2012 Greenest Block in Brooklyn Winners (pdf)

2012 Residential Category Winners

2012 Commercial Category Winners

2012 Greenest Storefront

2012 Commercial Honorable Mentions

2012 Residential Honorable Mentions

2012 Best Street Tree Beds

2012 Best Window Box

2012 Best Community Garden Streetscape

2012 Residential Contest Entrants

View all the residential blocks that have entered the 2012 Greenest Block in Brooklyn contest. Click the map points to see the names of the registered block associations.

The 2012 Entry Deadline Has Passed

The 2013 contest will open in mid-March. Visit this page to enter your block in the 19th annual Greenest Block in Brooklyn contest! Entries will be accepted until Saturday, June 1, 2013.

For more information, email Greenbridge@bbg.org or call 718-623-7250.

Prizes and Procedures

First Prize is a $300 check for each top residential and commercial block winner. All other finalists will receive cash prizes ranging from $100 to $200.

Best Window Box, Greenest Storefront, Best Street Tree Beds, and Best Community Garden Streetscape winners will receive cash prizes or gardening tools, and all participants will be awarded a recognition certificate.

Winners will be announced in August 2012 at a press conference held on their block.

Contest participants who attend the fall Recognition Ceremony will also receive a gift bag of fall bulbs and a certificate of recognition for their participation.

Street clinics are available for entering blocks. Availability is limited; first come, first served. Visit Street Clinics or call 718-623-7250 for an application.

Prior Year Winners

See winning blocks from 2011.
See winning blocks from 2010.

Residential Block—2012 Rules and Judging Criteria

The purpose of the contest is to promote streetscape gardening in the borough of Brooklyn through block associations and other community groups. For more information, call 718-623-7250.

Rules:

• Applications must enter online by Friday, June 1, 2012.
• Entrants must be a block association, civic group, or neighborhood organization.
• Entrants must represent one block only (both sides of the street, corner to corner). If an organization represents more than one block, please enter each block separately.
• The first-prize winner from last year may not enter the contest this year.

Judging Criteria for "Greenest Block in Brooklyn" Contest

• Variety and Suitability of Plants—Does the block display a number of different kinds of plants, trees, shrubs, and flowers? Are native plants being used? Does the block have window boxes in significant numbers? What about "front yard" gardens? Is it a tree-lined street? What about the location of plants in relation to growing conditions, such as sun or shade, and the appropriateness of plants?
• Horticultural Practice—What is the quality and condition of the plants? Are the flowers and shrubs a good size for the variety? What has been done to combat problems of insects or diseases?
• Street Tree Care—Are the trees pruned and maintained? Are there any dead trees or dangerous limbs? Have new trees been planted? How do the tree beds look? Are tree guards well designed? Have flowers been planted in an appropriate way and are they well mulched? Are the trees being well irrigated?
• Soil and Mulching—Is mulch being used in tree beds and around plantings? Is it the right depth and distance from tree trunks and plant stems? In what condition is the soil? Is it obvious that compost is being used? To what extent?
• Maintenance—Refers to cleanliness and neatness. Are there weeds in gardens? Are flowers deadheaded? Is there a lot of debris on the block? (Blocks won't be downgraded if judging occurs on the day of sanitation pickup and there are garbage cans on sidewalks).
• Color and Total Visual Effect—Does the block use color effectively? Remember that green is a color with many shades. Are window boxes visible and colorful? What about other containers or "front yard" gardens? What is the visual effect of the whole block?
• Citizen Participation—What efforts indicate community effort, such as street tree maintenance, community gardens, or areas cooperatively gardened by the block? How many residents on the block seem to be involved in greening/gardening their respective blocks?

Business Block—2012 Rules and Judging Criteria

The purpose of the contest is to promote greening and cleaning activities among businesses in Brooklyn through your local development corporation, business improvement districts, chambers of commerce, or other nonprofit economic development or management organizations.

Rules:

• Applications must enter online by Friday, June 1, 2012.
• Entrants must be a nonprofit association of businesses.
• If an organization represents more than one block, please enter each block separately. Each will be considered as a separate contestant. Opposite sides of the street will be judged as separate entrants.
• Prizes will be given to the organization/association, not to individual businesses.
• The winner from last year may not enter the contest this year.

Judging Criteria for "Greenest Business Block in Brooklyn" Contest

• Variety and Suitability of Plants—Does the block display a number of different kinds of plants, trees, shrubs, and flowers? Are native plants being used? Is it a tree-lined street? What about the location of plants in relation to growing conditions, such as sun or shade, and the appropriateness of plants?
• Horticultural Practice—What is the quality and condition of the plants? Are the flowers and shrubs a good size for the variety? What has been done to combat problems of insects or diseases?
• Street Tree Care—Are the trees pruned and maintained? Are there any dead trees or dangerous limbs? Have new trees been planted? How do the tree beds look? Are tree guards well designed? Have flowers been planted in an appropriate way and are they well mulched? Are the trees being well irrigated?
• Soil and Mulching—Is mulch being used in tree beds and around plantings? Is it the right depth and distance from tree trunks and plant stems? In what condition is the soil? Is it obvious that compost is being used? To what extent?
• Maintenance—Refers to cleanliness and neatness. Are there weeds in plantings? Are flowers deadheaded? Is there a lot of debris on the block? (Blocks won't be downgraded if the judging visit is the day of sanitation pickup and there are garbage cans on sidewalks).
• Color and Total Visual Effect—Does the block use color effectively? Remember that green is a color with many shades. What is the visual effect of the whole block?
• Citizen Participation—What efforts indicate community effort, such as street tree maintenance or areas cooperatively gardenend by the block? How many businesses on the block seem to be involved in greening/cleaning their respective storefronts?
• Creativity—What creative efforts to green up and beautify the block are noticeable? Do store windows show effective use of plants/flowers/greenery, etc?