PORTSMOUTH—
Great weather helped bring record crowds to the Portsmouth Garden Club's 19th Festival of Trees, held on Nov. 18, 19 and 20. Approximately 7,000 visitors donated 1,454 pounds of food over the three days, which helped The New Hampshire Food Bank fill 230 Thanksgiving Baskets for families in need throughout the seacoast area.
People’s Choice winners by category are:
Learning Center: Full size trees
First: Wentworth Greenhouses, Rollinsford: “A Gardener’s Christmas;” Second: Piscataqua Obedience Club, Durham: “It All Starts With Obedience;” Third: Ambrosia Gardens, Portsmouth: “Ambrosia Delight.”
Outdoor Trees and Exhibits:
First: E Clips Salon, Portsmouth: “Angry Birds Christmas;” Second: Green Penguin Landscaping, Rye: “Granite State Christmas;” Third: Rye Airfield, Rye: “Something For Everyone.”
Rosemary Cottage: Miniature Trees
First: KD Mason Books, Greenland: "Frozen Winters to Tropical Paradise: Murder, Suspense, And Romance;" Second: Carol Leach-Doll Artist/Illustrator, Dover: “Woodlies Workshop-A Forest Folk and Fairie Tree;” Third: Portsmouth Public Library, Portsmouth: “Novel-Tree.”
Antique Cape, Decorated Rooms, People’s Choice:
Sitting Room by Collins Gift Shop, Rye: “Twas The Day Before Christmas.”
Winners will be honored at a luncheon at the Urban Forestry Center on Jan. 11, 2012.
The Portsmouth Garden Club and the Urban Forestry Center would like to thank everyone who helped make this year's event such a success. Special thanks to Portsmouth High School students in Mr. Dexter Robblee's woodworking class who built a shed used for the ticket booth and to Lamprey Energy who donated materials for the chowder shed which was built by Mr. Robblee. The next Festival of Trees will be held the weekend before Thanksgiving in 2013.
Photo Caption: First place in the Outdoor Trees and Exhibits division was won by E Clips Salon, Portsmouth: “Angry Birds Christmas.” This tree was especially popular with young people, including Elizabeth Dang, 7, of Portsmouth. (Courtesy photo)
