Nominate a Neighbor, a Business, or Yourself for the Garden Gem Awards and Beautification Award

Starting Friday, May 1, 2026, Elk River residents and business owners can submit nominations for the second annual Garden Gem Awards and the Beautification Award. These awards recognize community members who care about their gardens and exteriors and take steps to improve them.

“The awards are fun because you see how creative and passionate people are about where they live and work,” says Josh Mollan, Economic Development Specialist for the City of Elk River. “But they are valuable because they encourage residents and business owners to invest in their spaces and show how beautiful Elk River can be.”

Learn more about each award and how to apply. There’s plenty of time to work on your projects and improve your gardens, or you jump in and nominate a space you particularly love right away. 

The Second Annual Garden Gem Awards

The Garden Gem Awards were a brand-new program in 2025, and the City of Elk River is looking forward to their return in 2026. You can nominate either a residential garden or commercial landscaping (including self-nominations) that features creative designs, diverse plant variety, and a positive environmental impact.

Last year, there were five available categories and four Garden Gem Award winners:

• Commercial – Plaisted Companies
• Neighborhood – Handke Center
• Single Family (before 2000) – Tracey Sando
• Single Family (2000 or later) – Sarah QuesenberryTownhome – No winner

This year, the City of Elk River added a new rural category. This recognizes a nontraditional rural garden, prairie, meadow, or grove. Additionally, the nomination and judging period has been moved earlier in the year to better align with peak bloom.

Garden Gem Award nominees receive a temporary ‘Nominee’ yard sign so Elk River residents can see which yards or landscape projects are in contention. The winning projects will be recognized by the City and receive a personalized garden stone.

Nominations for this award close on Tuesday, June 30, 2026. Download the program guidelines to learn more.

The City Beautification Award

The City Beautification Award is also a growing tradition in Elk River. This award recognizes local businesses that have undergone exterior makeovers. In 2025, the Elk River Area Chamber of Commerce received the beautification award for its complete exterior remodel.

“The building was constructed about 35 years ago, and like many non-profits, our focus was on our mission, not our home,” says Debbi Rydberg, Executive Director for the Elk River Chamber of Commerce. “The board recognized the need to improve the building because it is located on a highly visible corner and is a first impression for businesses.”

There are also changes to the 2026 Beautification Awards. Improvements completed within two years of the nomination date are eligible, opening the door for longer-term projects to apply. Prior non-winning nominees are eligible to be renominated if all other eligibility criteria have been met. There is also an updated scoring rubric for the judges.

“Our goal is to maximize participation so the City can recognize businesses that are working hard to improve their exteriors,” says Mollan. “We want to brag about your hard work and show off all the improvements you made to your business.”

Wayne Swart, a State Farm insurance agent, won the 2024 Beautification Award. Read about his improvements to further learn about the types of projects that qualify.

Nominations for this award close on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. Download the Beautification Award guidelines to learn more.

Share These Awards With Potential Nominees

If you know someone who is starting a business improvement project or investing in their garden, share these awards with them. They can review the criteria to see if their projects are a good fit – and potentially take steps to qualify.

Share these awards with anyone you know who might have a favorite business or garden they want to nominate. While you can absolutely nominate various projects around town, more participants add to the spirit of healthy competition. We can’t wait to see what everyone submits and how Elk River residents and business owners are making a difference in their community. 

Contact the Elk River EDA With Questions 

The City of Elk River Economic Development Authority (EDA) and the Beautification and Public Art Committee facilitate the Garden Gem Awards and Beautification Award. Both contests have objective judging panels and clear, transparent rubrics. If you have any questions about these awards and how to nominate others, don’t hesitate to reach out. Contact us today, and let’s talk about the beautiful community of Elk River.