What is Richmond Hill Blooms?
Richmond Hill Blooms, formerly known as Front Garden Recognition, is a program designed to beautify Richmond Hill by encouraging residents to create attractive, colourful and well-maintained front gardens. Gardens are nominated by neighbours, friends, relations or even by yourself. Front gardens within the community are eligible for nomination. Every nominated garden will receive a participation sign provided by the Town. Of these, twenty gardens in each ward will be selected for participation in a competition, which will be judged by members of the Richmond Hill Garden & Horticultural Society. Judges will then determine which gardens earn first, second and third place prizes in each ward; which will be presented by the Town of Richmond Hill.
How can my garden be nominated?
Between TBD dates between May and early July (check back), you can nominate your own and others' front gardens by one of the following methods:
- Online Form: (Check back)
- Phone: 905-780-2977 and leave a message identifying the address of the garden you're nominating, as well as your name, telephone number and email address
How will the gardens be judged?
Gardens identified as the top twenty in each ward will be judged by members of the Richmond Hill Garden & Horticultural Society, using Ontario Horticultural Association Gardens and Special Planting criteria.
What are the judging criteria?
Gardens will be judged based on Design, Use of Plant Material, Condition & Maintenance, Hard Landscaping, Environmental Practices, Community Contribution and Distinction.
Design
- Creativity and originality of design
- Balance and scale of garden to building
- Selection and arrangement of plant material including placement of trees and shrubs giving the garden overall year-round appeal
- Use of colour and texture in relation to building (at time of judging)
- Design of traffic flow, both pedestrian and vehicular
Use of Plant Material
- Use of perennials and annuals as to diversity, suitability, spacing, balance
- Use of plant material that encourages beneficial insects, butterflies, birds, and toads
- Use of plant material that is suitable to the location
- Use of indigenous species
Condition & Maintenance
- Overall cleanliness of property including driveways and parking areas with respect to weeds and garbage
- Hedges, flowerbeds, borders with respect to pruning, edging of beds, control of weeds, disease and insect damage
- Lawn or ground covers with good colour, dense growth, well maintained
Hard Landscaping
- Condition of driveway surface and walkways
- Appropriate use of stones, rocks, walls, fencing, statuary, garden art, containers, water features, outdoor structures and furniture, bird houses and any other hard landscaping elements
Environmental Practices
- Use of good environmental practices such as mulches, rain barrels and compost
Community Contribution
- How the property contributes to the beautification of the neighborhood as viewed from the street
Distinction
- Impact and special overall appeal, special features
When will the gardens be judged?
Shortlist judging will take place in July. Judging to determine the top three gardens per ward will take place in August. Please check back later in the year for specifics.
When will the prizes be presented?
Due to COVID-19 precautions, gala celebrations were cancelled in 2020 and 2021, but may resume in 2022. The addresses and photos of the 2021 top three gardens per ward are visible on the city's site (click here).
Last Year's First Place Gardens Ineligible for Top 2022 Recognition
The 2021 first place gardens in each ward will be ineligible from being awarded a first, second or third place designation in the 2022 program.