Celebrating Green Visions: Unveiling the 2025 Phipps Sustainable Garden Award Winners!

Pittsburgh, PA – In a testament to the power of green innovation and dedicated stewardship, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens proudly announces the stellar recipients of the 2025 Sustainable Garden Awards. These prestigious accolades celebrate individuals, institutions, and communities whose extraordinary efforts are transforming landscapes, fostering biodiversity, and inspiring a more sustainable future.

This year's winners exemplify the profound impact that thoughtful design, native plantings, and ecological practices can have on our environment, our health, and our collective spirit.

Leading the charge in creating magnificent, eco-conscious havens are Scott and Cheryl Lammie of Oakmont, who clinched the Large Home Garden award.

Their sprawling property is a breathtaking example of how to weave native flora into a vibrant, biodiverse tapestry. Far from a conventional lawn, their garden boasts an impressive array of native trees, shrubs, and perennials that provide crucial habitat and food sources for local wildlife. The Lammies' commitment to drastically reducing their turf grass area not only conserves water and eliminates the need for harmful chemicals but also showcases a stunning aesthetic that proves sustainability can be truly beautiful.

Proving that even compact spaces can yield immense ecological benefits, The Brinks of Pittsburgh earned the Small Home Garden award.

Their ingenious urban oasis demonstrates a holistic approach to sustainable living. This vibrant edible garden is a powerhouse of productivity, supplying fresh produce while actively engaging in advanced composting techniques that enrich the soil naturally. Their clever water conservation strategies, including rain barrels and permeable pathways, further highlight their dedication to minimizing environmental impact, turning a small plot into a thriving ecosystem.

The Millvale Community Library took home the Commercial/Institutional award, recognizing their visionary integration of sustainable practices into a public space.

This library is far more than just a place for books; it's a living classroom. Their meticulously designed pollinator gardens hum with life, supporting vital insect populations, while their innovative rain gardens effectively manage stormwater runoff, preventing pollution and replenishing groundwater.

Through hands-on workshops and educational signage, the library actively engages the community, proving that green infrastructure can be both functional and deeply inspiring.

In the heart of Pittsburgh, Manchester Growing Together has been honored with the Community Garden award for their transformative urban farm.

This remarkable initiative has converted formerly vacant lots into a vibrant hub of food production, community engagement, and environmental education. By providing fresh, healthy produce to residents in an underserved neighborhood, they're not just growing food; they're cultivating community bonds, fostering food sovereignty, and demonstrating the immense potential of grassroots efforts to rejuvenate urban spaces.

The future of sustainable living is brightly illuminated by the efforts of Lincoln Elementary School in Pittsburgh, winner of the Youth Garden award.

Their outdoor classroom is a dynamic learning environment where students actively participate in growing food, understanding ecological principles, and connecting with nature. This garden serves as a powerful tool for experiential learning, teaching children the importance of stewardship, healthy eating, and the interconnectedness of all living things, sparking a lifelong passion for sustainability.

An honorable mention in the Community Garden category was also bestowed upon the Green Urban Initiative, a Pittsburgh-based group that exemplifies the power of collective action.

Their tireless work in transforming neglected vacant lots into thriving community-led green spaces is a testament to resilience and vision. Through collaborative planting and stewardship, they are not only beautifying neighborhoods but also creating vital green infrastructure and fostering a deeper sense of community pride.

The 2025 Phipps Sustainable Garden Award winners stand as beacons of hope and innovation, demonstrating that every garden, large or small, can be a powerful force for good.

Phipps Conservatory applauds these individuals and groups for their dedication to ecological principles, inspiring us all to cultivate a more beautiful, resilient, and sustainable world, one garden at a time. Their stories are a vivid reminder that when we work in harmony with nature, the possibilities are truly endless.