"Growing Together" is what the Mississauga in Bloom program is all about!

Recently developed under the umbrella of the national program Communities in Bloom, Mississauga in Bloom builds upon the Communities in Bloom motto of 'People, Plants and Pride, Growing Together' and works to strengthen community partnerships, encourage civic pride, environmental responsibility and beautification of the city.

More Information - Email us at mississauga.blooms@mississauga.ca

Streetscape Mississauga was introduced in 2009, as a program of Mississauga In Bloom, and is Mississauga's first, annual, city-wide garden contest.

The program has been created and is delivered by volunteers, in partnership with the City of Mississauga, and is designed to provide residents the opportunity to share their love of gardening and to recognize their achievements in beautifying our city.

Streetscape continues to grow for the benefit of a more liveable Mississauga and helps reinforce the ideals, expressed by thousands of residents, that shape Mississauga's Strategic Plan.

Contest Overview

Open to all residents, Streetscape focuses on front gardens only. Entering your garden is a wonderful opportunity to share your enthusiasm, expertise and personal gardening style, and to encourage others to beautify their own little corner of the neighbourhood. You don't have to be an expert to enter; all experience levels are welcome, from the beginner to the seasoned gardener.

The contest runs from mid-June to early August, and gardens are judged by volunteers from local horticultural societies and the city's horticultural community. There are three classes for residential entries - large, small and townhouse gardens, with prizes awarded to the top three gardens in each class. A separate contest is open to local Business Improvement Associations.

Your garden may be a dazzling display of colour or a shady green retreat - both have their own unique magic. Whatever inspires you - your passion for perennials, your fancy for fountains or simply a desire to beautify your surroundings, we want to see your creative spark expressed in your garden. Above all, we want you to show us your love of gardening!

2011 Winners

To enlarge photo, please click on the image To locate garden, please click on the address Large Garden Class
		1st Place - Claudia Shadursky 1508 Kenneth Drive This elegant garden is everything a low maintenance garden should be. Raised from the amazingly lush lawn, the garden is contained by the low, looping wall and encloses an unexpected, secluded patio. Small details capture the attention: pops of perennial colour, bright annuals between paving stones, and a clump of red grasses, drawing the eye up to a beautiful red Japanese Maple - but the standout feature is the group of giant grasses, giving movement and "life" to the garden.
		2nd Place - Liz Malicki 858 Bexhill Road Complexity in a garden is always intriguing, and that's exactly what this garden offers. Large curving beds, that sweep diagonally across the frontage, showcase a wonderful diversity of perennials and shrubs, complementing a red Japanese maple and mature evergreens, while a collection of hostas and heucheras add yet another layer of interest. The young woodland garden boasts an impressive array of acid-loving plants and its rhododendrons and azaleas give a promise of wonderful spring colour.
		3rd Place - Marylyne Brown 6127 Edenwood Drive "Forty shades of green" was how our final judge described this garden, with interesting foliage choices providing a variety of colour, texture and shape. The curving pathways create rhythm, leading to a small patio and water feature. A restrained use of statuary adds interest and a hanging basket placed judiciously in the garden adds height and a pop of brightness.
Small Garden Class
		1st Place - Nicola Hall 36 Pierpont Place If you need a definition of the WOW factor, just visit this garden! In a tiny awkward space, the owner has managed to create three different gardens. First is an exuberant cottage garden, with an abundance of colours, textures and shapes. Next is a minute shade garden and finally a lush and artistic container garden, giving a "garden view" from the house. A haven for birds, and insects, this is a garden to gladden the heart of Mother Nature herself!
		2nd Place - Jana & John Redegeld 1047 Franconia Drive The first view of this challenging, but beautifully - designed garden is of three magnificent trees - a tricolour beech, a magnolia and a Japanese maple which create a canopy over almost the whole garden. The sunny area, bordering the street, is bright with colourful perennials; while the heart of the garden is cool and shady, with hostas and groundcovers in large, curving beds, and features a small bench and fountain which enhance the tranquil feel of the garden.
		3rd Place - Eva Martini 2263 Springfield Court Defined by hostas and pea gravel on either side, this garden's winding pathway invites you in from the sidewalk to the front door. The interesting selection of shrubs and trees is enhanced by the addition of tropical plants. Two mature, topped-out honeylocusts, looking like exotic tree ferns, and accessories such as birds' nests and toadstools add a touch of whimsy.
Townhouse Garden Class
		1st Place - Julie Poce & Bruce Turner 23 Ellen Street This immaculately maintained garden makes the most of its space, with foundation plantings displaying a great variety of foliage colours and textures, offering all-season interest, such as the smokebush and yew at the curbside fence - a small study of contrast. Use of a single featured accent plant - hot pink geraniums - provides a bright splash of colour which harmonizes beautifully with the blue spruce and adds a touch of sparkle to the garden.
		2nd Place - Karen Griffith 25 Ellen Street This garden proves that, when you work together with your neighbour, you can double the impact of your garden. The eye is first drawn to a climbing hydrangea, softening the corner of the house, and the inspired use of black petunias in planters, complementing the door and patio furniture. A standard hydrangea adds height, while astilbe and heuchera add colour and texture throughout the season.
		3rd Place - Margret Ruschke 1725 The Chase, Unit # 102 A knockout colour scheme is what makes this tiny patio entrance a winner, with an explosive mix of sunloving annuals in shades of hot pink, accented with cool blue, white and silver. These colours are repeated in hanging baskets, planters, in ground plantings and even in the crevices of the patio. A few finishing touches - lighting, hostas and a low Japanese maple - make this a perfect spot to soak up the sun.
Streetscape 2011 B.I.A. Contest
		Winner - Streetsville B.I.A. This amazing streetscape is clearly a combined effort from all B.I.A. members, with merchants' displays in the same colour palette as the street plantings, creating a blaze of co-ordinated colour from one end of the village to the other. Baskets and planters are unbelievably lush and covered in bloom. Ground level planters are grouped together for maximum impact and display different plants for visual interest while maintaining continuity of the colour scheme.

Streetscape 2011

The dates have been set for Streetscape 2011, so be sure to mark them on your calendar and start planning your 2011 award-winning garden!

Entry period: May 18 - June 17, 2011

Start of judging: June 24, 2011

End of judging: August 12, 2011

Winners to be notified by: August 15, 2011

We'll see you next year.

Prizes

First, second and third place winners will be selected in each class.

1st. prize: Nursery gift card, value - $200
2nd. prize: Nursery gift card, value - $100
3rd. prize: Nursery gift card, value - $75

Winners will also receive a year's free membership in the horticultural society of their choice, a commemorative garden plaque and - of course - neighbourhood bragging rights, value - priceless!

All winners will be invited to receive their awards at the annual Streetscape Awards Event in September.

Contest Rules

Contest Rules and Regulations

What We Are Looking For

The judges will be evaluating each garden under the following criteria:

Visual Appeal: The overall visual impact; a pleasing sense of harmony of scale, colour and texture.

Overall Design: A good use of space; design co-ordination between plantings and other elements.

General Maintenance: The quality of care in pruning and weed and disease control; evidence of environmental practices such as mulching.

Originality: The WOW factor; creative use of special features such as ponds and rockeries; unique styles such as theme gardens.

• For details, click on The Dos and Don'ts of a Winning Garden
• For inspiration, click on Garden Gallery

The Dos and Don'ts of a Winning Garden

Click to view: The Dos and Don'ts of a Winning Garden (pdf)

How To Enter

The Streetscape Contest is now closed.

What's New for 2011?

Good news for townhouse gardens!
Due to the high standard of townhouse gardens we saw last year, in our first townhouse garden contest, we have expanded the prize eligibility and will now be offering a full slate of three awards in this class.

Bad news for plastic plants!
Yes, that includes silk and polyester too. There will now be an automatic points penalty imposed on any garden using artificial plant materials in any area of the garden, including garden beds, pots, planters, hanging baskets, window boxes, ponds or driveways etc. The reason? Simply because Streetscape is a garden contest and artificial plants just don't belong. It's your gardening skills we want to see.

So, if you love your fake potted evergreens but still want to enter the contest, just put them away for the season. Artificial door wreaths are acceptable, as are accessories not "pretending" to be plants, such as metal flower sculptures, painted flowers on plaques etc.

Contest Qs & As

Following are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions:

Q. Can I nominate someone else's garden?

A. No. Every entrant must sign or register their agreement to comply with the contest rules, and you cannot do that on someone else's behalf. Unfortunately, any third-party entries we receive are disqualified.

What you can do is encourage someone to enter by speaking to them, dropping a brochure in their mailbox or giving them our website information. If you feel shy about doing this, don't worry - most people are flattered by compliments on their gardens.

Q. How do I know which class to enter? My lot is large, but my garden is only a small area.

A. Large and Small Garden classes are defined by the measurement from one lot line to the other. In other words, your whole front yard is judged, not just the area you have chosen to plant. That's because we judge your garden on how well it complements your house.

Corner lots are almost always large gardens because they have two sides of the garden bordering on the street. Also, keep in mind that even though your garden may be situated primarily on one side of the driveway, judges also look at the other side of the driveway. That area is still part of your garden and shouldn't be overlooked.

Q. What qualifies as a townhouse?

A. A townhouse is defined as a dwelling attached on one or both sides, in a row of three or more. Townhouses may be rental, condominium, co-op or freehold, but to qualify for the contest, the front garden must be cared for by the occupant. End units generally have larger gardens than middle units, but they are still classified as townhouse gardens.

Semi-detached houses are not classified as townhouses, even though they may sometimes have smaller gardens. They should be entered in the Large or Small Garden classes.

Q. Why do we have to put a sign in the garden?

A. If you object to having a sign, you don't have to use it. However, the sign is intended to promote the contest, to help judges locate your garden easily and to display your pride in your garden. We hope you will place it prominently, where it can be seen from the road. If you are one of our winners, you will receive a "Winner" sign to display.

Q. What separates a winning garden from a non-winning garden?

A. That's a difficult question to answer as there are many factors that contribute to making a garden a winner. Judges tend to favour more complex gardens with a mix of evergreens, shrubs, perennials and annuals, but there are always exceptions to every rule. Above all, judges look for gardens that are unique in some way - those that stand out from the rest.

Some potentially winning gardens lose points for very basic reasons, such as:

• use of artificial plant materials in the garden or in planters
• poor maintenance such as uncut grass, lack of weeding and deadheading, clutter or garbage left in the garden.

Remember, your garden is being judged over a period of a month and a half, so it's important to keep it in good shape. The Dos and Don'ts information has been designed to help you - make good use of it.

Q. Why is the judging period so long?

A. To make the contest as fair as possible, judging is done at three levels:

• In Tier I, every garden is judged once by a team of four, with each judge scoring individually. This is completed over three weeks, ending in mid - July
• After averaging all scores, the top 10 - 12 gardens in each class move on to Tier II, to be judged again by a different team. This is completed by July 31st.
• Finally, during the first two weeks of August, the top five gardens in each class are judged at Tier III, by an accredited horticultural judge, who selects the winners.

Q. Can I get a list of all the people who entered their gardens?

A. No. Entrants' information is protected by privacy laws and cannot be given out. Winners' names and addresses, however, are published in media releases and on our website, as we hope people will be interested in viewing the winning gardens.

Garden Gallery

Welcome to our photo gallery of all previous years' winning gardens and winners of the B.I.A. contest. To enlarge photo, please click on the image To locate garden, please click on the address 2010 Winners
Large Garden Class
		1st Place - Taro, Savitri, Anil & Nick Asnani 1787 The Loft This stylized and exquisitely tended garden is reminiscent of the grand, formal gardens of Europe. The difference is that this garden doesn't have a staff of hundreds to maintain it - just a dedicated family. With formal parterres of boxwood and topiary trees and shrubs, the garden is perfect down to the smallest detail - such as the coloured prisms adorning the garden lights - and is truly in a class by itself.
		2nd Place - Geoff & Ann Fullerton 2072 Tolman Road Charm, tranquility and a sense of welcome are words not often used to describe a suburban garden, but this garden has them all. The colourful perennial beds and foundation plantings nestle against the cottage-style house and the visitor is tempted to sit in one of the Muskoka chairs and just relax. Crowning it all is a magnificent clump of mature birch trees and a second-level deck with pot plantings echoing the garden below.
		3rd Place - John Harrington & Fran Skelly 527 Menton Court This large garden makes the most of its corner lot, using bold curving beds and lush plantings to shield the house from the road, with a variety of plant materials providing bursts of vibrant colour. The two cozy seating areas and almost-hidden details such as bird houses, peeking out from unexpected places, invite the viewer to come in and explore.
Small Garden Class
		1st Place - Michael & Frances Byrne 4151 Sandover Court The bold use of colour in this garden is the first thing that catches the eye. The colour from the house trim is repeated in the small garden pagoda, which houses a large, lush hanging basket and a piece of oriental statuary. This is echoed by the lovely variety and textures of shrubs, providing year-round interest. Meticulous maintenance and splashes of colour from annuals and perennials add the finishing touches to this standout garden.
		2nd Place - Mario & Irene Gosselin 4333 Poltava Crescent If a sense of peace and tranquility is what you seek, look no further than this tiny, perfect garden. The owners' personal touches are to be seen everywhere, from the winding river rock paths and the small, surprise pond to the birdhouses and other accents made from reclaimed materials and blended beautifully into the landscape. Add in the lovely selection of shrubs and perennials and the result is a jewel-box of a garden.
		3rd Place - Doug & Zinia Wilson 855 Flagship Drive This small shade garden creates a sense of privacy that makes you forget it is situated at a busy intersection. The restful, inviting landscape is enhanced by a small seating area and restrained use of decorative accents, by the variety of plant materials and unexpected pops of foliage colour. Equally intriguing is the boulevard garden created from rocks and colourful groundcovers which provides an interesting lead-in to the garden itself.
Best Townhouse Garden
		Winner - Mary Hunter 3050 Orleans Road, Unit #8 The first winner of the new class for townhouse gardens demonstrates what can be achieved in a small space. An unerring sense of colour, interesting plant choices and striking foliage combinations give this garden an elegance and style that many larger gardens lack. A restrained use of plant materials allows the plantings to be seen at their best in a calm and uncluttered setting which, in turn, enhances the house.
Streetscape 2010 B.I.A. Contest
		Winner - Streetsville B.I.A. The stunning ribbon of colour, artistically co-ordinated and continuous throughout the village, can be seen even before you reach the boundaries of Streetsville. The knockout combination of purples, mauves, white and chartreuse blends beautifully with the banners and is repeated in unbelievably lush hanging baskets, ground planters and merchants' displays. Together with strong signage, the feeling created is happy and welcoming to anyone visiting Streetsville.
2009 Winners
Large Garden Class
		1st Place - Lucy and Eric Unger 1562 Knareswood Drive Stepping into this garden is like entering a wonderful botanical oasis. Every element is in harmony; from the inviting entranceway to the beautiful mature plantings, this is a garden of fabulous textures, boldly grouped plant combinations and meticulous attention to detail. The grand, sweeping borders create an elegant flow throughout the garden, resulting in an atmosphere that is both intriguing and calming.
		2nd Place - Liz and John O'Neil 1228 Minaki Road If you want something out of the ordinary, this is the garden for you! In a total departure from the average suburban garden, this garden has no lawn and no hard surfaces; but instead offers meandering bark mulch paths through hills and valleys of colourful perennial plantings. Surprise accessories hide in unexpected places and help to make this a garden that the viewer can't resist exploring.
		3rd Place - Teresa and Albert Wong 560 Meadow Wood Road This traditionally formal garden has lovely, flowing lines that soften the angular architecture of the house, with bold plant material and pops of vibrant colour that contrast beautifully with the large evergreens. The judges particularly liked the charming shaded arbour off to one side and the wrought iron fence that enhances the view of the lovely back garden.
Small Garden Class
		1st Place - Patricia Griesser and Loren Bandiera 572 Drymen Crescent This garden is a jewel and reveals the wonderful design sense of its creators. Most of the final judging group said that it made them want to go home, rip out their gardens and start all over again! The ditch rockery looks as if it's been there forever, and the main garden, with its flowing lines and use of colour and texture, delights the eye and leads the viewer to a tantalizing glimpse of the back garden beyond.
		2nd Place - Rosemary and Robert Malone 42 John Street South The judges felt that this delightful small garden beautifully complemented the architecture of the house, with its cool greens and old fashioned roses. The front porch, surrounded by greenery and accented with antique touches, is reminiscent of days gone by and seems like the perfect spot to sit, with a cup of tea, and shake off the cares of the day.
		3rd Place - Monika and Henry Schouten 2715 Quill Crescent This tiny front garden is a perfect example of what can be achieved in a small, exposed, suburban lot. The restrained use of foundation plantings is enhanced by selective hits of exuberant colour and the whimsical scree garden at the side of the driveway is the perfect way to lead the viewer beyond the garden gate. This garden is proof that, sometimes, simple can be better.

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