Are any of you mystery buffs? If so, you've probably read one or more stories where a deeply envious neighbor kills off the individual who has won a best yard award for twenty or so straight years. Why? Because the murderer had joined the competition fifteen years earlier and had never won.
There could be a number of reasons why the annual winner held sway over the others. They could have money to hire gardeners and buy plants or have time to do yard work. Perhaps their power and prestige in other arenas weighs heavily with the judges. Perhaps their best friend is the judge. Who knows? The point is, such contests can become cutthroat events.
Before I moved to my neighborhood, I had spent five years in an apartment. I missed my roses, flowering quince and bush honeysuckle. One Sunday morning after the man who held me up at gunpoint came back for a second try, I took the real estate section and prayed for God to show me any listing I could afford where I would be safer. The listing for this apartment almost jumped off the page at me.
You have to have an eye for potential to understand why I bought this share. It was filthy. There were two old, old, cheap kinds of paneling as well as stucco on the living room walls. The floors needed refinishing or anything. The kitchen cabinets were old but paintable and repairable. Dog feces had been walked through so many times that it was hard as concrete and unrecognizable. But that, folks, is what made it my kind of thing -- a fixer upper. While I was still young enough, I loved taking something old and ugly and making it look nice. Not only could I decorate this little townhouse, but it had a yard I could play in, too. To make it even better, there was a maintenance department that was supposed to do the wiring, plumbing, roof and exterior. These are the qualities of an apartment complex and a single family dwelling combined. It took several weeks of stopping by after work to scrape dog do, clean and paint. My goals before moving were total cleaning and then painting, especially one bedroom, the bath and the kitchen. I bought the share August 5 and remember I was laying vinyl tile in the kitchen the weekend of September 21, my daughter's birthday.
As I would get a room ready, I would carry carloads of dishes, towels, sheets, etc., over after work. We moved the furniture on a long holiday weekend -- Columbus day. Needless to say, I didn't get much landscaping done the first year. Just a few bulbs got planted. My welcome to my new neighborhood was someone stealing my mums before I got them in the ground.
By the following spring, I knew which neighbors were vying for yard of the month and which were in line for worst yard ever. As I began the never ending project, I prayed that my yard would bring a sense of peace and serenity to all that saw it. I cared nothing about winning an award.
Shortly after I retired, I received a small inheritance. After I paid off all my bills and bought a good used car, I spent some time and dollars to finish the yard. Lo and behold, within the next year or two, I found a best yard of the month sign out front. I must confess it felt really good. At least it did until I felt the wrath of the neighbor who held best yard as a goal. Then it didn't feel so good anymore.
The best yard contest lapsed for a while When they brought it back, they had three places instead of just first. That was good, because more people could receive recognition for their hard work.
The last time someone placed a sign in my yard, I asked them not to leave it. Why? Well, memories of the ruptured relationship it caused the first time it happened. But, also, because for award programs to really be effective, there has to be a real chance for every individual to reach success. If the same people win or place year after year, there is no point for everyone else to try. Isn't the point of such programs to encourage everyone to keep their landscape beautiful? It certainly used to be the reason for the contests.
So, folks, if you are in charge of yard competitions, make some rules that see the signs are passed around to anyone who does a good enough job. You might also use an application system so that people who want to participate can, but others don't have to do so.
For some people, a yard to play in is sufficient. For some, their goal is serenity for all. Winning all the time just isn't a goal for everyone.
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