The PA Horticultural Society is now accepting entries for the Gardening and Greening Contest through June 20.

Each year the PHS celebrates the accomplishments of gardeners in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware with the PHS Gardening and Greening Contest. The contest invites backyard gardeners, community gardeners, and all who are passionate about greening public spaces to enter.

Entries throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware will be judged on maintenance and horticultural practices, as well as the variety, color, and suitability of plantings.

Design and total visual effects will also be considered, with extra points awarded for creativity and sustainable practices. Volunteer judges will be chosen for their expertise and achievements.

Participants will include home gardeners with in-ground, combination, container or rooftop gardens.

Children’s gardens, maintained by school-age children under the supervision of an adult, are also welcome to enter.

Community gardeners may enter vegetable and flower gardens, garden blocks, public-space plantings, and parks.

Businesses that have beautified their properties are eligible as well. Municipalities that have initiated environmental projects, such as stormwater management or tree plantings, may also participate.

The ten contest categories include:  Children’s Garden; Combination Garden; Container Garden; Environmental Initiatives; Flower Garden; Garden Block; Public Space: Planting/Parks; Rooftop Gardens; Urban Farm; and Vegetable Garden.

Gardeners whose projects are chosen for recognition will be invited to an awards reception, where photos of the winning gardens will be showcased.

For more information and to enter the contest, visit the PHS’s Gardening and Greening Contest webpage, call 215-988-8897, or send email to: ggcontest@pennhort.org.

6/13/2016