City of St. Paul sent this bulletin at 02/25/2015 02:26 PM CST
February 2015
2014 Blooming Saint Paul Award Winners Announced
2014 was an exciting year for the Blooming Saint Paul Awards! With over 195 nominations and more than 150 attendees, it was the largest award ceremony yet. This year also marks the tenth anniversary of the program and the sponsorship of the Saint Paul Pioneer Press. We are continuously grateful for their support. To show our appreciation for their support and all that they do to support gardening, we awarded the Saint Paul Pioneer Press an Outstanding Gardening Advocate Award. We would also like to thank our additional sponsors: Capitol Region Watershed District, Kern Landscape Resources, Egg|Plant Urban Farm Supply, Union Depot and The Saint Paul Hotel. It is with the help of our generous sponsors that we are able to continue with the Blooming Saint Paul Awards Program.
Once again this year, the Ramsey County Master Gardeners were the judges for our program. Thank you to our judges. We awarded nearly twenty Saint Paul homes, businesses and people awards for their exemplary work! The awards ceremony was held on Monday, January 26th at a new venue, The Redcap Room, located in the Union Depot. We were fortunate to have Don Engebretson, The Renegade Gardener, as our informative and humorous guest speaker, as well as an appearance by Mayor Coleman and catering by D’Amico and Sons.
Gardeners from Aurora/St. Anthony Peace Sanctuary receive an award
Minnesota Green Spring Event
Looking for new and exciting seeds to spruce up your garden this spring? Register your community garden as a Minnesota Green group and receive seeds for your group’s garden! Registered groups will be able to pick up their seeds (about 150 to 200 packets) Saturday March 14 between 10 am and 1 pm at the North DaleCommunity Center.
There will be free presentations by the Ramsey County Master Gardeners on the hour beginning at 10 am (no pre-registration required), complimentary refreshments, and door prizes.
This spring, we invite our Garden Stewards to attend Blooming Saint Paul Day; a day to answer questions, receive gardening supplies, and enjoy complimentary refreshments.Blooming Saint Paul Day is a wonderful opportunity to kick-off the Spring and Summer gardening efforts in our park system and connect with other volunteers. We ask that all our Garden Stewards attend this event and receive the following items provided by our Arts and Gardens Department:Safety vests, mulch buckets, a trowel, gardening gloves, and knee pads.
Before her time as a volunteer, Kristen Callahan would walk through Como Park on her day off to admire the gardens and enjoy the butterfly sanctuary. She was inspired by the beauty and was driven to give back to the community – others like her who love spending time amid Saint Paul gardens.
Kristen Callahan is now one of our dedicated Garden Steward volunteers with an eye for innovation and a love for volunteering. She has been maintaining rose beds, hosta beds and daylillies since June, and considers her site at Como Picnic Pavillion a peaceful getaway.
During her time gardening, Kristin discovered a hidden garden bed near Hamm’s Falls at her site. She adopted this area as another volunteer project, and now maintains the hidden garden in hopes of making it a relaxing sanctuary for the park’s visitors.
To read the full volunteer spotlight on Kristen visit:
As well as attracting local pollinators, the group makes their own leaf mulch. Volunteers bring their leaves to a compost center and create the mulch themselves. The mulch is environmentally friendly, highly absorbent, and acts as a strong barrier against invasive weeds.
To read the full volunteer spotlight on the Rotary Club of Saint Paul visit:
For nearly fifteen years the Rotary Club of Saint Paul has been volunteering their time to beautify the city of Saint Paul! The group maintains three beds of hardy, colorful petunias at the Cleveland Circle site near the Excel Energy Center.
On the group's behalf, gardening and maintaining flower beds is not only a volunteer cause, but also an environmental cause. Larry Morgan, an avid volunteer and member of the Rotary Club of Saint Paul, says while the petunia beds add warmth and color to the city, he has also witnessed bees frequenting the flower beds.
Blooming Saint Paul is Hiring!
Do you enjoy gardening, beautifying your city or just want a job that will get you outdoors all summer? Blooming Saint Paul (Saint Paul Parks and Recreation) is looking for people to help maintain the city’s gardens and hanging baskets. We have three positions open:
-Seasonal Landscape Crew – This involves keeping the Green Line medians looking good, as well as other medians throughout the city. M-F, 30-40 hours a week , April – October. Pay is $10.09 an hour.
-Seasonal Gardening Crew – Help maintain the hanging baskets in downtown and other neighborhoods, as well as maintaining various garden sites. Schedule is flexible up to 40 hours a week.Weekends possible.May thru September. Starting pay is $10.09 an hour.
-Right-Track Crew Leader – Lead a crew of Right-Track youth (ages 14 – 19) to maintain gardens throughout the city.Some experience working with youth required. M-F, 40 hours a week.May – October Pay is $11.00 an hour.
If interested, send resume, cover letter and 2 references to: Mark Granlund 1100 Hamline Ave. N Saint Paul, MN 55108
