Happy Landscapes Contest
If you are looking for ways to promote a healthy and happy yard, and you would like to join some friendly competition, then look no further. Enter our Happy Landscapes Contest!
Conventional grass lawns can have a lot of negative environmental impacts. We want to see your yards that promote biodiversity, conserve water, and support native pollinators. Below you can find information about what we want to see, how to enter, and advice on how to create a Happy Landscape!
What: The Happy Landscapes Contest is a city-wide competition to see who has the "happiest" yard. We are looking for environmentally-conscious initiatives like planting of native shrubs and trees, alternative lawns, vegetable gardens, water conservation efforts, and more. Submit a photo and a brief description of your Happy Landscape to @email to enter.
For inspiration, see "How to Create a Happy Landscape" below.
When: The contest will run during the spring from March 1st to July 31st. The winners will be announced by August 10th and contacted by email.
Who: Anyone who lives in Chilliwack is eligible. Your property must be within Chilliwack boundaries and must comply with the City's Community Standards Bylaw 2021, No. 5041. Winners may be required to provide address to confirm location is within Chilliwack.
Prizes: Three winners will be selected at the end of the contest and receive a Visa gift card.
- First place prize: $150
- Second place prize: $100
- Third place prize: $50
How to Create a Happy Landscape
- Learn to MAINTAIN YOUR LAWN NATURALLY, without adding chemicals like fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides. Read our Natural Yard Care page to learn more.
- PLANT NATIVE FLOWERING PLANTS to support Chilliwack's native birds and pollinators. You can learn more about this through our Gardening for Nature page.
- PLANT A FRUIT AND VEGGIE GARDEN to best utilize your space and save money on groceries. Ensure you plan your garden thoroughly to allow plants to work together, reducing the need for fertilizers and pesticides. This is called polyculture or permaculture, and is very easy to replicate in a small-scale home garden.
- REGULATE AND MAINTAIN INVASIVE SPECIES. These plants and insects can be harmful to your gardens, beneficial insects, and the local environment. Read our page about Invasive Species to learn more about invasives in Chilliwack and what to do about them.
- Allow your grass to phase out and give ALTERNATIVE GROUND COVERS a chance to thrive. Grass can have a lot of negative impacts on the environment: It reduces biodiversity (an important attribute to an ecosystem) and it cannot support pollinators. Alternative lawns can save money and resources, and they require less maintenance. Read more about alternative lawn options through our Natural Yard Care page.
- BE CONSCIOUS OF YOUR WATER-USE. It may be surprising, but our drinking water is a finite resource and your garden hose is fed from the same source as your drinking water. Try planting drought-ressitant plants and only water when you need to. You can learn more about saving water through our Water Conservation page.
- If you would like to get further involved in water conservation, consider entering our Ugliest Lawn Contest fron June to September!
- Did you know that using a typical four-stroke lawn mower for one hour releases the same amount of greenhouse gas emissions as driving a car 150 kilometres? Consider MOVING AWAY FROM GAS-POWERED EQUIPMENT and towards alternatives like manual or electric equipment.
Privacy Policy
Personal information is collected for the administration of City of Chilliwack programs and services only, as authorized under Section 26 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The City of Chilliwack does not use or disclose personal information for purposes other than that for which it is collected or a use consistent with that purpose, or with the consent of the individual whom the information is about, or otherwise in accordance with law. The City of Chilliwack retains personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes of the specified program or service and as required by law.