For the third year we will be looking for, and celebrating, the 100 best gardens in McCauley. The official purpose of this contest is “to recognize the efforts of gardeners in the community who contribute to the vibrancy of our McCauley neighbourhood.” When our area is full of lovely and colourful gardens, we make our neighbourhood more inviting to live in and walk around. I think we all enjoy seeing beautiful gardens, whether they be vegetable gardens, trees and shrubs, containers, window boxes, or well-planned flower beds. You may have seen the “Leaf a Legacy” yellowish green signs posted in various winning yards.

There are so many ways you can make your yard unique and special. Look around your street at yards that feel welcoming. What makes it feel so nice? Is it the flowers, colourful foliage of various shrubs, trees that shade or provide fruit, special features or landscaping, or a neat lawn? Each yard is unique and it’s hard to decide which ones are best. So, this is your chance to take a good look at your yard and see what more you can do to spruce it up and make it beautiful. Great yards really do enhance our McCauley neighbourhood. If anyone has ever stopped by your house and said “You have a beautiful yard,” you know how proud you feel.

The timelines this year are a bit earlier than last year. We will decide which yards are best by around July 15, and signs will posted by the end of July. A group of avid local gardeners have agreed to be judges. We divided McCauley into areas, and the judge for each area will be keeping an eye out for yards that show the most effort to beautify the space and keep it growing well. We will be looking for gardens that can be seen from the street, not hidden by fences, either front or back, for both homeowners and businesses.

A celebration of the 100 great yards and top ten winning gardens will be held on September 8 at Studio 96. Photos of the celebration with the chosen Top 10 winners will appear in local media. So, get out your shovels and trowels, fertilizers, pruners and seeds, and see what you can do to make your yard, and McCauley, more beautiful. And take time to enjoy the fruits of your own labour as you work! If you have questions, contact Johanna, Garden Contest Coordinator, by e-mail: johanna@andreoff.net.