Selmi’s Garden of the Year Competition is Open to Local Gardens

At Selmi’s Greenhouse and Family Farm, we believe a well-maintained outdoor space does more than brighten up a yard.

It adds pride to a home. It brings joy to neighbors passing by. It gives families a reason to spend more time outside. It turns ordinary spaces into something personal, colorful, and full of life.

That is exactly why we created Selmi’s Garden of the Year competition.

This competition is our way of shining a spotlight on gardeners throughout our local communities who put in the time, care, and creativity to make their outdoor spaces stand out. From bold flower beds and welcoming front porches to beautifully arranged containers and full backyard landscapes, we know there are incredible local gardens all around us. We wanted to create something that gives that hard work the recognition it deserves.

Why Selmi’s Created This for Our Community

Over the years, we’ve had the chance to help so many local families and gardeners find the plants, flowers, and garden inspiration they need each spring. We get to see the excitement at the greenhouse when customers are planning their beds, picking out their go-to blooms, and imagining what their yard could become.

But once those plants leave Selmi’s and head home with you, the real vision starts to take shape.

Selmi’s Garden of the Year competition was created to celebrate what happens next.

We wanted to give our local area something fun, community-focused, and meaningful. Something that encourages people to show off their hard work, inspire others to start gardening, and take pride in what they’ve created. Gardening is personal, but it also has a way of bringing people together, and this competition is built around that idea.

It also reflects what we love most about this area. So many homes in and around Selmi’s in Rock Falls are surrounded by beautiful seasonal color, creative planting ideas, and thoughtfully cared-for spaces that deserve to be seen.

Celebrating Local Gardens Across Our Area

One of the best parts of gardening is that no two outdoor spaces look exactly the same.

Some gardens are full of bright annuals and hanging baskets. Others are carefully designed landscapes with structure, texture, and color. Some are simple and charming. Others are bold and overflowing. Every garden tells a story about the person behind it and their style.

That is what makes this competition so special.

We are not just looking for the biggest garden or the fanciest layout. We are celebrating effort, creativity, care, and the pride people take in their outdoor spaces. This is about recognizing the beauty that exists right here in our own communities and celebrating the inspired gardens that make our area feel so inviting.

From Rock Falls and Sterling to Dixon, Morrison, Prophetstown, and the surrounding area, we know there are hardworking gardeners who deserve to be seen. Many of the best ideas start with neighbors, friends, and even local gardening groups that continue to encourage others to plant, grow, and create something beautiful at home.

More Than a Competition, It’s Garden Inspiration

Yes, there are big prizes involved, and we’re excited about that.

But this is about more than winning.

It is about building excitement around gardening every year. It is about encouraging people to participate in something local. It is about giving neighbors, friends, and family a chance to support each other. It is about creating a moment where the community can come together and appreciate the beauty growing right here at home.

We also hope it inspires others.

Maybe someone sees an entry and decides this is the year they finally plant that flower bed. Maybe a young family starts spending more time outside together. Maybe a gardener who never thought their yard was competition-worthy decides to enter and ends up inspiring a whole lot of people.

That is the kind of impact we love and hope to see happen across our community.

How Selmi’s Garden of the Year Works

Gardeners can submit their outdoor space from May 1 through May 31 for a chance to compete in Selmi’s Garden of the Year competition.

Once submissions close, public voting will open June 1 and continue through June 15. During that time, the community can vote for their favorite gardens and help decide which entries move on.

The three submissions with the most votes will become our official finalists. From there, our judges will visit each garden in person and score it based on a set of judging criteria.

The winner and two runners-up will be announced on June 20.

We Hope to See You Enter Your Outdoor Space

If you’ve spent time planning, planting, watering, pruning, and caring for your outdoor space, this is your moment to show it off.

Whether your garden is big, small, bold, colorful, neatly arranged, or packed with personality, we want to see it.

Our local area is full of beautiful yards and talented gardeners, and this competition is all about celebrating them. It is one more reason Selmi’s is proud to be part of the season and one more way to connect our community through gardening.

For those searching for local events near me, we hope this competition becomes something families, neighbors, and garden lovers look forward to each year.

Thank you for helping make our communities more colorful, more welcoming, and more alive each season.

We can’t wait to see what you’ve grown.

Think you have what it takes to be Selmi’s Garden of the Year? Submit your garden and learn more about the competition today.

Submit Your Garden Today