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Are you a good gardener? Then enter city's contest

Front-yard garden contest, now includes backyards, promotes growing food

Now’s the time to start thinking of prettying up your property and maybe winning a prize in the City of Maple Ridge’s Food Garden Contest.

The annual event invites gardeners to either enter their own yards or nominate a neighbour’s.

In order to enter, take a ‘before’ photo, as soon as possible, of the food garden in either your front or back yard.

If you have both, you can enter both categories by filling out a form, available at the planning department counter at city hall, and returning it, along with the photo, to the  front counter by this Friday, June 26.

Or, you can do the whole thing online by going to http://mapleridge.ca/FormCenter/Committees-Commissions-4/AAC-Food-Garden-Contest-77 and posting your entry.

Siobhan Murphy, who’s coordinating the contest this year, said the addition of backyards is new because many people spend a lot of effort on their back yard gardens and want them recognized as well.

Judging will be done in four categories, in both front and back yards, under 100 sq. feet, between 100 and 500 sq. feet, over 500 sq. feet and children’s food garden.

Judging will be done in early August and winners will be contacted.

The judges will be looking at the quantity and range of food grown, the health of the plants, gardening practices and the garden’s design.

Prizes include gift certificates to the Haney Farmers Market plus a special presentation at a Maple Ridge council meeting.

• For information, contact Siobhan Murphy at city hall.