A number of Port Coquitlam green thumbs will be honoured next month for planting prize-winning gardens.
At the Sept. 10 meeting, Mayor Greg Moore and city council will recognize the top three residents with lush front and back yards as part of the 16th annual Pride of PoCo Garden Awards.
The city and PoCo Garden Club received 40 nominations for the contest. Judging was based on street appeal, effective use of texture, colour and space, and maintenance of plant and landscape materials.
A new feature of this year's awards was the inclusion of a before-and-after category, with the award going to Zahid and Hafsa Shaheem.
This year's other winners are:
for front and back garden, Bruce and Teresa Lees, Carl and Eurilda Larsen, and Luigi and Rosemarie Visocchi;
for front yard, Linda and Wayne Robins, Heather and Mick McMitchell, and Laura and Michael Thomas;
for back yard, Pat and Arthur McGill, Fran and Norman Skinner, and Ben and Hilary McQuilling;
for back yard townhome, Myra Antaya and Ken Wills;
for front yard townhome, Jami Watson;
and for balcony garden, Donna Pisoney.
As well, Blakeburn elementary school was given an honourable mention for its butterfly garden.
To see the photos of the winners' gardens, visit www.portcoquitlam.ca/gardenawards.
