Before the tents go up for the Coronado Flower Show, the island itself becomes the exhibit.
The Coronado Floral Association’s Home Front Judging program returns March 27–29, sending more than 150 volunteer judges on foot through neighborhoods across the island — from Orange Avenue to the Coronado Cays — recognizing the front yards that quietly make the community more beautiful to live in and walk through.
The program has been part of island life since 1922, when the CFA began championing horticulture and neighborhood pride. What makes it enduring is its simplicity. There are no forms to fill out, no fees to pay, and no appointments to schedule. If you live in Coronado and have a front yard, you’re already entered. Judges walk every eligible street during the three-day window and leave colored ribbons.
The ribbons are awarded on a straightforward scale. A yellow recognizes a yard that is tidy, maintained, and clearly cared for. Red goes to gardens that go meaningfully beyond the basics — healthy plants, thoughtful pruning, real visual effort. Blue is reserved for the rare front yard with that unmistakable quality that makes passersby stop mid-stride. There is also the coveted Emerald Green ribbon, sponsored by local environmental organization Emerald Keepers, which honors drought-tolerant and ecologically thoughtful landscaping. This includes native plants, low-water ground cover, and natural mulch over traditional turf. It’s a category that reflects where Coronado is heading as a community.
A second team of judges revisits the Top Blue Ribbon homes across the island’s sixty-plus judging zones to select the Best Home Front, First and Second Runner Up, and a cohort of Top Ten winners. Results are published after the weekend, and on April 18 the CFA hosts a Best in Village Walkabout so the whole community can celebrate the winners in person.
How to get involved
As a resident: Do nothing except tend your garden. Every Coronado front yard is automatically eligible during March 27–29. Judges will find you.
As a volunteer judge: No gardening expertise needed, just enthusiasm for the community and comfortable shoes. Sign up before the March 26 materials pickup at coronadoflowershow.com. It’s an enjoyable way to spend a spring weekend on the island, and the program depends on community members showing up to make it work.
Questions can be directed to the Home Front Judging team at [email protected].
