Best garden award

The horticulture department will conduct a competition for the best home gardens, educational institution gardens, and the gardens maintained by public sector undertakings and private concerns in connection with the Yercaud summer festival.

A press release from M. Prabhu, deputy director of horticulture, here on Monday said that the department has taken every initiative for the successful holding of the summer festival and the flower show in the hill station.

The department has planned competition for the best gardens in Yercaud, Salem and their surrounding areas. The home gardens (in an area less than 50 sque ft); bungalow gardens (500 square ft and above); roof gardens; gardens situated in the schools and colleges; gardens maintained by hotels, public sector undertakings, private concerns.

A team of judges will visit the gardens situated in Salem on May 8 and Yercaud and its surrounding areas on May 9. Prizes for the best gardens will be distributed at the valediction of the summer festival, the release said.