Do you pride yourself in having a water-smart garden? 
Would you love to show it off and share with others what you know about water conservation and drought tolerant plants?

Enter the first annual Monterey Bay Area Water-Smart Garden Contest and Tour for prizes and an opportunity to show off your garden during the 11th annual Monterey Bay Area Master Gardener’s tour on August 9 and 10. There are categories for professional and amateur designers as well as specialty themes such as Succulents, Natives, Mediterranean Styles and gardens with Lawn Alternatives.

Enter to win great prizes! The entry deadline is May 19th. Check back in March for the entry form.

What the judges are looking for:

1. The garden demonstrates water conservation techniques.  Examples include use of mulches, ground cover, water-efficient drip or soaker hose irrigation, rain water collection, and/or the use of drought tolerant plants.
2. Lawn size is minimized.  This may involve use of patios, walkways, fences, etc.
3. The gardener actively pursues use of organic and/or natural techniques for pest control, rather than synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.
4. The garden minimizes run-off as demonstrated by an appropriately designed and sized irrigation system.
5. The garden minimizes erosion through use of mulch, erosion-controlling plants, appropriate grading, etc.
6. The garden is aesthetically pleasing through appropriate use of color, size, shape, and groupings of plants that suit the site.
7. The garden is attractive to native birds and bees but not especially friendly to deer, rabbits, or gophers.
8. The 3 Rs (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle) have been incorporated into the garden design.
9. There is no use of invasive species in the garden (reference the CNPS or USDA websites)

Tour requirements:
To enter the contest, you must be willing to be part of the garden tour.
We ask that you have adequate parking available near your house and that you are able to be present to share your garden with tour participants for the weekend of August 9th and 10th.

Sponsors:
We are currently looking for Contest sponsorships from local businesses. If you would like to help promote and provide funding for the contest prizes and promotional material, please contact Candice MacLaren at cmclaren1010@sbcglobal.net .

Previous Tours:

2007 Masters Garden Tour photos

2006 Masters Garden Tour photos