Prize-winning plantings on display at Celebrate Yonge

Three winners of Live Green Planter Box Challenge announced

TORONTO, Aug. 30, 2012 /CNW/ - Yonge Street is in bloom thanks to beautifully themed plantings that line the street at the Celebrate Yonge event. Landscapers from across the province answered a call from Landscape Ontario (of Canada Blooms fame) to take part in the Live Green Planter Box Challenge. Eighty-six stunning plantings were submitted by over 20 landscapers taking part in the challenge. Their landscaped designs fill planter boxes that serve as barriers between new Celebrate Yonge pedestrian spaces and lanes of traffic on Yonge Street from Queen to Gerrard.

A panel of judges consisting of Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, Lawson Oates from the City of Toronto Environment Office, Frank Ferragine from Breakfast Television and Christopher Hume from the Toronto Star were assigned the task of determining the Challenge's overall winner. The judges based their decision on who best interpreted themes (assigned by event area), with bonus points being awarded for environmentally friendly plants, materials and practice.

The amazing contest plantings made it difficult to choose just one and the judges named three arrangements as their overall favourites. Rembrandt Landscaping and Landscape Garten of Milton Ont., and Toronto's Green Valley Landscaping Inc. designed the winning arrangements. The winners were announced at the Celebrate Yonge VIP Cocktail Reception at the Massey Tower on August 23. Their prize was to have their plantings showcased on Rogers Media (broadcast sponsor of Celebrate Yonge) Breakfast Television show.

Celebrate Yonge features 170 planter boxes in all (only some were filled by contest participants) that were custom built by volunteers from the Local 27 Carpenters' Union, with building material donated by The Home Depot. The Live Green Planter Box challenge was managed with the generous support of Live Green Toronto and is a truly collaborative event by local communities invested in creating a better Yonge Street. The floral arrangements will be on display until festival's end on September 16.

About Downtown Yonge BIA

The Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area is an association of 2,000 businesses and property owners in downtown Toronto. Founded in 2001, its mandate is to revitalize and position Downtown Yonge as Canada's premier business, shopping and entertainment destination. For further information on Celebrate Yonge, created and run by the Downtown Yonge BIA, please visit: www.celebrateyonge.com.

SOURCE: Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area

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