainly showed at each of our stops,” Evans said.
She said some new residents took part this year.
“What was really fun was we had people that just moved to Somers Point,” she said, noting Jerry and Sheri Mercadante won Best Medium Flower Garden.
The Mercadantes bought a historic house on New York Avenue and brought heritage plants with them.
“This family started talking about things from her grandfather; she was so proud of her peonies,” Evans said.
She said the family recently moved to the city from northern New Jersey and love the small-town charm.
“It’s so fun for an old-timer to hear people praising our town,” Evans said. “We have some really nice new people.”
She also noted the quality of the gardens tended by sisters Monica Arleth (Most Enthusiastic Gardener in the Historic District) and Kathy Arleth (Most Creative Garden in the Historic District), one on Bay Avenue and the other on Delaware.
“They enter every year and keep lovely gardens,” Evans said.
But what’s special about the gardens is the welcome passers-by receive.
“Monica sits on the porch and people walking from the Anchorage to Gregory’s stop and talk about her flowers. Kathy has an old historic home and always has the front yard just so,” she said. “They get excited and it’s contagious when you talk to them.”
Evans said Kimberly DeAngelo, one of the members who does not live in Somers Point, won Best Heritage & Harvest Garden.
“She and her husband have multiple plants that have made the move with them. It’s so interesting to hear her story,” she said.
Somers Point City Council is expected to honor the winners during its meeting Aug. 27. Email gasperhomes@gmail.com for more information about the Green Thumb Garden Club.
Evans said co-chairs Lisa Gasper and Pam DeMarco “were so dedicated and creative, especially with their approach to recognizing each unique garden personality.”
RESULTS
Public gardens:
— Best Large Native Garden: Ted Edelman
— Best Small Native Garden: Teresita Doebley
— Best Large Flower & Vegetable Garden: Robert Forlini
— Best Medium Sized Flower Garden: Jerry & Sheri Mercadante
— Best Small Flower Garden: Emily Rutter
— Most Creative Garden in the Historic District: Kathleen Arleth
— Most Enthusiastic Gardener in the Historic District: Monica Arleth
Member gardens:
— Best Vegetable Garden: Gary Papouschek
— Best Native Garden: Patty Dorr-Lewin
— Best Transformation Garden: Joe Slane
— Best Garden Appeal: Mary Rydzewski
— Best Garden Escape: Lori Kent
— Most Creative Garden: Tammy Thornton
— Best Heritage & Harvest Garden: Kimberly DeAngelo
– By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff