Mounts Announces Photo Contest Winners

Best in Show & Botanical Close-up 1st Place –
Florida Silver Palm, by Felix Castro

(PRESS RELEASE)_(West Palm Beach, FL – July 6, 2023) Mounts Botanical Garden, today announced the winners of its 16th annual Photo Contest. Nonprofessional photographers were invited to enter pictures taken at Mounts in five competitive categories: Animal Life, Insect Close-up, Botanical Close-up, Garden Sculptures, and Scenic Landscape.
 
“With more than 150 inspiring submissions, this was truly one of our most competitive photo contests to date,” said Mounts Botanical Garden’s Curator-Director Rochelle Wolberg. “This year’s winners beautifully captured the wonder of our inspiring tropical oasis.”
 
Best in Show winner is Felix Castro from Pembroke Pines for his photo Florida Silver Palm, which also won 1st Place in the category of Botanical Close-up. Castro also received 1st Place for Animal Life with his picture of a woodpecker.
 
The Insect Close-up category was won by Emily Laurent of West Palm Beach for her photograph of a honey bee on a native Buttonsage.

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Insect Close-up 1st Place – Honey bee on a native Buttonsage, by Emily Laurent

Garden Sculptures 1st Place – Giraffe sculpture made from recycled oil drums, by Karen Katonah

Animal Life 1st Place – Woodpecker, by Felix Castro

Scenic Landscape 1st Place – Bridge over a dry stream bed at Mounts, by Michelle Corbo

​Karen Katonah of Boca Raton picked-up 1st Place for Garden Sculptures for her picture of the new “giraffe” at Mounts made from recycled oil drums.
 
Finally, Michelle Corbo of Saint Clair Shores, MI won 1st Place in the category of Scenic Landscape for her photo of the bridge over a dry stream bed in the Garden. 
 
This year’s 2nd Place winners include Joseph Camosy of Palm Springs for both Insect Close-ups and Garden Sculptures, Victor DelCorror of West Palm Beach for Animal Life, Georgia McGuire of Riviera Beach for Botanical Close-up, and Jo Ricchiuti of Palm Beach for Scenic Landscape.
 
3rd Place awards went to Felix Castro for Garden Sculptures, Karen Katonah for Insect Close-up, Carri Lager of Jupiter for Scenic Landscape, and Marissa Shulman of West Palm Beach for both Animal Life and Botanical Close-up.
 
1st Place winners in all five categories received a one-year membership to Mounts Botanical Garden, and 2nd and 3rd Place winners received gift certificates to the Mounts Gift Shop and Nursery.
 
Check out the winning pictures of Mounts Botanical Garden’s 16th annual Photo Contest at https://www.mounts.org/2023-photo-contest/.