Pine Street Inn Regular Recognized for Shelter Garden

The Pine Street Inn was recognized as the first-place winner for the “Storefront, Organization, or Main Street District” category of Mayor Martin Walsh’s 2018 Garden Contest in Boston.

Pine Street Inn staff  also recognized their tenant AJ for his hard work in tending to the garden for many years.

“AJ has managed the garden for four years, and tends to it several times each day to make sure it’s taken care of,” Pine Street Inn Content Director Rachel Schlacter said. “The staff at Pine Street is incredibly proud of him and all of his hard work to bring joy and beauty to the community through his award-winning garden.”

The Mayor’s annual Garden Contest, dubbed as “a citywide celebration of urban gardening” and beautification, judges a variety of gardens on use of color, plant material, variety and quality of plants, general appeal and neatness and sustainable features and methods used to create the garden.

Schlacter said AJ’s garden uses recycled goods to help bring more character to it.

AJ, who could not be reached for comment by Spare Change News, did share more with the Pine Street Inn staff on why gardening is so important to him.

Schlacter said, AJ’s “favorite part about gardening is ‘giving life to something,’ because ‘that’s what Pine Street did’ for him.”

In a statement to Spare Change news, Jennifer Widener, the Program Manager of the Boston Parks and Recreation Department said Pine Street Inn’s “use of color, general appeal, garden hardware and plant materials were all extraordinary” and that it “scored highest in each of the judging categories.”