{"id":80,"date":"2017-12-18T14:52:54","date_gmt":"2017-12-18T19:52:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/box5145.temp.domains\/~actongar\/?page_id=80"},"modified":"2025-11-21T15:44:03","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T20:44:03","slug":"acton-looking-good","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.actongardenclub.org\/staging\/5475\/acton-looking-good\/","title":{"rendered":"Acton’s Looking Good"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Acton Area Looks Good<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every summer The Acton Garden Club conducts the ‘Acton’s Looking Good Contest’ in order to acknowledge Acton businesses whose landscapes enhance the town’s beauty and to encourage more businesses to improve their landscapes.
During the summer months, members of the committee serve as judges to evaluate business properties. Criteria for judging include design, color, texture, scale, and maintenance. Awards are chosen in six or seven categories which are decided by the judges. Categories may include, but are not limited to, the following: Single Retail, Plaza, Multiple Occupant Retail, Professional Business, New Business, Most Improved, Small Space, Cottage Garden, Landscaped Intersection, Garden Center, Culinary Garden, or Continued Excellence.
The awards are presented with plaques containing photographs of their property at our November meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Acton Garden Club Announces
2025 \u201cActon\u2019s Looking Good\u201d Awards<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By Ann Marie Testarmata<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With all the challenges facing the residents and business in the town of Acton, from dust and drought to ongoing construction at Kelly\u2019s Corner to rains, floods, winds and ongoing global climate change, it\u2019s a wonder there\u2019s time or space for beauty, flowers and landscaping among our business, but in little corners of Acton, small oases of beauty and calm are there. They ease the tension of the day and help us forge on as we shop, eat, drink and manage our lives. The Acton Garden Club\u2019s Acton\u2019s Looking Good Committee was out once again in full force scanning the town for these gifts of beauty among its many businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our committee of dedicated members travelled throughout the town this summer, searching for gardens and landscapes deserving of recognition, They discovered many unique and beautiful gardens and landscaping by the business community of Acton and faced the difficult task of making the awards to a select few. This year\u2019s recipients were chosen for the unique characters of their gardens and the spaces they transformed to bring whimsy, joy, and peace to our community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Honors were given to Rapscallion Restaurant for their eye catching entryway to their restaurant.
Lisa Di Bartelomeo accepted the award<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Touche Hair Salon caught the attention of our committee with their stunning container garden at their back entrance visible to clients enter from the parking. Owner Marisa Tomasic accepted the award.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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Middlesex Bank was notable for their \u201cOasis of Peace\u201d and calm in the chaos of the Kelley Square construction. The award was accepted by Pauline Belen Middlesex Bank assistant branch manager, and Christy Shepard.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Acton Main Street Mini Storage were honored for their whimsical garden and landscaping. Marcia Hartwelll, property manager and Pamela Fuller, assistant property manager accepted the award.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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The 2025 Acton\u2019s Looking Good Awards<\/strong>  (left to right)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rapscallion Restaurant – Eye Catching Entry –  Lisa Di Bartelomeo <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Touche Hair Salon – Hidden Gem –  Marisa Tomasic <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Middlesex Bank – \u201cOasis of Peace\u201d – Pauline Belen & Christy Shepard<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Acton Main Street Mini Storage \u201cWhimsical Garden” – Marcia Hartwell &Pamela Fuller<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Recipients of the 2025 \u201cActon\u2019s Looking Good\u201d Award were honored October 7 th at the Acton Garden Club meeting with a plaque and photograph of their landscape and a reception at Acton Town Hall. Congratulations to the 2025 Awardees. We can\u2019t wait to see what we will find in 2026!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The 2024 Acton’s Looking Good Awards are: (left to right)\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Dunkin’s – (on 2A) – Consistent Excellence<\/em><\/strong> – Megan and Mark Pesce <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eve and Murray’s – Whimsical Presentation<\/em><\/strong> – Dawn Agular and Tamara Murray Delusion<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Acton Family Dental – Beautiful Entry Gardens<\/em><\/strong> – Eleanor Hurl, assistant to Dr. Yao <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Life Care Center – Welcoming Gardens<\/em><\/strong> – Lauren Welch<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Legends Caf\u00e9 – Inviting Small Garden<\/em><\/strong> – Jingbo Li \u2013 Award presented by Heather Makis.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The 2023 Acton’s Looking Good Awards:<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Best Stand Alone Business – Acton Funeral Home – Dan White<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Use of Small Space – Ernie’s Auto Body – Rose Silveria<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best New Garden – Tavenier Place – Rachelly Bartolotta<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Continued Excellence – West Acton Village – Lauren Richardt<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Use of Container Gardens – Anita’s Shoe Boutique – Anita Opitz<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Retail Plaza – TJ Maxx\/Roche – Larry Farrell Mgr. of TJ Maxx<\/p>\n\n\n

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2022 Acton’s Looking Good Awards (from left to right)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Christine Haufler and Lucinda Sears, The Bees Knees<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lucy Goldstein, West Acton Villageworks<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Megan and Mark Pesce, Great Road Dunkin\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul Swydan, The Silver Unicorn<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Bees Knees – Best Curb Appeal<\/p>\n\n\n\n

West Acton Villageworks – Best Retail Plaza<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Great Road Dunkin’ – Best New Innovative Garden<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Silver Unicorn – Best Stand-Alone Business<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kitchen Outfitters – Best Use of Containers<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Acton Pro Tech Gas – Best Intersection<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2018 Acton’s Looking Good Awards (from left to right)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Paula Wright, MacDonalds; Kathy Doran Boyle, Acton Funeral Home; Sam Paolini, Post Road Carpet; Kaila Gallagher<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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McDonald’s – Best Curbside Appeal<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Acton Funeral Home – Best Single Business<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Post Road Carpet – Best Natural Landscape Use<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harbor Seal LLC. – Best Small Freestanding Business<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ProTech Route 27\/2A – Continued Excellence<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gould’s Plaza – Best Containers<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bursaw Gas & Oil Inc. – Best Cottage Garden<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2017 Acton\u2019s Looking Good Awards (from left to right)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Beth Secinaro and Mary Jo Bates-Acton Water District, Todd Brown-Lincoln Tree, Rick Guinazzo-Filho\u2019s, Joe Carey-McDonald\u2019s, Mr. Rata-Sunoco and Pro-Tech<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Acton Water District \u2013 Best Waterwise Landscape<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lincoln Tree \u2013 Best Landscaped Residential<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rick Guinazzo \u2013 Filho\u2019s \u2013 Best Restaurant Landscape<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joe Carey \u2013 McDonald\u2019s \u2013 Continued Excellence<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Rata \u2013 Sunoco at Rt. 27 & 111 and Pro-Tech at Rt. 2A & 27 \u2013 Best Landscaped Intersection<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Idylwilde Farms \u2013 Best Curb Appeal<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CVS \u2013 Best Single Retail Landscape<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Acton Area Looks Good Every summer The Acton Garden Club conducts the ‘Acton’s Looking Good Contest’ in order to acknowledge Acton businesses whose landscapes enhance the town’s beauty and to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2351,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-80","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.actongardenclub.org\/staging\/5475\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/80","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.actongardenclub.org\/staging\/5475\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.actongardenclub.org\/staging\/5475\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.actongardenclub.org\/staging\/5475\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.actongardenclub.org\/staging\/5475\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=80"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.actongardenclub.org\/staging\/5475\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/80\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2436,"href":"https:\/\/www.actongardenclub.org\/staging\/5475\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/80\/revisions\/2436"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.actongardenclub.org\/staging\/5475\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2351"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.actongardenclub.org\/staging\/5475\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=80"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}