We have missed seeing gardens this year through master gardener tours, garden club events and other garden joys. We also missed our Minnesota State Fair Potted Plant Show. We can’t let the year pass without seeing more gardens, so we’re hosting the Great Gardening Contest—virtually!

Show Us Your Photos

Entering the contest is easy! First, choose your category. There are three big sections for entries: Houseplants, Outdoor Gardens and Outdoor Containers. Under each of the sections, there are four subcategories, such as cacti, edible gardens or shade containers and many others. We want to see photos of all kinds of gardens, including indoor gardens, vegetable gardens and ornamental borders. We’re celebrating the many ways cold-climate gardeners grow. The contest is open to non-professional gardeners from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Gather and post your photos!

Take photos (or use ones you took earlier this summer) and post up to three of them on Instagram or Facebook using the hashtag #greatgardeningcontest2020 and #mnhort. Fill out the entry form on our website so we can connect your entry to your social media accounts. We’ll look at the photos and choose winners, who will have their photos shared with readers of Northern Gardener in our November/December 2020 issue.

Entries in the Great Gardening Contest will be judged on the following criteria

• Aesthetic appeal
• Plant health (well groomed with no dead leaves, petals or blooms and showing vigorous and strong growth)
• Sustainable practices and resourcefulness (natives, rain gardens, recycled products, water conservation, natural pest management)
• Habitat for pollinators and other beneficial wildlife. Does not apply to houseplant entries.
• Community connector (space for family and neighbors to gather). Does not apply to houseplant entries.

We’re so excited to see your entries. Let the Great Gardening Contest of 2020 begin!