PHOTOS: Most beautiful gardens and balconies in Trogir named 

For the second consecutive year, the Trogir Tourist Board has organised a competition to find the most beautiful gardens and balconies in Trogir for 2024.

This initiative, inspired by sustainable cities, aims to preserve, promote, and invest in horticultural elements within the city’s core and its surrounding green areas.

The story of this year’s commendable project began symbolically on the first day of spring, 20 March 2024, with the announcement of the competition.

(Photo: Trogir Tourist Board)

Residents of Trogir were invited to showcase the time and effort they have invested in decorating their gardens, balconies, and windows.

The Trogir Tourist Board also announced a flower fair, transforming Trogir into a “Flower Centre” for three days. Numerous exhibitors offered a wide range of seedlings, flowers, and ornamental plants along the Trogir waterfront.

The colourful fair featured an engaging programme across several city locations, including creative workshops for adults and children, thematic musical and theatrical performances, and exhibitions, all aimed at fostering a flower culture and raising ecological awareness among citizens.

(Photo: Trogir Tourist Board)

The variety of flowers and seedlings from exhibitors across Croatia inspired many residents, resulting in a surge of competition entries.

Participants could enter in two categories: “Balcony and Window” and “Garden and Yard.” One of the project’s main goals was to encourage residents to create imaginative solutions for their gardens and balconies, contributing to a greener and more organised living environment, and demonstrating a commitment to the long-term sustainable preservation of Trogir’s environment.

Mayor Ante Bilić remarked, “Through this project, we have shown appreciation and gratitude to everyone who works hard to beautify our city and its surroundings.” Marin Piveta, Director of the Trogir Tourist Board, highlighted the importance of this project in raising awareness among citizens and promoting sustainable tourism and destination management.

This year saw over 20 participants, and there is enthusiasm for continuing the project in the coming years. Piveta thanked all participants and the expert committee that awarded prizes based on visits to the gardens and balconies, noting that the public also had a say in selecting the third-place winners.

The competition offered valuable cash prizes for the top three places in each category:

Most Beautiful Garden and Yard

1. Damir Sorić – €500

2. Mladenka Muštra Karanušić – €300

3. Anita Ćudina – €150

Most Beautiful Balcony and Window

1. Marin Bećir – €500

2. Katja Derossi – €300

3. Nane Novak – €150

The top three in the “Balcony and Window” category and the top two in the “Garden and Yard” category were selected by a panel of experts, including Jelena Grabovac, a senior advisor from the Ministry of Culture and Media, Nikolina Tomaš, head of public surface maintenance at Trogir Holding, and architect Mihaela Milat from GEOART.

The evaluation criteria for the “Garden and Yard” category focused on horticulture and maintenance (plant health and garden upkeep), design (composition, element arrangement, and spatial placement), and originality.

This included plant health, diversity, tidiness, pruning success, pest control, and ecological practices like rainwater collection and composting.

The winners (Photo: Trogir Tourist Board)

The design aspect considered planting complexity, creativity, and the overall aesthetic impact.

For the “Balcony and Window” category, similar criteria were applied, with additional emphasis on the selection of appropriate flower pots.

Following the selection of winners for the top two places in the “Garden and Yard” category, the remaining finalists were posted on Facebook, allowing the public to choose the third-place winner. Due to an equal number of entries and awards in the “Balcony and Window” category, all three winners were chosen by the committee.

Winners were invited to a formal award ceremony at Trogir City Hall, where they received contracts, plaques, and bouquets featuring succulents that could be replanted, promoting sustainable gardening methods. Damir Sorić, the first-place winner in the “Garden and Yard” category, expressed his honour, noting that his travels have allowed him to incorporate unique plants into his garden.

(Photo: Trogir Tourist Board)

The Trogir Tourist Board extends its gratitude to all residents who invest time and effort into maintaining and decorating their floral arrangements, seedlings, and pots, which symbolise hard work and uniquely beautify the city of Trogir.