It’s almost Home Front Judging time, the weekend when Coronado Floral Association volunteers spread out across Coronado to select the most beautiful front yards. In conjunction with the Floral Association’s Home Front Judging, which takes place March 28-30, Emerald Keepers will be recognizing earth-friendly home fronts. Homes can receive both Floral Association ribbons and green Emerald Keepers ribbons.
Volunteers are still needed for earth-friendly home front judging. No experience or knowledge needed. Sign up online and include Emerald Keepers in the comment box.
Considerations to earn an earth-friendly green ribbon include:
- Limited to no lawn. Grass is water and energy intensive and provides limited benefits to our local biodiversity. Home fronts should be no more than 25% grass.
- Limited to no artificial grass. Fake grass should be avoided. Made out of plastic, it harms the soil, wildlife, and human health. The benefits from using less water with artificial grass are far outweighed by the environmental harm caused by this plastic ground cover. No more than 10% of a garden should be covered with artificial grass.
- Majority native or low-water plants. Support bees, birds, and butterflies with low-maintenance native and drought-resistant plants that thrive in Coronado’s soil and climate.
- Natural mulches covering soil. Mulches such as bark, rocks, sand, and decomposed granite retain moisture, limiting the need for watering. They also inhibit the growth of weeds and therefore the need for chemical weed killers.
- Majority ground surface non-paved. Permeable, non-paved ground surfaces allow for water absorption into the soil rather than runoff. Patios are acceptable if there is permeable space between pavers.
Green ribbon home fronts must also meet the Coronado Flower Show requirements for obvious effort, good maintenance, and curb appeal.
Home fronts include the parkway strip between the sidewalk and the street. While the strip is city property, homeowners are responsible for its maintenance. This visible space presents another opportunity to expand your earth-friendly impact.
In 2024, 319 homes were recognized for their earth-friendly landscaping. The winner was 801 Country Club Lane; 931 J Avenue took second place; and 1001 E Avenue came in third place. The winners exhibited an attractive and thoughtful combination of drought-tolerant plants and permeable hardscape that extended to the parkway strip. A full list of 2024 earth-friendly home front winners can be viewed online at emeraldkeepers.org/earthfriendly.
Earth-friendly home fronts help sustain our ecosystem to keep Coronado Emerald Green, Ocean Blue.
