Friends of Christopher Columbus Park Win City’s Golden Trowel Award

Special to the Regional Review

On Wednesday, August 5, Parks Commissioner Ryan Woods presented the Golden Trowel Award to Friends of Christopher Columbus Park’s Horticultural Committee Co-Chairs Robyn Reed and Terese O’Connell for the “Garden of Hope.” Commissioner Woods noted that the garden earned First Place for its beauty and design and FOCCP’s mission to cut and give flowers away to people in the neighborhood who could use some TLC.

The award recognizes that FOCCP won First Place in the Storefront, Organization or Main Street District Garden Category of Mayor Walsh’s 2020 Garden Contest. 

The idea for the “Garden of Hope” came to Robyn and Terese early this spring when they realized more than half of the hybrid tea roses hadn’t made it through the winter. They decided to transform the rose garden to a bed of annuals.  “The zinnias turned out to be a wonderful riot of bee and butterfly magnets,” says Terese. “It really was a garden of hope.  We were hoping the seedlings survived the lack of rain and our well-fed rabbits.”  Robyn added, “Winning First Place was certainly not our mission in starting the Garden of Hope but a welcomed acknowledgement of all the love and hard work that went into it.”

Visitors to the Park have expressed their appreciation for the beautiful garden. A neighbor said, “The rose garden reminded me of the elegance of grandmother’s home. This colorful garden makes me think of the fun of Disney World.”  The whimsical garden reflects the creativity, fun and commitment of the Friends of Christopher Columbus Park to the neighborhood and is a labor of love.

The Friends of Christopher Columbus Park is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization comprised of North End and Waterfront neighbors and business owners who work together to maintain and enhance the Park and to sponsor special events in the Park.