The Children’s Garden Award has returned for 2023!
Applications are now closed, we can’t wait to see your gardens.
Good luck to all our gardeners!
Contest Overview:
The PEC Master Gardeners are pleased to announce the return of the Children’s Garden Award. We want to get children engaged with the natural world and help them learn how to grow food and experience the fun of doing it themselves. Gardening engages children in so many ways by exposing them to the wonders of the natural world.
Throughout the gardening season they learn to work independently and enjoy sharing in the harvest as well as the fun. They learn about science and nutrition and the environment. Gardens are living laboratories where lessons are drawn from real life experiences and fueled by a child’s innate curiosity and enthusiasm, resulting in an environment that encourages them to become active participants in the learning process and their communities.
The rules of this contest are very simple:
- the child must plant and maintain the garden themselves. They can seek advice, but they must do the work.
- The garden can be any size (we suggest 4 feet X 4 feet). The child can plant whatever they like: flowers or vegetables – or both!
- The garden can be planted anywhere: their own backyard, a neighbour’s yard, other family member’s yard, at school ( if space is available ) or even an allotment garden.
- They must keep a journal and write down what they plant and when and any observations they make throughout the growing season. For younger children, this can be drawings.
- The Master Gardeners will visit each garden twice, once in the spring and again in the fall.
- Apply now by completing the online application form found here. The deadline for applying is Sat, April 29th.
Here’s some gardening notes for the kids:
Newspaper Seedling Pot Instructions
Attracting Birds to Your Garden – Terry Sprague
Prizes!
All winners in both Junior and Senior groups will receive a plaque to keep.
First Place: $100 cash
Second Place: $50 cash
Third Place: $25 cash
The overall Grand Prize winner will have their name engraved on the trophy.
Good Luck and Happy Gardening!
Kids Garden Contest 2022 Winners
On Saturday, October 1st we all gathered at Hagerman’s Farm to celebrate the amazing gardens created by this year’s young gardeners. Jodi Hagerman presented the prizes and Hagerman’s took all the kids for a wagon ride around the farm after the ceremony. All the participants received certificates and we were amazed at the gardens they created. Congratulations to all the young gardeners!
This year’s winners are:
SENIOR
First Prize $100
Mabel Ray Richens 12
Second Prize $50
Simon Hill 10
Oliver Hill 10
Third prize $25.00
Adelaide Voskamp 10
JUNIOR
First prize $100.00
Payden Guernsey 9
Second prize $50.00
Abbigail Wemyss 8
Third Prize $25
Josephine Jaskulski 8
The Grand prize winner was Mabel Ray Richens. Here’s what Colette McKinnon, CGA Chair 2022, had to say about Mabel Ray’s garden: “Mabel Ray’s reaction to gardening encapsulates a spirit of wonder that we would like to foster in everyone. She was blown away that a seed turns into something wonderful. She was meticulous in her gardening practice and journal keeping. For example, she identified the orb spider as beneficial in her garden and explained why. She also made a table of tips and tricks, explaining the role of straw mulch and compost. She noted Love (attention, care and patience) was fundamental to her success”.
Congratulations Mabel Ray!
PEC Master Gardeners would like to thank Hagerman’s Farms for hosting our event and the wagon ride. Jodi Hagerman for presenting the awards, Lockyer’s Country Gardens for the gift certificates, Chef David Evans of Gordon Food Service for the delicious cake. THANK YOU.
The Children’s Garden Award Committee for 2022, they did a great job!
See you all next year.