2025 Reader Garden Award Runner-Up:
Congratulations to Becky Short from Macungie, PA!
For Becky, the joy of gardening has been in the journey. Meaningful memories can be found throughout her yard, from the knot garden inspired by a vacation in England to an outbuilding that is a replica of the historic Tayloe House in Colonial Williamsburg. Pieces of inspiration get stitched together throughout the space to create something cohesive yet completely unique.
A beautiful and beneficial garden
While her garden is oozing with style and interest, it also emphasizes environmental impact. The plants she considers signature to her designs are natives like milkweed (Asclepias spp.), goldenrod (Solidago spp.) and black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia spp.) that welcome flocks of pollinators to her garden. Becky also chooses to garden completely organically, and the wildlife that visits her beds and borders are welcome guests rather than pests that need to be deterred.
Sharing the love for gardening
Becky’s garden is also a space to teach her two granddaughters. An herb garden is a treasure trove of sights and smells, and a mini meadow in an old wagon is a fun way to demonstrate the beauty and importance of native plants.
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Spreading plant joy outside the garden
Becky’s garden generosity expands beyond the realm of her home garden as well. The joy she found in gardening with her grandchildren inspired her to form a garden club at their elementary school, and she now helps run garden clubs at three different schools in the area. In addition, she has been a part of gardening projects throughout her area, including a community garden next to a local homeless shelter, a healing garden at a nearby hospital, and a native plant garden at their library. All these projects demonstrate why Becky finds so much joy in gardening, for the beauty that it creates and for the benefit it has in our own environment and public spaces.
Thanks to Jung Seed for providing a $100 runner-up gift certificate prize to Becky!
Enter for a chance to be one of next year’s winners
For details on entry guidelines for submitting your garden in the 2026 Garden Gate Reader Garden Award, click here.
See Our Previous Year’s Reader Garden Award Winners:
