Front Yards in Bloom

2023 Season of Front Yards in Bloom

A beloved tradition for gardeners, yard enthusiasts and community members, this program helps strengthen Edmonton’s community spirit and beautify our city.

A Front Yard in Bloom is a yard that showcases the best of nature, along with some human ingenuity! There are six categories that a yard can be nominated in: general, tiny yards, edible yards, natural yards, balconies in bloom and the public space category. There have been so many beautiful gardens submitted in each category, and the efforts of the gardeners are impressive.

Voting took place August 14-18.

View the 2023 Front Yards in Bloom winners.

Share an In Bloom Story

Another opportunity to be involved with Front Yards in Bloom is to share an In Bloom Story. You can contribute to the history of Front Yards in Bloom by sharing your unique story. Is there a yard or neighbour that you feel deserves special recognition? Or have you previously been nominated and want to celebrate this accomplishment?

Share your story with us at front.yards@edmonton.ca.

Rules, Terms and Eligibility Conditions

The Front Yards in Bloom Photo Contest is open to all Edmonton residents over 18, but anyone can participate in the voting process.

No purchase is necessary to vote for a nominee.

The chances of winning are based on the number of votes received via an online form in a certain period of time.

A yard must meet the criteria for the category (Natural, Edible, Tiny Yards, Balconies, Public Spaces, or General) for which it is nominated. A front yard must be visible from the street, which can include the yard in front of your residence, the piece of land in front of your school, or other public group meeting location.

Yard Categories

General Yard

General yard

An appealing front yard that catches your eye, inspires smiles, and invites visitors to enjoy its beauty!
May include a variety of plants, colours, textures, heights, decorations, and unique features
Yards should contain at least 25% non-turf plants over the area - pots, containers, flowering trees, shrubs, mosses, and grasses are all included in this category
Yards in the general category are judged by volunteer judges trained by the Edmonton Horticultural Society

Tiny Yard

FYIB tiny yard

Introduced in 2018... tiny yards!
Some of the best things come in small packages
Do you have a tiny yard on your block with a beautiful garden that needs some recognition?
Tiny yards can be infill lots, townhouses, duplex units, or anything that is small!
Yard should be less than 600 square feet including space on either side of walkways
As with all nominated yards, tiny yards must have at least 25% flowering plant material (non-turf grass)

Balconies in Bloom

A balcony with flowers and edible plants.

Balcony gardens can feature flowers, edible plants and vegetables, decorations and birdfeeders and whatever your mind can create
Nomination should include the unit number
All nominees will receive a sign in the mail celebrating your beautiful balcony
Top 3 balcony gardeners will be awarded at the Edmonton in Bloom Awards ceremony

Natural Yard

Natural yard

A yard with native flowers, trees, shrubs or ground cover plants that attract local wildlife such as birds, bees, butterflies, and other insects
A guideline of at least 60% perennial varieties defines this category
Extra points during judging are given for native plants with an Alberta origin (bees love them!)
Yards in the natural category are judged by the Edmonton Native Plant Society

Edible Yard

Edible yard

A yard incorporating edible plants into the landscape design
Can include anything from vegetables and grains to fruiting trees, berry bushes, perennials, flowers or even mushrooms
As a guideline - of all the plants found in these yards, at least 60% must be edible.
Yards in the edible category are judged by Sustainable Food Edmonton.

Public Space

A yard or garden with landscaping features and aesthetic appeal in front of a public building.
This space can be located in front of a school, business, office building, multi-unit residence, church, community league, or volunteer association.
Yards in the public spaces category must be accompanied by a street address to qualify - no city parks/parkettes, median gardens and trees, boulevard plantings or shrub beds. Exceptions can be made if the citizen gardener(s) can be named along with a mailing address (email front.yards@edmonton.ca in these circumstances).
This category does not include community gardens. To nominate a community garden for an Edmonton in Bloom award, contact front.yards@edmonton.ca

For More Information

311 Contact Centre

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If you are calling from outside of Edmonton: 780-442-5311

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Front Yards in Bloom

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2023 Season of Front Yards in Bloom

Share an In Bloom Story

Public Space Category

Balcony Category

Edible Yard Category

Rules, Terms and Eligibility Conditions

Yard Categories

For More Information

311 Contact Centre