Spirit of Eden Prairie Award winners Arnold Rohe; Inga Borggreve and Carol Bomben, Preserve Association Board members; and Mayor Nancy Tyra-Lukens.

The City of Eden Prairie presented its first-ever "Spirit of Eden Prairie Awards" at Tuesday’s City Council meeting to Arnold and Jane Rohe, Tom and Arlene Howden, and the Preserve Association.

The Spirit of Eden Prairie Award recognizes significant investments and enhancements property owners have made that contribute to the overall vitality, accessibility and sustainability of the community.

Arnold and Jane Rohe, who have lived in their Eden Prairie home for more than 30 years, accepted the honor in the single-family residential category. A resident who is new to the Rohes' neighborhood submitted the nomination that praised Mr. Rohe for always working on his lawn and tending the best landscaping in the neighborhood, in addition to offering help and advice for planting gardens or using chemical-free methods for keeping bugs and weeds away.

In the multi-family residential category, Tom and Arlene Howden and the Preserve Association tied for top honors. The Howdens were recognized for their exceptional landscaping, which includes donated plants and recycled materials to enhance their backyard that faces a popular walking trail. The Preserve Association received the honor for last year's enhancements to increase the accessibility and efficiency of its pool facility. The association also added two entry monument gardens and landscaping, staying committed to its native tree replacement plan that will sustain natural features well into the future.

No award was presented in the commercial/industrial category.