Green America Award winners announced

Nature Hills Nursery has announced the winners of its Green America Awards.

The scheme has been set up to give grants and national recognition to garden projects from community groups and local organisations around the country.

Bridging the Gap – a non-profit environmental scheme from Kansas City – won the grand prize of a $2,500 plant grant.

The money will help the project beautify a vacant lot in the Ivanhoe neighbourhood of the city.

Other winners included Two Coves Community Garden in Astoria, New York – and organisers will receive $1,500 to spend on plants as they strive to provide residents in western Queens with fresh produce.

Nature Hills president Jeffrey Dinslage said the winners are projects that are making a genuine difference to their community.

"We are proud to support these local efforts to beautify neighbourhoods and create gardens in the midst of urban environments," he explained.

A California health centre recently opened a healing garden to help aid its patients recovery, according to the North County Times.